A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotic and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle (PS) of broiler chickens. On d 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different bioactives, in ovo injected: C, control with physiological saline; T1 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides; T2 and T3 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides enriched with different probiotic bacteria, specifically 1,000 cfu of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis SL1 and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris IBB SC1, respectively; T4 with commercially available synbiotic Duolac, containing 500 cfu of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium with the addition of lactose (0.001 mg/embryo). Among the hatched chickens, 60 males were randomly chosen (12 birds for each group) and were grown to 42 d in collective cages (n = 3 birds in each 4 cages: replications for experimental groups). Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age. In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a low effect on investigated traits, but depend on the kind of bioactives administered. Commercial synbiotic treatment (T4) reduced carcass yield percentage, and the feed conversion ratio was higher in T3 and T4 groups compared with other groups. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol of the PS were not affected by treatment. Broiler chickens of the treated groups with both slightly greater PS and fiber diameter had a significantly lower amount of collagen. The greater thickness of muscle fibers (not significant) and the lower fiber density (statistically significant), observed in treated birds in comparison with those of the C group, are not associated with histopathological changes in the PS of broilers. The incidence of histopathological changes in broiler chickens from examined groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds.

BackgroundAmong various feed additives currently used in poultry nutrition, an important role is played by bioactive substances, including prebiotics. The beneficial effect of these bioactive substances on the gastrointestinal tract and immune system give rise to improvements in broiler health and performance nutrition, thus increasing the productivity of these birds. An innovative method for introducing bioactive substances into chickens is the in ovo injection into eggs intended for hatching. The aim of the study was to evaluate the development of histomorphological parameters of the duodenum and productivity in chickens injected in ovo with the prebiotic DiNovo® (extract of Laminaria species of seaweed, BioAtlantis Ltd., Ireland) on d 12 of incubation, under large - scale, high density poultry production conditions.ResultsThere was no significant impact of the injection of DiNovo® prebiotic on the production parameters of broiler chickens (body weight, FCR, EBI and mortality) obtained on d 42 of rearing. No significant impact of the DiNovo® injection on the duodenum weight and length was observed, as well as on the CSA, diameter and muscular layer thickness of the duodenum. The in ovo injection of DiNovo® significantly increased the width of the duodenal villi (P < 0.05) and crypt depth (P < 0.01) of chickens on d 21 of rearing. Other histomorphological parameters of duodenal villi at d 42 of chickens rearing such as: the height, width, and cross section area of villi were significantly greater in chickens from the control group compared to those from the DiNovo® group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study demonstrates that injection of DiNovo® prebiotic into the air chamber of egg significantly influences the histomorphological parameters on d 21 of rearing without negatively affecting productivity in chickens at the end of rearing.

Due to selection for increased body weight modern broilers are 3-4 times heavier as compared with chickens of the laying type. The muscle mass is mainly determined by the total number of muscle fibres (hyperplasia), their thickness (hypertrophy) and different fibre types. Hyperplasia occurs during either embryogenesis or the early posthatching period. Skeletal muscles originate from the dermatomyotome, which differentiates into four myogenic cell populations: myotomal cells, embryonic myoblasts, fetal myoblasts and satellite cells; the latter are the adult myoblasts, present within adult skeletal muscles to serve as a cell source for both muscle regeneration and self-renewal. Pax3 keeps migrated precursor cells non-differentiated, thereby controlling transcription of the MyoD gene, whereas Pax7 is a significant regulator of the satellite cell population. Manipulation of temperature and light quality and quantity have been proposed as methods of both pre-and postnatal myogenesis stimulation. Being thermogenic stimulants, both thyroid and adrenal hormones substantially stimulate metabolism. Shortterm exposure of embryos to increased temperature between days 16 and 18 of incubation directly influences the proliferation and differentiation of muscle fibres, which manifest themselves in increased hyperplasia. Ultraviolet radiation is an effective means for disinfection of hatching eggs, resulting in a change of embryonic mortality rate during breeding. Especially, green light influences both body weight and the satellite cell number in the first days posthatch, thereby enhancing the growth of embryos, and causing a significant increase in both muscle and body weight. In ovo green stimulation probably enhances the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts, subsequently causing an increase in muscle weight. The present paper highlights the possibilities of enhancing growth and development of skeletal muscles in birds by manipulation of many aspects of their regulation, thereby contributing to a further increase in production efficiency.

