Gestational zinc deprivation in mice: persistence of immunodeficiency for three generations.

Pregnant Swiss Webster mice were fed a diet moderately deficient in zinc from day 7 of gestation until parturition. Offspring of these mice showed depressed immune function through 6 months of age. In addition, the second and third filial generations, all of which were fed only the normal control diet, continued to manifest reduced immunocompetence, although not to the same degree as in the first generation.