ADOLESCENT GROWTH AND MATURATION IN ZINC-DEPRIVED RHESUS-MONKEYS

Growth retardation has been associated with zinc deficiency in adolesc ent human populations, but animal models were not available previously to explore this syndrome. Moderate dietary zinc deprivation (2 mu g Z n/g diet) was introduced in female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta; n = 10) from the beginning of puberty through menarche. Subgroups of anim als (n = 4) continued to be fell the zinc-deficient diet through 45 mo of age (sexual maturity). Reduced weight gain and linear growth and l ower plasma zinc concentrations (11.8 +/- 0.6 and 9.2 +/- 0.8 mu mol/L in control and zinc-deficient monkeys, respectively) were evident dur ing the premenarcheal growth spurt. Slower skeletal growth, maturation , and mineralization were recorded in the postmenarcheal period and so me indicators of sexual maturation were delayed Food intake was slight ly higher in the zinc-deficient group than in controls. These data con firm that adolescent growth and maturation are vulnerable to disruptio n by moderate dietary zinc deprivation in nonhuman primates.