Developmental patterns of copper and zinc concentrations in mouse liver and brain: evidence that the gene crinkled (cr) is associated with an abnormality in copper metabolism.

An abnormality in copper metabolism during both the prenatal and postnatal (preweaning) periods was found to be associated with the autosomal recessive gene "crinkled" (cr) in mice. Liver copper concentration was significantly lower in crinkled mice (cr/cr) than in littermate controls (+/?) from 18 days of gestation to 20 days after birth. Crinkled mice older than 20 days of age and liver copper concentrations similar to those of littermate controls. Liver zinc and brain copper and were similar in crinkled and noncrinkled mice at all times tested. In both crinkled and noncrinkled mice, brain copper concentration increased during the suckling period, and liver copper concentration decreased.