Biomedical subjects

C C Whitehead

Publications and source records attributed to C C Whitehead.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

Alterations in glycosaminoglycan concentration and sulfation during chondrocyte maturation.

We have used antibodies to chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate and keratan sulfate along with Alcian blue staining of sulfated proteoglycans to investigate changes in content and sulfation within the avian growth plate. In normal chicks, chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate content were similar in the proliferating and transitional zones but in the hypertrophic zone, chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate were slightly lower (13% and 18%, respectively) and keratan sulfate was markedly lower (58%). Compared with the proliferative zone, Alcian blue staining of sulfated glycosaminoglycans was markedly lower in both the transitional (46%) and hypertrophic (22%) zones. In tibial dyschondroplasia, where chondrocyte maturation is arrested at the transitional zone, there was no difference in the chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate or keratan sulfate staining between the proliferative and transitional zones, which were similar to normal birds. With Alcian blue staining there was no difference in the intensity of the staining within the proliferating zone compared with normal birds but staining in the transitional chondrocytes was markedly higher (39%). These results suggest that in the early steps of chondrocyte maturation there may be a decrease in the degree of glycosaminoglycan sulfation without any alteration in glycosaminoglycan concentration, and that further maturation may be accompanied by a change in the nature of the proteoglycans which may also affect the level of sulfation.

Alcian Blue↗

PubMed1994

Bone structure and breaking strength in laying hens housed in different husbandry systems.

1. Bone structure and breaking strength were measured in hens that had been housed throughout a laying year in battery cages or in Perchery, Naturel or Litter and Wire husbandry systems. 2. Battery caged hens had the poorest bones, as assessed by measurements of cancellous bone volume, radiographic density, cortical thickness and three-point breaking strength. 3. Humeri from birds in the Litter and Wire system were less dense radiographically and weaker than those from Perchery or Naturel birds but leg bone characteristics were similar with these three systems. 4. There were no differences in bone characteristics between birds in Perchery and Naturel systems. 5. There were strong correlations between radiographic densities and strengths of contralateral humeri and tibiae over all husbandry systems. Humerus structural and strength characteristics may be the best criteria of osteoporosis in hens. 6. It is concluded that the extent of movement allowed by different husbandry systems affects structural bone loss and bone strength in laying hens. 7. It is further concluded that the breaking strength of a hen's bone is closely related to morphometric measures and radiographic density of its structural components.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1993

In vivo effect of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on the proliferation and differentiation of avian chondrocytes.

A combination of immunocytochemistry and in situ biochemistry has been used to determine the in vivo effects of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3] on the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes. Chicks were fed a diet supplemented with 1,25-(OH)2D3 (2.5, 5, or 10 micrograms/kg diet) for 3 weeks, and measurements were made in sections of growth plate of chondrocyte proliferation and rate of maturation through the growth plate [using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) labeling] and also chondrocyte differentiation [assessed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity]. The labeling indices of the control and supplemented chicks were similar (23.1 +/- 1.3 versus 23.2 +/- 1.6%); however, within a 21 h period the BrdUrd-positive cells of the supplemented chicks had moved down the growth plate significantly farther than in the control chicks (71.0 +/- 2.8 versus 52.6 +/- 1.8%). Greater ALP (mean integrated absorbance) activity higher up the growth plate of the supplemented chicks indicated a more differentiated phenotype in cells closer to the epiphyseal junction. Within individual transitional chondrocytes ALP activity in the 10 micrograms/kg supplemented chicks was 26.6 +/- 0.85, which was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that of the control chicks (19.2 +/- 0.9). These results suggest that 1,25-(OH)2D3 in vivo does not increase the rate of chondrocyte proliferation but accelerates the onset of maturation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1993

Biochemical responses of broiler chicks to folate deficiency.

The effects of folate sufficiency and deficiency in three pathways of folate metabolism were studied in 2-and 3-week-old broiler chicks. Erythrocyte phosphoribosylpyrophosphate concentrations and dihydrofolate reductase (EC 1.5.1.3) activity were significantly elevated in folate deficiency. Percentage incorporation of deoxyuridine into bone marrow DNA was reduced in folate deficiency. There was a trend towards reduced liver dihydrofolate reductase activity in deficient chicks. These studies identify further biochemical criteria that can be used to assess folate status of chicks.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

The effect of dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in preventing tibial dyschondroplasia in broilers fed on diets imbalanced in calcium and phosphorus.

