[Zinc anabolism during pregnancy].

In the livers of pregnant rats an anabolic effect was found for zinc which, however, developed analogously to the enlargement of the organ. Femur and muscle did not reveal any super-retention of zinc during pregnancy. In the whole organism, a 10% increased zinc storage was found being attributable to stronger accumulation in the reproductive organs (3%) and in the liver (1%) and in other organs (6%) that were not under study. Higher Zn supply did not allow to increase this additional zinc storage during pregnancy. After lactation, the anabolic effect in the livers had declined, the Zn values of the lactating rats remaining, on the whole, at the same level as those of the pregnant animals. The Zn-serum concentrations as well as the alkaline phosphatase and carboxy peptidase A activities of the pancreatic gland were reduced during pregnancy, whilst the alkaline phosphatase activity in the femur increased. This finding is discussed in relation to Zn-supply and Zn-mobilisation.