QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fosmire, G. J. Articles by Sandstead, H. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fosmire, G. J. Articles by Sandstead, H. H.

Zinc Deficiency in the Weanling Rat: Effects on Liver Composition and Polysomal Profiles¹

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Human Nutrition Laboratory, and Department of Biochemistry, University of North Dakota, Crand Forks, North Dakota 58201

Some effects of zinc deficiency and inanition on post weanling development of the liver and on polysomal profiles were investigated. Failure to provide the weanling rat with adequate zinc resulted in anorexia, cyclical feeding, and growth retardation. Liver growth was also impaired, but was consonant with body size. Zinc deficiency resulted in a severe impairment of DNA aceretion and a lowered concentration of RNA; protein concentration was less than for the ad libitum-fed controls, but was equivalent to that for pair-fed controls, suggesting that the lowered protein concentration was largely due to inanition. In response to zinc deficiency, there was a smaller percentage of the total RNA on the gradient incorporated into the heaviest polysomal fraction. The amount of RNase activity did not appear to account for this altered polysomal distribution.

KEY WORDS: • zinc deficiency • liver development • polysomal profiles

¹ This work was supported in part by the USDA Cooperative Agreement No. 12-14 100-11, 178 (61), Amend 1.

² Present address: Department of Home Economics, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58201.

Manuscript received 24 November 1975.