Choline Metabolism

Abstract

Hemorrhagic degeneration occurred within 10 days in male rats, 20 to 30 days of age, on a low choline diet containing 0.3% of added cystine. A marked decrease in the incidence of the deficiency in similar rats, 33 days of age or older, suggested that there is a corresponding decrease in the choline requirement of rats over 30 days of age. The renal lesions in 40-gm. male rats, 21 to 26 days of age, were most severe on the sixth and seventh days. Only 60 to 80% of these rats survived the 10-day period. The results of choline deficiency appeared more slowly and were less severe in young female rats than in male rats of the same age and weight. The administration of choline after the appearance of hemorrhagic degeneration accelerated the recovery from the acute stage of the deficiency. The increase in weight of the kidneys of male rats, 20 days of age and 24 to 30 gm. in weight, after a 7-day period on diets containing suboptimal levels of added choline was proportional to the severity of the deficiency of choline.