QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Piel, C. Articles by Lallès, J.-P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Piel, C. Articles by Lallès, J.-P.

---

Nutrient Metabolism

Increasing Digesta Viscosity Using Carboxymethylcellulose in Weaned Piglets Stimulates Ileal Goblet Cell Numbers and Maturation¹

Unité Mixte de Recherche sur le Veau et le Porc, INRA-Agrocampus Rennes, Domaine de la Prise, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Jean-Paul.Lalles{at}rennes.inra.fr.

Intestinal mucin, a family of glycoproteins secreted by goblet cells, is the main constituent of the mucus protecting the gastrointestinal tract. For optimal mucosal protection, both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of mucin are essential. To evaluate how viscosity influences ileal apparent digestibility and mucin biology, a highly viscous nonfermentable soluble polysaccharide, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), was fed to weaned piglets for 15 d. The ileal crude mucin concentration was determined by ethanol precipitation, and changes in goblet cell subtypes were analyzed by the histochemistry of ileal and colonic tissues. As expected, CMC increased the viscosity of ileal digesta and the moisture of feces (P < 0.001). The crude mucin concentration and output at the ileum were higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed CMC than those fed the control diet. Increasing intestinal content viscosity in pigs fed CMC had no significant effects on the ileal apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, nitrogen, and minerals. The number of total ileal goblet cells per villus also was higher (+30%, P < 0.05) in pigs fed the CMC diet compared with controls. This increase was essentially accounted for by increased numbers of acidic and acidic sulfated mucin-containing cells (+30%, P < 0.05). Trends (P = 0.06) toward decreased numbers of neutral and acidic mucin-containing cells in ileal crypts were also noted. In conclusion, increasing intestinal content viscosity in weaned piglets fed CMC increased the ileal mucin output and numbers and maturation of goblet cells in ileal villi without effects on the apparent digestibility of the diet.

KEY WORDS: • viscosity • intestine • piglet • goblet cells • mucin

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Bikker, A. Dirkzwager, J. Fledderus, P. Trevisi, I. le Huerou-Luron, J. P. Lalles, and A. Awati The effect of dietary protein and fermentable carbohydrates levels on growth performance and intestinal characteristics in newly weaned piglets J Anim Sci, December 1, 2006; 84(12): 3337 - 3345. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Morita, H. Tanabe, H. Ito, S. Yuto, T. Matsubara, T. Matsuda, K. Sugiyama, and S. Kiriyama Increased Luminal Mucin Does Not Disturb Glucose or Ovalbumin Absorption in Rats Fed Insoluble Dietary Fiber J. Nutr., October 1, 2006; 136(10): 2486 - 2491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]