Review of a histological intestinal approach to assessing the intestinal function in chickens and pigs

Abstract

The general histological features of the small intestine are well known. However, histological intestinal alterations induced by ingested feeds have not been established. To demonstrate such a relationship; (i) the post‐hatching development of intestinal villi in chickens was observed; (ii) histological intestinal differences were compared in White Leghorns and broilers; and (iii) histological intestinal alteration was investigated in fasting and refeeding treatments, using chickens and piglets. Histological intestinal recovery responses; (iv) to luminal nutrient absorption, intraluminal physical stimulation, or intravenous parenteral alimentation in fasted chickens, as well as; (v) to particle size and nutritional level of refed diets in fasted chickens and piglets were also compared. To induce compensatory enlargement of ileal villi; (vi) the jejunum was surgically resected. To reconfirm the histological intestinal alterations induced artificially; (vii) conventional feeding experiments were enforced in chickens and piglets. These fundamental investigations demonstrate that the high values of villus height, cell area and cell mitosis numbers as well as protuberated epithelial cells are hypertrophied by ingested feeds. Finally, as examples of practical use in the animal production field; (viii) useful feed resources to improve the growth performance by activating the intestinal function in chickens and piglets; and (ix) an effective forced molting method are introduced. Based on the histological intestinal alterations related with growth performance in chickens and piglets, this article reviews progress in the establishment of a histological intestinal index to assess the intestinal function.

Morphological Changes of the Muscovy Duckling Small Intestine during Development

“…We observed that at 2 days post-hatch there were more villi in the duodenum than that of the jejunum or the ileum, which was similar to that shown by Yamauchi et al (1991Yamauchi et al ( , 1995. On the basis of the parameter of the villus, like Yamauchi (2007) in the chick, we inferred that in the Muscovy duck a great absorptive surface area characterises the first part of intestine and indicates a more active intestinal function immediately after hatching. Moreover, in broad agreement with Uni et al (1999), Kondo (2003) and Sakamoto et al (2005) in broiler chicken, we conclude that the complete development of the duodenal villi of the Muscovy duckling occurred around 1 week after hatch and that the development of the villi in the jejunum and the ileum took around 2 weeks post-hatching.…”

Topical Application of Adult Cecal Contents to Eggs Transplants Spore-Forming Microbiota but Not Other Members of the Microbiota to Chicks

“…Mitotic figure counts in the ileum and cecal tonsil were used as an indication of intestinal villus development (61,62). All orientations of tissue were included for mitotic counts where crypts were visible adjacent to the lamina propria and muscular layers.…”

Dynamics of endocrine markers and liver enzymes in laying hens after protein and probiotics supplementation in the post-moult phase

“…It has also been observed that the protein requirements of laying hens were increased as a result of rearing specialized hens because they produce more frequently (Johnson and Lohman, 2003). The high protein (HP) diet in the chicken causes the increase in cell mitosis, hypertrophy of intestinal villus height and absorptive capacity of epithelial cells (Yamauchi, 2007). So, protein supplementation plays a significant role in the dynamics of serum biomarkers.…”