Postnatal development of pancreatic alpha-amylase and intestinal saccharase and lactase in rat sucklings as related to thyroid function of mothers.

The treatment of lactating mothers with 50 micrograms/100 g b.w. thyroxine s.c. daily from the 1st to 21st day of lactation resulted in earlier induction of alpha-glucosidases (pancreatic alpha-amylase, intestinal saccharase) and in earlier repression of beta-galactosidases (intestinal lactase). In contrast, the sucklings fed by thyroidectomized mothers showed a delayed induction of pancreatic alpha-amylolytic activity and intestinal saccharase, but ameliorated the repression of lactase. The treatment of another group of thyroidectomized mothers with 5 micrograms/100 g b.w. thyroxine prevented such effects mothers of thyroidectomy in sucklings.