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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #66297
Title: MINERALS AND B-CAROTENE (BC) IN THE GERBIL

Author
item Apgar, Barbara
item House, William
item Smith Jr, James

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Because the gerbil absorbs BC intact (J Nutr 124:869'94), it is a good model for studies of dietary carotenoids. Its ability to concentrate minerals suggests it may also be useful for studies of mineral toxicity. Since the nutritional requirements of the gerbil are not well established, we 1) investigated the suitability of the AIN93G diet; 2) estimated the requirement for vitamin A (vit A)/BC, Fe, Cu and Zn; 3) determined tissue mineral concentrations. Weanlings were fed a pelleted rat diet (Pel), AIN93G with vitamin-free casein and no added vit A, Fe, Cu or Zn (Dep), the same diet with vit A, Fe, Cu & Zn added (Con), the diet with Fe, Cu & Zn but no vit A for 1 mo followed by the same diet with 1% BC*(Car). Growth rates did not differ during 7 wk. Reduced hematocrit and bone and liver Fe concentrations indicated a mild Fe deficiency in Dep after 7 wk. Car had very high concentrations of C in liver but no indication of toxicity. Mineral requirements are Cu: /- 5 yg/g diet. Dep had reduced liver vit A concentration but no signs of deficiency.