HEMOGLOBIN VALUES AND ORGAN WEIGHTS IN FAST AND SLOW GROWING RATS AT TIME OF WEANING

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  • 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (4) , 463-473
Abstract
Experimental groups (3) of newborn rats were formed according to the number of animals suckled by 1 dam: fast growing animals (4/litter), normally growing animals (8/litter) and slow growing animals (16/litter). All the animals were killed on the 21st day of life and the following data were collected: Hb and hematocrit values, body weight and heart, kidney, liver and spleen weight. The results were statistically analyzed according to experimental group and also in relation to body weight with all rats treated as a single group. Hb concentration was highest in the smallest animals, gradually declining towards the lowest values around the normal body weight with a subsequent increase in the heaviest animals. The relationship between the organ weight and body weight followed an allometric formula. The slopes of the lines .alpha. were close to 1 in case of the heart, kidney and liver, indicating the growth of these organs proportional to the growth of the total body. The spleen grows faster than the total body in this experimental situation (.alpha. = 1.6).

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