Effects of prebiotics and synbiotics delivered in ovo on broiler small intestine histomorphology during the first days after hatching. Folia Biologica (Kraków) 64: 131-143. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of prebiotics and synbiotics administered in ovo on the 12 th day of incubation, on the development of the intestinal villi and the number of goblet cells in the small intestine of broiler chickens on the 1 st and the 4 th days of life of chicks. Two prebiotics: inulin (PI) or Bi 2 tos (PB) and two synbiotics: inulin + L. lactis subsp. lactis (SI) or Bi 2 tos + L. lactis subsp. cremoris (SB) were injected in ovo on the 12 th day of embryonic development. The control group of the embryos was injected with physiological saline (C). On the 1 st day of life, an increase in the height of the villi in the jejunum was reported as a result of the injection of pre-and synbiotics, moreover an increase in the surface area of the villi in the jejunum and the duodenum in chicks from the SB group was also observed. A stimulatory effect of synbiotics on the morphology of the duodenum and the jejunum was also observed on the 4 th day after hatching. Conversely, in the ileum, in the SB group, a reduction in the height of villi was found both on the 1 st and the 4 th days of life. In contrast, injection of inulin and synbiotic with the addition of inulin resulted in an increase in the number of goblet cells in the duodenum and the jejunum on the 1 st day of life, and caused a significant decrease on the 4 th day after hatching.

BackgroundApplication the innovative method which is in ovo technology provides a means of modulating the immune system at early embryonic stages. The aim of study was to determine influence of the in ovo stimulation, on d 12 of incubation, with synbiotics (synbiotic 1- L. salivarius IBB3154 + Bi2tos, Clasado Ltd. and the synbiotic 2 - L. plantarum IBB3036 + lupin RFOs) on the microstructure of duodenum, jejunum and ileum in the 1st and 42nd day of rearing.ResultsOn the 1st day of chickens life, in the duodenum of both experimental groups (SYN1 and SYN2), a significantly higher and wider intestinal villi as well as a significantly larger absorbent surface of these villi were found in comparison with the Control group (P ≤ 0.01). On the 42nd day of rearing the beneficial effect of synbiotic 1 was reflected by the numerically higher villi (no statistical differences) with a larger surface (P ≤ 0.01) in the duodenum in the SYN1 group compare to the Control group. In the jejunum on the 1st day of life, in the SYN1 group, significantly higher villi than in the Control group, with a simultaneous decrease in the depth of crypts (P ≤ 0.01), and also the largest width of villi and their absorbent area (P ≤ 0.01) in comparison to the other groups were found. On the 42nd day of life, in the jejunum, an increase in the height of the villi whilst reducing the crypt depth in the SYN2 group was found (P ≤ 0.01). In turn, in the SYN1 group, there were significantly more neutral goblet cells observed compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.05). In the ileum of 1-day-old chickens, the widest villi (P ≤ 0.05) and the deepest crypts (P ≤ 0.01) were found in the SYN2 group. In the same group, there was also the least amount of neutral goblet cells in comparison to the other groups (P ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsWe observed that synbiotic 1 and 2 beneficially affected the examined characteristics on the 1st and 42nd day of life. The obtained results allow us to conclude that the use of synbiotics significantly affect gut structure which should contribute to improvement in nutrient absorption by the gut.

the objective of the present study was to determine the effect of prebiotic and synbiotic preparations injected in ovo on day 12 of embryogenesis on both development of intestinal villi and the number of neutral goblet cells in the small intestine of male broiler chickens on day 35 of rearing. Eggs containing live embryos were randomly separated into five experimental groups (1800 eggs per group), and treated with different bioactive compounds by in ovo injection. the control group (C) was injected with physiological saline. The prebiotic groups (PI and PB) were injected with a solution containing 1.76 mg of inulin or with a solution containing 0.528 mg of Bi 2 tos. the injection solution for both synbiotic groups (SI and SB) consisted of 1.76 mg Inulin + 1000 CFU of L. lactis spp. lactis 2955 (SL1) or 0.528 mg Bi 2 tos + 1000 CFU of L. lactis spp. cremoris 477 (SC1). samples for histological analysis were taken from the three segments of the small intestine: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. broiler performance increased in the prebiotic group injected with bi 2 tos when compared to both the control group and the prebiotic group injected with inulin. in relation to other groups, in the duodenum and ileum the highest intestinal villi were observed in chickens with the lowest body weight, i.e. groups c and Pi. the smaller surface area of villi was found in the jejunum and ileum in group sb. as far as the jejunum and ileum are concerned, a significantly higher number of goblet cells was noted in groups PB and SB.

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Owing to anticancer properties of selected natural substances, it is assumed that they have potential to be used in oncological therapy. Here, the recently proven effects of the selected natural polyphenols, resveratrol and curcumin, are described. Secondly, the potential of probiotics and prebiotics in modulation of immunological response and/or enhancing the chemotherapeutic treatments is reported based on the recent clinical trials. Further, the chapter presents current knowledge regarding the targeted supplementation of the patient with probiotic bacteria and known efficacy of probiotics to support immunotherapy. The major clinical trials are listed, aiming to verify whether, and to which extent the manipulation of patient’s microbiome can improve the outcome of chemotherapies. In the end, a potential of natural substances and feed ingredients to pose epigenetic changes is highlighted. The chapter provides an insight into the scientific proofs about natural bioactive substances in relation to cancer treatment, leaded by the question – do they really work?