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Effect of dietary protein level and thyroxine on vitamin A depletion from liver in chicks
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2007
Abstract
1. The effect of dietary protein level and supplementation with thyroxine and thiouracil on depletion of liver stores of vitamin A, on the percentage of liver vitamin A in the alcohol form and on the plasma level of vitamin A and protein has been studied in chicks. In an experiment with cockerels the relation was investigated between the vitamin A level of plasma and the electrophoretic pattern of its proteins.
2. Liver vitamin A depletion was considerably reduced by lowering the dietary protein level.
3. Protein malnutrition lowered the percentage of vitamin A found in the liver in the alcohol form.
4. Depletion of vitamin A from the liver was related to the percentage of vitamin A in the alcohol form.
5. Thyroxine increased both vitamin A depletion from the liver and the percentage of vitamin A in the alcohol form, whereas thiouracil had the opposite effect.
6. Plasma vitamin A, and plasma protein contents were significantly lowered in cockerels receiving a 5% protein diet. The drop in plasma protein level was essentially caused by a reduction of the albumin fraction. No significant change in the levels of globulins was observed even after a 4-week period of protein malnutrition.
7. When the dietary protein level was restored to normal both the albumin and vitamin A levels in plasma increased.
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- Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1966
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