Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of chronic protein deficiency on skeletal development of young rats

  • Laboratory Investigation
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Protein deficiency was produced by freely feeding young rats a 1% lactalbumin diet for 12 weeks in order to study the effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on skeletal development. During the experiment the food and caloric intake and weight of the experimental animals decreased, while those parameters of the control animals progressively increased. However, when gross caloric intake was expressed as a function of the metabolic size of the animal, the caloric consumption was similar for both groups of animals.

The protein-deficient animals exhibited micro-radiographic and histological features of an abnormal pattern of endochondral bone formation. Appositional bone growth, as determined by the daily appositional rate and the percentage of endosteal surfaces undergoing active bone formation, was significantly decreased in these animals, as was the percentage of periosteal surfaces exhibiting resorption. Both chemical analyses of the whole bone and electron probe microanalysis in the specific area of actively calcifying bone revealed no significant differences between the mineral content of control and protein-deficient animals.

This study distinguishes the effects of protein deficiency from that of combined protein-calorie deprivation and demonstrates that the abnormal skeletal development observed was the result of a decrease in the quantity of bone formed rather than an altered mineral content.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Deo, M. G., Sood, S. K., Ramalingaswami, V.: Experimental protein deficiency, Arch. Pathol.80:14–23, 1965

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Follis, R. H.: Kwashiorkor-like syndrome observed in monkeys fed maize, Proc. Soc. Exp. Med.96:523–528, 1957

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kirsch, R. E., Saunders, S. J., Brock, J. F.: Animal models and human protein-calorie malnutrition, Am. J. Clin. Nutr.21:1225–1228, 1968

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Edozien, J. C.: Experimental kwashiorkor and marasmus, Nature220:917–919, 1968

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Anthony, L. E.: Effects of protein-calorie malnutrition on drug metabolism in rat liver microsomes, J. Nutr.103:811–812, 1973

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Anthony, L. E., Edozien, J. C.: Experimental protein and energy deficiencies in the rat, J. Nutr.105:631–648, 1975

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Enwonwu, C. O., Sreebny, L. M.: Experimental protein-calorie malnutrition in rats, Exp. Mol. Pathol.12:332–353, 1970

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Enwonwu, C. O., Sreebny, L. M.: Studies of hepatic lesions of experimental protein-calorie malnutrition in rats and immediate effects of refeeding an adequate protein diet, J. Nutr.101:501–514, 1971

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Himes, J. H.: Bone growth and development in protein-calorie malnutrition, World Rev. Nutr. Diet.28:143–187, 1978

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. LeRoith, D., Pimstone, B. L.: Bone metabolism and composition in the protein-deprived rat, Clin. Sci.44:305–319, 1973

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. LeRoith, D., Pimstone, B. L.: Bone densitometry of the femoral midshaft in the protein-deprived rat, S. Afr. Med. J.47:72–74, 1973

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nakamoto, T., Miller, S. A.: Effect of protein-energy malnutrition on the growth of mandible and long bone in newborn male and female rats, J. Nutr.107:983–989, 1977

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Nakamoto, T., Miller, S. A.: The effect of protein-energy malnutrition on the development of bones in newborn rats, J. Nutr.109:1469–1476, 1979

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Nakamoto, T., Miller, S. A.: Physical and biochemical changes of the mandible and long bone in protein-energy malnourished newborn rats, J. Nutr.109:1477–1482, 1979

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee, M., Myers, G. S.: The effect of protein-energy malnutrition on appositional bone growth in the rat, Experientia35:824–825, 1979

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Goldenberg, H., Fernandez, A.: Simplified method for the estimation of inorganic phosphorus in body fluids, Clin. Chem.12:871–882, 1966

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Albright, J., Martin, R., Flohr, R.: Automatic image analysis of the bone biopsy: variations in rib architecture, Microscope26:15–34, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  18. Edie, J. W., Glick, P. L.: Irradiation effects in the electron microprobe quantitation of mineralized tissues, J. Microsc.117:285–296, 1979

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. National Research Council, Subcommittee on Laboratory Animal Nutrition: Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Third Revised Edition, pp. 11–12. National Academy of Science, Washington, D.C., 1978

  20. Marshall, R. W.: Plasma fractions. In B. E. C. Nordin (ed.): Calcium, Phosphate, and Magnesium Metabolism, pp. 162–185. Churchill Livingstone, New York

  21. Baylink, D., Stauffer, M., Wergedal, J., Rich, C.: Formation, mineralization, and resorption of bone in vitamin D-deficient rats, J. Clin. Invest.49:1122–1134, 1970

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Stauffer, M., Baylink, D., Wergedal, J., Rich, C.: Decreased bone formation, mineralization, and enhanced resorption in calcium-deficient rats, Am. J. Physiol.225:260–276, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  23. Frandsen, A. M., Nelson, M. M., Sulon, E., Becks, H., Evans, H. M.: The effects of various levels of dietary protein on skeletal growth and endochondra, ossification in young rats, Anat. Rec.119:247–256, 1964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Platt, B. S., Stewart, R. J. C.: Transverse trabeculae and osteoporosis in bones in experimental protein-calorie deficiency, Br. J. Nutr.16:483–495, 1962

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ray, R. D., Evans, H. M., Becks, H.: Effect of the pituitary growth hormone on the epiphyseal disk of the tibia of the rat, Am. J. Pathol.17:509–528, 1941

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ingalls, T. H., Hayes, D. R.: Epiphyseal growth: the effect of removal of the adrenal and pituitary glands on the epiphyses of growing rats, Endocrinology29:720–724, 1941

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Daughaday, W. H.: Sulphation factor regulation of skeletal growth, Am. J. Med.50:277–280, 1971

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Grant, D. B., Hambley, J., Becker, D., Pimstone, B. L.: Reduced sulphation factor in undernourished children, Arch. Dis. Child.48:596–599, 1973

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Jha, G. J., Deo, M. G., Ramalingaswami, V.: Bone growth in protein deficiency. A study in rhesus monkeys, Am. J. Pathol.53:1111–1123, 1968

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Harris, R. R., Glick, P. L., Mackenzie, I. C.: Effect of protein deficiency on epithelial metabolism, J. Dent. Res.56 (Special Issue A):201, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  31. El-Maraghi, N. R. H., Platt, B. S., Stewart, R. J. C.: The effect of the interaction of dietary protein and calcium on the growth and maintenance of the bones of young, adult and aged rats, Br. J. Nutr.19:491–509, 1965

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Pratt, C. W. M., McCance, R. A.: Severe undernutrition in growing and adult animals 2. Changes in the long bones of growing cockerels held at fixed weights by denutrition, Br. J. Nutr.14:75–84, 1960

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Pellegrino, E. D., Biltz, R. M.: Mineralization in the chick embryo. I. Monohydrogen phosphate and carbonate relationships during maturation of the bone crystal complex, Calcif. Tissue Res.10:138–135, 1972

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterans Administration Medicine Center and Dows Institute for Dental Research, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, 52242, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

    Paul L. Glick & Dorothy J. Rowe

Authors
  1. Paul L. Glick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dorothy J. Rowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Glick, P.L., Rowe, D.J. Effects of chronic protein deficiency on skeletal development of young rats. Calcif Tissue Int 33, 223–231 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409441

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409441

Key words

Search

Navigation