Table 1.

Copper status of Cu-adequate and Cu-deficient male rats following perinatal copper deficiency

Characteristics	Cu+	Cu−	Cu+	Cu−	Cu+	Cu−
Age, days	3	3	12	12	28	28
Body mass, g	7.81±0.49	7.77±0.42	30.1±1.0	29.1±0.6	79.1±4.1	54.6±4.6*
Heart/Body, mg/g	6.80±0.20	7.50±0.23*	5.88±0.07	7.98±0.49*	5.24±0.17	13.6±2.17*
Liver Cu, µg/g	28.3±2.71	3.36±0.38*	44.3±6.4	1.14±0.14*	10.5±3.2	0.35±0.03*
Liver Fe, µg/g	207±12.8	166±13.5*	27.7±1.0	22.6±0.65*	31.4±4.3	54.1±2.5*
Hemoglobin, g/L	119±7.1	112±1.72	111±4.4	76.4±3.6*	131±4.7	78.8±5.9*

Values are means±SEM. Rats, n=(4 or 8 at P3), were born to and nursed by Cu-deficient or Cu-adequate dams. Treatment began two weeks prior to parturition. Liver metal concentrations were determined by flame atomic absorption following wet ashing and are based on fresh weight.

^*P<0.05 compared to Cu+ rats.