Cellular Growth in Specific Nutritional Deficiency States in Rats I. IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA IN POST‐WEANLING PERIOD

S ummary The effect of iron deficiency anaemia on cellular growth and protein accretion in rats was studied using the parameters of organ weight, protein, DNA and RNA content. Three groups of rats were fed the same synthetic iron‐deficient diet for a period of 143 days. Group I received the diet ad libitum , Group II was pair‐fed with Group I but received supplemented iron and Group III received the diet ad libitum with supplemented iron. The following are the mean results obtained in Groups I, II and III: weight gain, 87 g, 86 g and 121 g respectively; haemoglobin 7.8 g% (w/v), 14.7 g% (w/v) and 15.2 g% (w/v) respectively; albumin 3.1 g% (w/v), 3.4 g% (w/v) respectively. Iron deficiency anaemia per se resulted in hypoplasia (total DNA decreased) and hypertrophy (protein: DNA ratio increased) of liver cells, hypertrophy of renal cells, and increased total DNA and reduced protein: DNA ratio in spleen. Iron deficiency anaemia also induced anorexia with resultant calorie malnutrition and this caused hypertrophy of cardiac and renal cells and hypertrophy (protein: DNA ratio decreased) in brain.