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Myonuclear apoptosis occurs during early posthatch starvation
Simone Pophal1, Juanita J Evans, Paul E Mozdziak
1Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Summary
Starvation in newly hatched chickens increases apoptosis, a programmed cell death process. This programmed cell death contributes to reduced muscle fiber size in starved broiler chickens.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Animal Science
Background:
- Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is crucial for tissue development and morphology.
- It involves distinct cellular changes like blebbing and nuclear fragmentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate apoptosis occurrence in broiler chickens posthatch under fed versus starved conditions.
- To correlate apoptosis with changes in body weight and muscle fiber size.
Main Methods:
- Male broiler chickens were either fed or starved for the first 3 days posthatch.
- Pectoralis thoracicus muscle samples were collected at hatch, and at 1, 2, and 3 days posthatch.
- Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect apoptotic nuclei.
Main Results:
- Starved chickens exhibited lower body weights at 2 and 3 days posthatch.
- Myofiber cross-sectional area was significantly smaller in starved birds at 3 days posthatch.
- TUNEL-positive nuclei were detected in both groups, with a higher proportion in starved birds at days 2 and 3.
Conclusions:
- Apoptosis is present in broiler chickens immediately posthatch.
- Starvation increases the rate of apoptosis in developing chicken muscle.
- Apoptosis contributes to the observed reduction in myofiber size during early posthatch starvation.