a, Body weight, White blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), lymphocyte, hemoglobin (Hgb) and Platelet counts in mice fed either control valine proficient diet (8g/Kg valine), valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) or valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) substituted with 0.8g/l valine in drinking water (mean ± SD of n=5 animals each condition; two-sided unpaired t-test) for 4 weeks. b, Total cell numbers of bone marrow (tibia+femur), spleen and thymus from mice fed either a control valine proficient diet (8g/Kg valine), valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) or valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) substituted with 0.8g/l valine in drinking water for 4 weeks (mean ± SD of n=4 animals each condition; two-sided unpaired t-test). c, Plasma valine levels in peripheral blood serum of mice fed either control valine proficient diet (8g/Kg valine), valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) or valine deficient diet (0g/Kg valine) substituted with 0.8g/l valine (mean ± SD of n=5 animals each condition; two-sided unpaired t-test).