Histopathology of Amino Acid Deficiencies. V. Isoleucine.

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Abstract
Normal-control, pair-fed-control rats were fed a purified synthetic diet of 19 crystalline amino acids, vitamins, sucrose, fat and minerals for 30 days. Experimental rats received the same diet without isoleucine. In addition to routine histological procedures, the pituitaries were treated by the aldehyde-fuchsin and periodic acid-Schiff methods for thyrotrophic and gonado-trophic basophils. Liver sections were subjected to the Bests carmine and periodic acid-Schiff methods for glycogen. The total lack of dietary isoleucine resulted in regression in the size of the pituitary acidophils, deletion of the pituitary gonadotrophic cells, atrophy of the testes and accessory sex glands, thymic involution, interference with somatic growth, liver glycogen accumulation and degenerative changes in skeletal muscle. The thyrotrophic basophils of the pituitary were unaffected. Replacement of adequate isoleucine in the diet of isoleucine-deficient rats resulted in complete recovery.