Differences in muscular changes in rats with vitamin E and with selenium deficiency

The recti muscles of rats with vitamin E deficiency and with selenium deficiency were examined by electron microscopy and compared. In vitamin E deficiency, the first changes occurred in blood vessels and in the extracellular components. The endothelium contained many vacuoles and less cytoplasmic organelles. The basal lamina of the endothelium appeared thicker. As it progressed, vitamin E deficiency caused abnormal pigment granules, mitochondrial degeneration, decreased numbers and irregular arrangement of muscle fibers, and irregular arrangement of z bands. On the other hand, selenium deficiency caused no abnormal changes in the recti muscles. These results suggest that selenium plays a different role from that of vitamin E which is an antioxidant.