Three experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of supplemental dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)2cholecalciferol) and a low dietary Ca:P ratio on the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in 3-week-old broilers. Histopathology was used to diagnose TD. In the first experiment, feeding a diet containing 7.5 g Ca and 7.6 g P/kg gave a higher incidence of TD than a control diet containing normal amounts of Ca and P (12 and 6 g/kg respectively). Increasing the dietary supplement of cholecalciferol in the imbalanced diet prevented rickets but did not decrease the incidence of TD. In the second experiment, supplementing the imbalanced diet with 10 micrograms 1,25(OH)2cholecalciferol/kg prevented TD completely but also gave a slight growth depression. In the third experiment the imbalanced diet was supplemented with 0, 2.5, 5 or 10 micrograms 1,25(OH)2 cholecalciferol/kg. The supplement of 2.5 micrograms/kg depressed and the higher supplements prevented the occurrence of TD, this time without a growth depression. Feeding the 10 micrograms/kg supplement for the first week only did not prevent TD. Plasma total Ca, inorganic P and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) were unaffected by diet but 1,25(OH)2cholecalciferol was higher on the imbalanced than on the control diet. Supplementation of the imbalanced diet with 1,25(OH)2cholecalciferol did not increase plasma levels. It is concluded that 1,25(OH)2cholecalciferol is exerting a powerful biological effect in this model of TD, but the mechanism is unclear.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Defective Down syndrome in chicks is not caused by riboflavin deficiency in breeders.

1. Riboflavin-deficient practical and semi-purified diets were fed to broiler breeder hens. 2. Yolk and albumen riboflavin concentrations were depressed by the deficient diets and cases of curled toes were seen in the chicks. 3. The few instances of defective down did not resemble cases seen in field outbreaks of a condition involving depressed hatchability and a defective down syndrome. 4. It is concluded from observations in this experiment and in the field outbreaks that there is a condition in breeding chickens causing depressed hatchability and defective down that is not attributable to riboflavin deficiency.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Regulation of plasma oestrogen by dietary fats in the laying hen: relationships with egg weight.

1. Feeding a diet supplemented with maize oil was found to elevate plasma oestradiol concentration in laying hens. 2. In a larger-scale experiment, isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets containing 10, 20, 40 or 60 g/kg supplemental maize oil, tallow, coconut oil or fish oil were fed for 5 weeks. 3. Egg weights showed very different responses to the different fats. The responses could be described by quadratic functions that all gave optimum responses with supplemental dietary fat concentrations of about 40 g/kg. Egg weight increased the most with maize oil and was decreased with fish oil at the highest inclusion rate. 4. Measurements of egg components showed a relatively larger increase in albumen weights with maize oil than with other fats. 5. Across treatments, mean plasma oestradiol concentrations were very highly correlated (r = 0.96) with the changes in egg weights over the experimental period. 6. It is concluded that oestrogen is important in controlling egg weight and that the effect of dietary fats in influencing egg weight is mediated by an effect of the fats on oestrogen metabolism.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

The control of chondrocyte differentiation during endochondral bone growth in vivo: changes in TGF-beta and the proto-oncogene c-myc.

The expression of transforming growth factor-beta and the c-myc proto-oncogene was studied in situ in the chondrocytes of the tibial growth plate of normal chicks and those with avian tibial dyschondroplasia in which the chondrocytes are developmentally arrested in the transitional phase between proliferation and differentiation. This results in an accumulation of unmineralised and avascular cartilage. Dyschondroplastic chicks showed reduced c-myc expression in the transitional chondrocytes but unaltered levels in the proliferating chondrocytes. Transforming growth factor-beta expression was reduced in the transitional chondrocytes of dyschondroplastic chicks. In areas where the lesion was being repaired there was evidence of increased expression of both c-myc protein and transforming growth factor-beta. Addition of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D to the diet, which is known to reduce the incidence of dyschondroplasia, resulted in an increase in c-myc production. These results suggest that both transforming growth factor-beta and the proto-oncogene c-myc may be important elements of the cascade of events that lead to chondrocyte differentiation, hypertrophy and mineralisation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1992

Availability of avidin-bound biotin to the chicken embryo.

Avidin, an exceptionally stable protein in egg white, binds the vitamin biotin with very high affinity and can induce biotin deficiency when fed to animals. To determine if biotin bound to avidin is available to the chicken embryo, the fate of [3H]biotin complexed to avidin was monitored during embryonic development. The majority (greater than 85%) of the [3H]biotin was extraembryonic until the day before hatching, when embryos swallow egg white and withdraw the yolk sac into their abdomen. Thus, biotin in the egg white of chicken eggs contributes little to the biotin status of the chick prior to hatching. After hatching, much of the [3H]biotin was assimilated. About 30% of the total was found in the liver and kidneys by 4 days of age. The biotin in liver was associated with large proteins and not with avidin. In a separate experiment, biotin injected into the egg white of biotin-deficient eggs failed to increase embryonic development or hatchability. Both experiments suggest that biotin in egg yolk is the primary and virtually sole source of biotin for the chicken embryo.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Effects of age, sex and housing on the trabecular bone of laying strain domestic fowl.

