THE QUANTITATIVE NUTRIENT-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP

A quantitative mathematical model for the description of nutrient-response relationships can be derived by the application of the concepts of specific nutrient-macromolecular interaction, response proportional to the extent of this interaction, law of mass action and saturation kinetics. This model can be used to produce the 4-parameter mathematical model for physiological responses. The possible uses of the model are discussed, an idealized example is given and the model is applied to the interpretation and description of a growth experiment in which male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets varying in concentration of an amino acid mixture.