Maternal malnutrition and maintenance of malnutrition in the offspring: assessment of bone quality

Abstract

Malnutrition has repercussions on all organs and systems but is extremely damaging when it happens to children, because the residual effects persist throughout life, even if the individual is nourished again. This impact is greater when it reaches the fetus, due to maternal malnutrition. Although visibly affected, malnutrition in the developing skeleton is still poorly studied. The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate the effect on the bone quality of malnutrition that starts intrauterine and extends throughout growth. Material and Methods: Adult, young, healthy female rats will be subjected to restriction of global dietary intake by 50% for 4 weeks. Then, they will be mated with normal males and the offspring reduced to six male pups. The offspring will be kept starved until 13 weeks of postnatal life when euthanasia will occur. The control will consist of normal-fed mothers and offspring. The fourth lumbar vertebrae, femurs, and tibias will be collected, weighed, measured, and evaluated densitometrically, histologically, as well as from the point of view of mechanical strength.(AU)