Rat dams fed zinc (Zn) deficient diets during pregnancy accumulate excessive liver iron (Fe) concentrations. In this study, the authors investigated the effect of Zn deficiency on erythropoiesis. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 50 {mu}g (ZnAd) or less than 0.5 {mu}g (Zndef) Zn/g diet from d0 to d19 of gestation; food intake and weight were recorded daily. Dams were killed by CO{sub 2} asphyxiation on d19 of pregnancy. Smears were made from dam femur bone marrow and analyzed for erythrocyte (RBC) number and maturity. Plasma, liver and bone were analyzed for Zn and Fe concentrations by AAS. In the ZnAd and Zndef dams, mean ({plus minus}sem) bone Zn was 140 {plus minus} 3 and 104 {plus minus} 2 {mu}g/g; plasma Zn was 112 {plus minus} 3 and 41 {plus minus} 4 {mu}g/dl; and liver Fe was 104 {plus minus} 10 and 185 {plus minus} 16 {mu}g/g, respectively. During gestation, mean weight gain of ZnAd was 91 {plus minus}4 g, and Zndef dams had no weight gain. Mean number of fetuses/dam of ZnAd were 12 {plus minus} 2 and Zndef were 7 {plus minus} 2. Fetal weight was 2.3 {plus minus} 0.1 g in ZnAd and 1.4 {plus minus} 0.1more » g in Zndef. Zndef dams resorbed 44% of their implantation sites and 34% of their fetuses had gross teratology. Compared to ZnAd dams, the newly formed RBCs of Zndef dams show marked reduction, indicating suppression of bone marrow erythropoiesis. Thus, severely Zn deficient rat dams were unable to mobilize their excessively high liver Fe stores and could not maintain normal erythropoiesis.« less
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