Importance of copper in respiratory distress syndrome in newborn rats

Abstract
To investigate the effect of copper-deficiency on Respiratory Distress Syndrome in newborn rats, 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The animals were divided at random into 3 groups of 10: The copper-deficient group was fed a copper-free diet from 35 days before gestation to delivery; the control group, fed a copper adequate diet and the pair-fed group was fed a limited copper adequate diet. After birth, an important percentage of the copper-deficient newborn showed symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome, such as apnoea, tachypnoea, and subcostal retraction; however, the pulmonary surfactant in the three groups did not present quantitative significant differences.
Keywords:
Animals, Copper/deficiency, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Newborn/metabolism, Organ Size, Pregnancy, Pulmonary Surfactants/metabolism, Random Allocation, Rats, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Sprague-Dawley, Pulmonary maturity
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