Time dependent changes were studied in adult rats fed a protein free diet for 87 days. Measures were obtained on: liver, intestine, carcass and muscle protein; carcass collagen;
A/G ratio and hemoglobin concentration in blood; urinary hydroxyproline and N
r-methylhistidine.
(1) At the early stage of protein-depletion, proteins of the liver and intestine decreased rapidly, but at a later stage the decrease was very slow.
A/G ratio and hemoglobin concentration in blood showed similar trends. On the Contrary, muscle protein and collagen were lost continuously to the last day of the protein-depletion. These findings indicate that in the early stage of protein-depletion liver, intestine and blood proteins were utilized in the amino acid pool for protein biosynthesis, but at a later stage muscle protein and collagen were mainly utilized.
(2) At 64 days of protein-free diet, 56% and 20% of carcass protein loss resulted from muscle protein and collagen, respectively. Therefore, collagen is probably one of the main sources of the amino acid pool for protein biosynthesis in protein-depletion rats.
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