Metabolism of zinc and copper in the neonate: zinc thionein in developing rat brain, heart, lung, spleen, and thymus.

In a continuing study of the importance of metallothionein (MT) in the growth and development of neonates, zinc and copper metabolism in rat brain, heart, lung, spleen, and thymus has been analyzed in 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 day old rats. Total, cytosol, and MT zinc and copper concentrations and organ contents were determined. Zinc, but very little, if any copper was associated with MT in these organs. Concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 3.3 micrograms Zn in MT/g; organ contents ranged from 0.003 to 2.2 micrograms Zn in MT/organ. Brain exhibited the highest concentrations and contents of zinc in MT, approaching the levels found in kidneys. Rank order of organ contents of zinc in MT was brain greater than lung greater than heart, spleen, thymus, during this neonatal growth period. When organ growth was rapid, a large percentage (20-95%) of the cytosolic zinc present in these organs was associated with MT, as has been previously observed with liver, kidneys, and testes. None of these organs undergoes the dramatic changes in zinc and copper metabolism previously observed in neonatal rat liver and gastrointestinal tract, and in maturing testes. They are more comparable to kidneys in their concentrations of zinc in MT. Like testes, little copper is found in these organs.