Lack of Mobilization of Bone and Liver Zinc under Teratogenic Conditions of Zinc Deficiency in Rats

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Abstract
The effect of pregnancy on the zinc content of maternal bone and liver was determined in rats fed either a zinc-deficient or a zinc-supplemented purified diet. Although the zinc content of fetuses from deficient females was lower than that of fetuses from zinc-supplemented controls, the zinc content of maternal liver and bone was not significantly lower at term than that of nonpregnant rats fed the same diet for 21 days. These results substantiate the hypothesis that even in the presence of teratogenic zinc deficiency in the fetus, female rats fed a zinc-deficient diet during pregnancy cannot mobilize zinc from body tissues in amounts sufficient to supply the needs of normal fetal development.