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Chitosan is a nontoxic natural chealtor which was made by chitin, and reduced a contamination of radiostrontium in animals. And also, Chitosan was absorbed gastrointestinal tract and excreted into urine. But, there is no research whether chitosan, a natural polymer, can be transfered from mother to fetuses, The purpose of this study was to investigate to transfer from mother to fetus, in which oral administered C-14chitosan in pregnant rats. Wistar strain female rats bred at NIRS were used. They were mated ay 14 weeks of age(body weight of 250 to 300g) with males of about the same age. Mating was confirmed by presence of a vaginal plug and the day on which the plug was found was considered to be the first day of gestation. C-14 chitosan was diluted to 370 KBq/ml with distilled water, and was given oral(0.5 ml). After the administration of C-14 chitosan, At various time intervals following administration of each C-14 chitosan, the pregnant ternate and fetuses were killed by bleeding under ether anaesthesis and maternal tissues(liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, heart, lung, blood and serum), and conceptuses(placenta, placenta membranacea, amnion, fetus-liver) were sampled. These samples were measured using a liquid scintillation counter after combusted by an oxidizer(Model 306Tri-Carb Packard). In case of pregnancy rats, Biodistribution of C-14 chitosan was similar despite the difference of gestation days. Higher distributions of radioactivities were found in the liver, kidney, spleen and lung. In case of conceptuses, The highest relative concentration were found in the late pregnancy period that were injected with the C-14 chitosan at 18 and 19 days of gestation(except for amnion).In conclusion, C-14 chitosan was transfered from mother to fetus.
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