Incorporation of amino acids into protein of foetal rabbit diaphragm: effect of insulin.

The incorporation of six L-amino acids into the protein fraction of the diaphragm of foetal and neonatal rabbits has been measured. Insulin stimulates the incorporation of lysine from the 29th day and of glycine from the 31st day of gestation onwards. The incorporation of histidine, serine and threonine is only enhanced in the diaphragm of 16-20 hour-old rabbits; no effect of insulin on the incorporation of leucine has been shown for the period under study.