COMPARTMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ZINC KINETICS IN MATURE MALE-RATS

A compartmental model of zinc kinetics in mature male rats was develop ed. The model was based on zinc and radioisotopic zinc measured in sam ples of plasma, skeletal muscle, kidneys, testes, spleen, bone, and in testinal segments collected at various times for up to 4 days after Zn -65 was injected intravenously. Zinc intake, excretion of zinc and Zn- 65 in urine and feces, and the whole body retention of Zn-65 were also determined. Other data used to develop the model included published i nformation on zinc concentration and zinc kinetics in tissues that wer e not sampled. In the model, the intestinal tract was represented by f ive compartments. Plasma, spleen, kidneys, and testes were each repres ented by an individual compartment. In contrast, two compartments each were used to represent exchangeable zinc in liver, bone, skeletal mus cle, skin, and red blood cells. The present model extends earlier mode ls of zinc kinetics, describes the distribution of zinc in the whole b ody, and may provide a means to evaluate the influence of either patho physiological conditions or dietary extremes on the metabolism of zinc .