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 Nasset, E. S. Articles by Gatewood, V. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nasset, E. S. Articles by Gatewood, V. H.

Nitrogen Balance and Hemoglobin of Adult Rats Fed Amino Acid Diets Low in L- and D-Histidine¹

One Figure

Department of Physiology and Vital Economics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York

The nitrogen balance of adult, male Wistar strain rats was adversely affected by severe reduction of histidine in the amino acid mixture that supplied all of the dietary nitrogen.

Reduction of histidine resulted in a reduction of hemoglobin of as much as 20%. Certain intakes of histidine which were adequate for the attainment of positive nitrogen balance were inadequate for the maintenance of a normal hemoglobin concentration. It is suggested that histidine requirements are met normally by ingestion; temporary dietary shortages may be made good by the degradation of hemoglobin to supply relatively large quantities of histidine.

No obvious difference was noted between the optical isomers of histidine in the maintenance either of nitrogen balance or hemoglobin concentration.

Manuscript received 22 February 1954.