Mechanism of recovery in esophageal epithelia of rats with severe zinc deficiency.
Forty-six rats fed a Zn-deficient diet for 18 days, were divided into three groups and treated with Zn-deficient diet (GI), a normal (Zn-adequate) diet (GII) or a pharmacological Zn therapy diet (GIII) for 3 days. For light and electron microscopy, samples were taken at times 0, 8, 12, 24 and 72 h after treatment. In treatment GI, at all times, all rats had esophageal parakeratosis. With treatment GII, there was a variable progression toward normalization of the epithelium at 12 and 24 h. At 72 h there was almost complete recovery of normal epithelium. In treatment GIII at 8 h, large, light cells in the basal layer were shown to be present between dark cylindrical cells, a finding which was transitionary and disappeared at 12 h. Also, a thin keratinized layer was observed above the granular layer at 12 h. Recovery had progressed at 24 h and was complete after 72 h. The results are discussed in terms of a potential role of Zn in the sequence of cytochemical events in epithelial differentiation.
Rezaian
M
M
University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario, Canada.
Yamashiro
S
S
Hardy
M H
MH
Bettger
W J
WJ
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency*
D015032:Zinc