Protein Metabolism in the Offspring of Underfed Mother Rats

Abstract

Dietary restriction by 50% during pregnancy and lactation of rats was reported previously to result in permanent growth stunting of the progeny, despite ad libitum feeding after weaning. We have now tried to assess the relative importance of several possible causes — low dietary intake, poor absorption and abnormal metabolism. The average food consumption per unit body weight of the progeny of restricted mothers was found to be greater than normal. Some impairment of protein absorption was observed, but this did not account for the major part of the deficit in nitrogen retention observed in such progeny. The amount of nitrogen excreted by these animals was not only greater than normal but also had an abnormal distribution among the nitrogen-containing components of urine.