Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Role of iron in the intestinal uptake of cadmium in the newborn rat

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5574986

There is evidence that suckling rats have a greater capacity for intestinal transport of heavy metals than do mature animals. It has been suggested that iron transport mechanisms provide a way for non-essential metals like Cd to be absorbed. The effect of iron on intestinal uptake of cadmium (/sup 109/Cd) was investigated in suckling (14 day old), adolescent (28 day old) and young adult rats (42 day old) using an in situ incubation technique. In the presence of 0.4 and 2.0 mM Fe SO/sub 4/, intestinal uptake of Cd was significantly decreased in 14 day old pups. When dams and pups were placed on an iron deficient diet (ID) tissue iron levels decreased in 28 and 42 day old rats but not in 14 day old rats. The results of the present studies suggest that intestinal cadmium transport in the suckling, adolescent and young adult rat is mediated, at least in part, by iron transport pathways.

Research Organization:
Cincinnati Univ., OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
5574986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English