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True mineral digestibility in C57Bl/6J mice
Linda F Böswald1, Jasmin Wenderlein2, Wolfgang Siegert3
1Chair for Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU München, München, Germany.
Plos One
|August 16, 2023
Summary
Mineral intake significantly impacts absorption in mice, with dietary intake being the primary factor determining fecal excretion for key minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This research provides crucial data for understanding mineral homeostasis.
Area of Science:
- Animal Nutrition
- Mineral Metabolism
- Laboratory Animal Science
Background:
- Mineral digestibility data is crucial for understanding mineral homeostasis and dietary recommendations.
- While abundant in livestock, mineral digestibility data is scarce for laboratory mice under maintenance conditions.
- Establishing baseline mineral digestibility in mice is essential for interpreting experimental studies on mineral metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze mineral intake, fecal excretion, and apparent digestibility in C57BL/6J mice.
- To investigate the influence of varying dietary intake on mineral absorption.
- To establish baseline data for mineral homeostasis studies in laboratory mice.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of intake, fecal excretion, and apparent digestibility of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
- Utilized Lucas-tests to quantify true digestibility and assess nutrient absorption.
- Studied mice (C57BL/6J) fed diverse maintenance diets with controlled dry matter intake.
Main Results:
- Dietary intake was the primary determinant of absorption for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
- Linear correlations were observed between intake and fecal excretion for calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium (R²: 0.77, 0.93, 0.91).
- Linear correlations were found between intake and apparently digested amounts for sodium and potassium (R²: 0.86, 0.98).
Conclusions:
- Dietary intake is the major determinant of absorption for key minerals in mice.
- Established significant linear relationships between mineral intake, excretion, and absorption.
- Provides foundational data for mineral homeostasis research in laboratory mice.
