Figure 1.

Schematic representation of the mouse groups. After weaning at the age of 3 weeks, female mice were randomized into the vitamin D–sufficient or –deficient groups and mated with vitamin D–sufficient males at the age of 7 weeks. The offspring were kept in the same environment as their dams until the age of 4 weeks when some of them were studied. The remaining pups were randomized into vitamin D–sufficient and –deficient subgroups and then studied at 8 weeks of age. The resultant four subgroups were as follows: prenatal deficiency/postnatal deficiency (Pre-Def/Post-Def); prenatal deficiency/postnatal sufficiency (Pre-Def/Post-Suff; switch group); prenatal sufficiency/postnatal deficiency (Pre-Suff/Post-Def; switch group); and prenatal sufficiency/postnatal sufficiency (Pre-Suff/Post-Suff).