Broiler chicken adipose tissue dynamics during the first two weeks post-hatch.
Selection of broiler chickens for growth has led to increased adipose tissue accretion. To investigate the post-hatch development of adipose tissue, the abdominal, clavicular, and subcutaneous adipose tissue depots were collected from broiler chicks at 4 and 14 days post-hatch. As a percent of body weight, abdominal fat increased (P<0.001) with age. At day 4, clavicular and subcutaneous fat depots were heavier (P<0.003) than abdominal fat whereas at day 14, abdominal and clavicular weighed more (P<0.003) than subcutaneous fat. Adipocyte area and diameter were greater in clavicular and subcutaneous than abdominal fat at 4 and 14 days post-hatch (P<0.001). Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) activity increased (P<0.001) in all depots from day 4 to 14, and at both ages was greatest in subcutaneous, intermediate in clavicular, and lowest in abdominal fat (P<0.05). In clavicular fat, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (CEBP)α, CEBPβ, fatty acid synthase (FASN), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and NPY receptor 5 (NPYR5) mRNA increased and NPYR2 mRNA decreased from day 4 to 14 (P<0.001). Thus, there are site-specific differences in broiler chick adipose development, with larger adipocytes and greater G3PDH activity in subcutaneous fat at day 4, more rapid growth of abdominal fat, and clavicular fat intermediate for most traits. Adipose tissue expansion was accompanied by changes in gene expression of adipose-associated factors.
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625014, Sichuan, China.
Shiping
S
Bai
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
Guoqing
G
Wang
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
Wei
W
Zhang
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
Shuai
S
Zhang
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
Brittany Breon
BB
Rice
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
Mark Andrew
MA
Cline
Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States. Electronic address: egilbert@vt.edu.
Elizabeth Ruth
ER
Gilbert
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D030161:Avian Proteins; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D047495:PPAR gamma; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; C100568:neuropeptide Y5 receptor; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase
Adipocyte cellularity; Adipose tissue; Broilers; Post-hatch; mRNA