Figure 2.

(a) Uptake of ³H-taurine into villous fragments in the presence (●) and absence (○) of Na⁺ over 30–120 min in the placentas of ideal weight women. The Na⁺-dependent component of uptake (▴) indicates ³H-taurine uptake owing to TauT activity. There was a linear relationship between TauT activity and time over 30–120 min (least squares linear regression: r²=0.56, P<0.0001). (b) Placental TauT activity was significantly lower in obese women (BMI⩾30 kg m⁻²; n=27 (○)) compared with women of ideal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg m⁻²; n=22 (●)) (mean±s.e.; *P<0.03 least squares linear regression). (c) Placental TauT activity (120 min) according to the BMI category (mean±s.e.; *P<0.05; Kruskall–Wallis with Dunn’s multiple comparison post hoc test). (d) Placental TauT activity (120 min) was inversely related to maternal BMI (least squares linear regression: r²=0.098; P<0.014 n=61).