The effect of a low-protein diet, and of refeeding, on the composition of liver and muscle in the weanling rat

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Abstract
Wealing rats were fed 4 weeks on a low (6.4%) protein, high carbohydrate diet which simulated that eaten by the poor in Jamaica. Half of them were then slaughtered and the rest were repleted on a diet containing 18% protein. The low-protein diet caused complete arrest of growth, and body, liver and muscle weights remained constant. The ratio of N to DNA was greatly reduced in both liver and muscle. In muscle, the N reduction occurred at the expense of cellular protein and connective tissue increased throughout the depletion period. On repletion, new protein and DNA formed in the liver about twice as fast as in normal growth, but in muscle a lag period was noted before new tissue synthesis reached a maximum. It is suggested that ratio of non-collagen N to DNA in muscle may be a useful index of degree of protein depletion.