Taurine in Developing Rhesus Monkey Brain

The concentrations of taurine in all regions of fetal and neonatal rhesus monkey brain are greater than in the same regions of adult monkey brain. [35S]Taurine injected into pregnant rhesus monkeys is accumulated by the fetus. This process occurs rapidly in most tissues, but occurs slowly in fetal brain. Neonatal rhesus monkey brain also accumulates [35S]taurine slowly compared with other tissues after i.v. injection, and continues to accumulate [35S]taurine for a long period of time. These results suggest that the accumulation and exchange of taurine in developing rhesus monkey brain is slow, as found in neonatal rats, and that if there is a period of development at which rapid exchange of brain taurine occurs in the rhesus monkey, it is before the rapid brain growth spurt.