Key result
Ovine blood carbonic anhydrase activity rises postnatally to reach adult levels by ~30 days.
Why the study?
The activity of carbonic anhydrase in the blood across developmental stages of sheep was measured to characterize its changes from fetal life to adulthood.
Observational
Informs ovine perinatal enzyme ontogeny; leaves open translation to human neonatal hematology.
The activity of carbonic anhydrase (E.C.4.2.1.1) (CA) has been measured in the blood of adult and fetal sheep and lambs. The mean activity in adult sheep was 0.89 enzyme units (EU) per 100 micrograms of Hb. The activity in fetal sheep aged 90 days was just below 20% of this and in fetuses near full term was just under 40% of the mean adult level. The regression line gave an increase of CA activity (per 100 micrograms Hb) of 0.004 EU/day. The appearance of CA in fetal blood normally occurred before any detectable production of adult Hb. One aberrant fetus showed early development of the adult pattern in the red cells, having adult type Hb and adult levels of CA during the period of 116-128 days of fetal age. In the period after birth the CA level in the blood rose rapidly, reaching the adult level 30 days after birth. During this period activity per 100 micrograms HB increased by 0.014 EU/day, significantly faster than during fetal life.
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Holland et al. (1987) reported an observational. Developmental stage (fetal vs post-birth) vs. Adult sheep was evaluated on Carbonic anhydrase activity per 100 micrograms of Hb. Carbonic anhydrase activity in sheep blood increased by 0.004 EU/day during fetal life and more rapidly by 0.014 EU/day after birth, reaching the adult mean of 0.89 EU/100 µg Hb at 30 days.
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