Histological observations on foetal resorption in copper-deficient rats

Abstract

1. Twenty-six rats were fed a diet of milk treated with hydrogen sulphide together with copper-free mineral and vitamin supplements; fourteen of these rats were used as controls and were given 500 μg Cu per rat per week. Seven other rats were fed a commercial diet.2. Mating to stock males commenced when the rats had been fed the diets for 6 weeks, and they were killed from the 10th to the 16th days of pregnancy.3. The average number of placental sites was 17.9 in stock, 10.4 in control and 11.8 in deficient rats. Spontaneously resorbing sites were seen in three stock, seven control and six deficient animals.4. The foetuses of the stock and control animals grew normally but in the Cu-deficient rats normal development ceased on the 13th day of pregnancy when the foetal tissues were seen to be disintegrating. Necrosis of the placenta was seen on the 15th day of pregnancy and until then blood islands were present.5. Lesions were not seen in the maternal mammary glands, ovaries or pituitary glands.