Some Effects of Dietary Zinc Deficiency in the Mouse

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Abstract
Weanling mice on an extremely zinc-deficient diet were greatly retarded in the rate of growth. A considerable percentage failed to survive more than 8 weeks. The animals became emaciated, lost hair from the shoulders and back of the neck, but no truly distinctive gross symptoms were noted. This is regarded as evidence that in nutrition zinc has diverse functions. The catalase activity of the liver and kidneys was markedly reduced. Blood catalase was not affected. The addition of zinc salts to the tissue preparations did not appreciably affect the catalase activity. No changes occurred in liver esterase and in the concentration of riboflavin in liver and kidneys. Histological investigations of the teeth failed to reveal any evidence of change attributable to the lack of zinc.