Role of the Small Intestine in Developmental Programming: Impact of Maternal Nutrition on the Dam and Offspring

Abstract

Small-intestinal growth and function are critical for optimal animal growth and health and play a major role in nutrient digestion and absorption, energy and nutrient expenditure, and immunological competence. During fetal and perinatal development, the small intestine is affected by the maternal environment and nutrient intake. In ruminants, altered small-intestinal mass, villi morphology, hypertrophy, hyperplasia, vascularity, and gene expression have been observed as a result of poor gestational nutrition or intrauterine growth restriction. Although many of these data come from fetal stages, data have also demonstrated that nutrition during mid- and late gestation affects lamb small-intestinal growth, vascularity, digestive enzyme activity, and gene expression at 20 and 180 d of age as well. The small intestine is known to be a highly plastic tissue, changing with nutrient intake and physiological state even in adulthood, and the maternal small intestine adapts to pregnancy and advancing gestation. In ruminants, the growth, vascularity, and gene expression of the maternal small intestine also adapt to the nutritional plane and specific nutrient intake such as high selenium during pregnancy. These changes likely alter both pre- and postnatal nutrient delivery to offspring. More research is necessary to better understand the role of the offspring and maternal small intestines in whole-animal responses to developmental programming, but programming of this plastic tissue seems to play a dynamic role in gestational nutrition impacts on the whole animal.

Maternal supply of methionine during late-pregnancy enhances rate of Holstein calf development in utero and postnatal growth to a greater extent than colostrum source

“…Various studies have reported the effect of nutritional programming on organ development during the fetal period including muscle and small intestine [ 34 , 35 ]. The number of muscle fibers is determined during the fetal period and there is little net increase after birth underscoring the importance of the fetal period on skeletal muscle [ 34 ].…”

Feeding Tall Fescue Seed during Mid and Late Gestation Influences Subsequent Postnatal Growth, Puberty, and Carcass Quality of Offspring

“…Lambs born to dams fed E+ seed during MID gestation had lower weights of the proximal jejunum section. Reductions in weight are generally associated with reductions in villus and crypt density, which suggest a reduction in functional area in the small intestine [ 35 ]. Wang and co-workers [ 36 ] also noted reductions in small intestine weights of IUGR piglets that were associated with reduced mucosal mass, malabsorption of nutrients, proteolytic activity and oxidative stress.…”

Effects of maternal protein supplementation and inclusion of rumen‐protected fat in the finishing diet on nutrient digestibility and expression of intestinal genes in Nellore steers

“…The effects of maternal nutrition on the size and function of the digestive tract are considerable because of their potential effects on the availability of nutrients to the offspring during pre‐ and post‐ natal phases. Overall, sheep and rat fetuses that suffered from intrauterine growth restriction are born with immature SI, with lower villus height and crypt depth, suggesting smaller functional area (Meyer & Caton, ; Trahair, DeBarro, Robinson, & Owens, ). On the other hand, studies in cattle demonstrate greater SI length and villi length in fetuses from restricted dams (Duarte et al, ).…”