Autometallographic Study after Dietary Zinc Insufficiency: Wistar Rat Ventral Prostate

Abstract

Zinc is an essential biological trace element with acquired zinc deficiency being common and spread worldwide affecting all age groups. The study investigates the effect of low dietary zinc on Wistar rat ventral prostate. Prepubertal male Wistar rats (35-50 g) were grouped into, negative control (standard feed), zinc control (100 µg Zn /g), pair fed (100 µg Zn /g but diet given was equal to the diet taken by zinc deficient group the previous day) and zinc deficient (1.00 µg Zn /g) for 4- and 6- weeks. Localization of zinc nanocrystal using autometallographic technique after 4 weeks of deficiency decreased ranging from moderate to faint in columnar epithelial cells, glandular cell layer, intra- luminal secretion, secretory vesicles with uneven dispersion in degenerated fibromuscular stroma as against the control groups. Further decrease in localization of free zinc ion was detected after 6 weeks of deficiency. Decline in zinc localization was also evident in pairfed groups accounting for stress and starvation due to limited food intake. These observations were further supported by decline in ventral prostate total zinc level as assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Depletion of zinc in ventral prostate would alter the internal environment milieu / prostatic secretions leading to increased risk for infertility.