Vitamin A deficiency interferes with proliferation and maturation of cells in the chicken small intestine

Abstract

1. The effect of vitamin A on the small intestine was examined in vitamin-A-deficient meat-type chickens. 2. Maturation and activity of the small intestinal cells were assayed by detection of proliferating cells with proliferating cells nuclear antigen, goblet cells with Alcian blue, mature cells with alkaline phosphatase and extent of RNA expression with dot blot analysis. 3. Vitamin A deficiency caused hyperproliferation of enterocytes, a decrease in the number of goblet cells, decreased alkaline phosphatase activity and decreased expression of 2 brush-border enzymes. 4. Our findings suggest that the absence of vitamin A interferes with the normal growth rate in chickens because it influences functionality of the small intestine by altering proliferation and maturation of cells in the small intestinal mucosa.

Effects of sorghum on broilers gastrointestinal tract

“…This result may suggest that the duodenum mucosa of birds fed whole-grain sorghum suffered more damage than in the other treatments, because crypt depth increases according to epithelium turnover needs (Macari, 1995;Boleli et al, 2002). Despite the energy losses with cell turnover, this response may be beneficial to the (Uni et al, 1998;Uni et al, 2000). Broilers fed ground corn presented the shallowest crypts in jejunum (p<0.05) compared to those fed whole-grain sorghum.…”

Effects of Early Malnutrition on Mental System, Metabolic Syndrome, Immunity and the Gastrointestinal Tract

“…The rates of enterocyte proliferation and migration are affected by a variety of factors. An overt nutrient deficiency, most notably for zinc [80], vitamin A [85], and cyanocobalamin (B12) [95], will affect intestinal physiology. Glutathione is a crucial antioxidant in the gastrointestinal mucosa that is also formed from glutamine [55,72].…”

Effect of retinol and retinol esters on performance, egg quality, and blood and egg vitamin A levels in laying quails

“…Although vitamin A has been reported to play an important role in poultry growth performance (19), our results showed that the average body weight values of female and male quails before and after the study did not differ significantly (Table 3). The absence of a body weight change after supplementation with retinol and retinol esters in this study indicates that the vitamin level in the raw feed materials that constituted the basal diet was adequate for the body weight.…”