Dietary Protein and Serum Electrophoretic Patterns of the Adult Rat. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The effects of inanition, acute and chronic protein depletion and of repletion with several levels of protein on distribution of serum proteins in the adult rat have been investigated by filter paper electrophoresis. Decreases in the albumin, α₁-, α₂- and β-globulin fractions were observed following depletion regimens. Purified diets containing 17% or more of casein not only restored all values to normal, but elicited significant increases in total serum protein concentrations. A differential response of the α₂-globulin fraction upon repletion occurred between groups previously subjected to acute and to chronic depletion. Significantly increased A/G ratios were found in groups repleted with a diet of natural products. Rate of depletion was found to exert a pronounced effect on hematocrit values.