Effects of Undernutrition and Rehabilitation on the Skeletal Growth of Rats

Authors: Ferruh YÜCEL, Zehra AKGÜN, Hulusi EĞİLMEZ, Orhan SOLAK

Abstract: Female rats were undernourished from about birth to 50 days of age and then rehabilitated until 100 days of age. For the measurements of various skeletal dimensions, rats were anaesthetized and X-rayed at each of 25, 50 and 100 days. Undernutrition caused significant deficits in both body weight and all skeletal dimensions measured, compared to age matched controls at both 25 and 50 days. After the rehabilitation only skull, right third proximal phalanx and ischium lengths of the experimental rats reached the normal values. All remaining features showed either a partial recovery or no "catch-up" at all.

Keywords: Undernutrition, skelatal growth