Fig. 1.

FCR and uptake of maternal LDL-cholesterol by the placenta and yolk sac at 11.5 dpc. Female hamsters were fed 0 or 2% added cholesterol prior to and during mating. Hamster LDL was radiolabeled with [³H]cholesteryl oleyl ether. A bolus of radiolabel was injected into animals at 11.5 dpc. Using the SAAM II program, we calculated FCR (maternal pools/1.5 h per gram tissue; A and B) and calculated the uptake (or transfer) rates of maternal cholesterol to the entire placenta and yolk sac (μg/1.5 h per tissue; C and D). Data are presented as means (n = 3) ± SEM. The asterisk depicts significant differences between animals fed different diets. LDL-cholesterol concentrations were 4.1 ± 0.5 and 17.5 ± 2.2 mg/dl for dams fed 0 or 2% cholesterol, respectively, at 11.5 dpc.