Metabolic adaptation in developing lung.

We have carried out studies using rat lung slices showing that the developing lung utilizes both glucose and fatty acids as oxidative substrates. Glucose oxidation to CO2 decreased at birth but showed higher activity after weaning. The activity of the pentose phosphate pathway also decreased postnatally. In contrast to glucose, the oxidation of palmitate and caprate to CO2 showed an increase in the immediate postnatal period. Cytochrome oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase showed a parallel postnatal increase following the increase in fatty acid oxidation. Cytochrome oxidase activity in adult lung was approximately 30% of peak newborn values. Palmitate incorporation into total lipids was greatest at 18 to 19 days of fetal development, at which time the lung content of nonesterified fatty acids was highest.