This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of activated charcoal-herb extractum complex (CHC) on the growth performance, immunological indices, intestinal morphology and microflora in weaning piglets to determine the optimal supplemental dose. A total of 216 weaned piglets (Duroc  Landrace  Large White) with an initial body weight of 8.55 AE 1.18 kg were randomly assigned to six treatment groups; each treatment group had six pens, with six pigs per pen. The study period was 28 d. Pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 500, 1000, 1500 or 2000 mg kg À1 of CHC over two 14-d periods. Two additional diets containing 0 and 1000 mg kg À1 of montmorillonite were set as the negative and positive controls, respectively. Supplementation with 500 mg kg À1 of CHC significantly increased average daily gain compared with the positive and negative controls during phase I and the entire experimental period (P < 0.05). During phase I, 500 and 1000 mg kg À1 of CHC significantly decreased diarrhea incidence compared with the negative control, and increased serum IGF-1 and serum IgM levels compared with the controls (P < 0.05). CHC at 500 mg kg À1 significantly decreased the diarrhea score during the entire experimental period compared with the negative control (P < 0.05). On day 28, supplementation with 500 and 1000 mg kg À1 of CHC increased serum IgG, IL-1b, and duodenum and jejunum secretory IgA compared with the negative control and decreased duodenum and jejunum MDA levels compared with the controls (P < 0.05). Increased duodenum and jejunum villus height and an increased ratio of villus height to crypt depth were observed compared with the negative control and decreased viable counts of E. coli in the cecum were detected compared with the controls (P < 0.05). Collectively, the optimal dose of CHC was found to be 500 to 1000 mg kg À1 in this study.Means within the same row without common superscripts differ signicantly (P < 0.05). b IgM immune globulin M, IgA immune globulin A, IgG immune globulin G, IL-1b interleukin-1b, IFN-g interferon-g.5952 | RSC Adv., 2019,9,[5948][5949][5950][5951][5952][5953][5954][5955][5956][5957] This journal is

This study is aimed at exploring the mechanism underlying the homeostasis between myogenesis and adipogenesis in skeletal muscle using a special porcine model with a distinct phenotype on muscle growth rate and intramuscular fat deposition. Differentiation potential of muscle-derived Myo-lineage cells of lean-type pigs was significantly enhanced relative to obese-type pigs, while that of their Adi-lineage cells was similar. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that lean-type pigs reserved a higher proportion of Myo-lineage cells in skeletal muscle relative to obese-type pigs. Besides, Myo-lineage cells of the lean-type pig settled closer to the original stage of muscle-derived progenitor cells. Proteomics analysis found that differentially expressed proteins between two sources of Myo-lineage cells are mainly involved in muscle development, cell proliferation and differentiation, ion homeostasis, apoptosis, and the MAPK signaling pathway. The regulation of intracellular ion homeostasis, Ca 2+ in particular, significantly differed between two sources of Myo-lineage cells. Ca 2+ concentration in both cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum was lower in Myo-lineage cells of lean-type pigs relative to obese-type pigs. In conclusion, a higher proportion and stronger differentiation capacity of Myo-lineage cells are the main causes for the higher capability of myogenic differentiation and lower intramuscular fat deposition. Relative low concentration of cellular Ca 2+ is advantageous for Myo-lineage cells to keep a potent differentiation potential.