To determine the effects of age, sex and housing on trabecular bone volume, samples were collected from groups of male and female domestic fowl housed in cages or floor pens from four to 60 weeks old. Between 25 and 60 weeks old, trabecular bone volume decreased by 25 per cent in sections of free thoracic vertebrae (T5) from female birds, the loss occurring at an earlier age in caged birds. Over the sample period, TBV in male caged birds diminished by 35 percent, but male floor birds showed no reduction in trabecular bone volume. At 60 weeks, trabecular bone volume was 30 per cent greater in male caged birds and 40 per cent greater in male floor birds than in the corresponding females. In reproductively active females, no trabecular osteoid was observed, indicating no new trabecular bone formation. However, trabecular osteoid was present in two birds aged 60 weeks which had regressed ovaries. Osteomalacia was not seen in any of the bone samples.

Aging↗

PubMed1992

Plasma oestrogen and triglyceride concentrations and reproductive characteristics of broiler chickens after ten generations of selection at seven weeks of age for high or low plasma very low density lipoprotein concentration.

1. Day old female chicks from two lines of broilers, selected for high or low plasma concentrations of very low density lipoproteins, were fed ad libitum or restricted until point of lay. All birds were fed ad libitum after laying an egg, and aspects of growth and reproduction were measured to 40 weeks of age. 2. Compared with lean line birds the growth rate of fat line females fed ad libitum declined from 16 weeks of age. 3. Mortality from apparently stress-related causes in ad libitum fed fat line females increased from 16 weeks of age and was 71% overall, compared with 26% in ad libitum fed lean line females. Mortality in the corresponding restricted birds was 20% and 7%, respectively. 4. Few fat line females fed ad libitum commenced lay and those which were restricted during rearing stopped laying after the initiation of ad libitum feeding. Egg productions in lean line birds fed ad libitum or restricted were similar. 5. Fat line females fed ad libitum had few yellow follicles and a high rate of atresia at first egg and between 37 and 39 weeks, as did restricted fat line birds between 37 and 39 weeks of age after being fed ad libitum. 6. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol-17 beta were 5-fold higher in fat compared with lean line females at 35 weeks of age. There was a similar large difference in concentrations of plasma triglyceride which reached 59 mg/ml in fat line females fed ad libitum.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Avian tibial dyschondroplasia: a comparison of the incidence and severity as assessed by gross examination and histopathology.

The assessment of avian tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in many recent studies is based on examination of slices of the proximal tibiotarsus with the naked eye. This study examines the incidence and severity of TD in broilers under four different dietary regimes and compares the efficacy of naked eye assessment with histopathological examination. The diets contained reduced levels of calcium relative to phosphorus with adequate (diet 1) and high (diet 2) levels of vitamin D3 supplementation; a very low calcium diet (diet 3) and a standard diet (diet 4) were also included. Gross examination suggested that TD was present in 80 per cent, 79 per cent and 27 per cent of tibiotarsi from birds on diets 1, 2 and 4, respectively. However, histological examination indicated TD, correspondingly, to be present in 18 per cent, 39 per cent and 6 per cent of tibiotarsi. Some birds on diet 1 exhibited physeal changes consistent with mild hypocalcaemic rickets. Many of the bone extremities which, grossly, were considered dyschondroplastic (diets 1, 2 and 4), histologically were shown to have an extensive hypertrophied zone with poor metaphyseal vessel penetration, but no cellular or matrix changes consistent with TD. This cast doubt on the validity of earlier studies of TD which relied solely on naked eye examination. The birds on diet 3 all demonstrated histopathology considered consistent with severe hypocalcaemic rickets and the present study suggests that in three-week-old broilers a moderately hypocalcaemic diet with a high level of vitamin D3 will not cause rickets but will increase the incidence and severity of TD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Relationships between plasma lipoproteins and glucose in fasted chickens selected for leanness or fatness by three criteria.

In order to identify the mechanisms which underlie fattening in commercial birds, lean and fat broiler chickens have been selected according to 3 different criteria: abdominal fat content, plasma glucose level and plasma concentration of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), the latter being the main substrate from which bird adipose tissues accumulate triglycerides. Chickens selected for high abdominal fat content displayed a higher level of VLDL and a lower level of glucose than their lean counterparts. Conversely, selection for high plasma VLDL or low plasma glucose resulted in 2 fat lines of chickens. The differences in intermediate- and low-density lipoproteins reflected a different balance in synthesis and catabolism of VLDL among the lines, whereas there was no difference in high-density lipoproteins. These data clearly demonstrate the relationship between lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and their role in the susceptibility to fattening. They suggest a greater use of carbohydrate for hepatic lipogenesis in fat chickens, resulting in a higher synthesis and secretion of VLDL and of their subsequent accumulation of triglycerides in the adipose tissue.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1991

Changes in lipoprotein metabolism and body composition in chickens in response to divergent selection for plasma very low density lipoprotein concentration.

1. Plasma lipoprotein metabolism and body composition in lines of chicken selected for high- and low-plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations were compared to the commercial broiler (meat-type) line from which they were derived. 2. Selection for low-plasma VLDL concentration for 10 generations has reduced the rate of VLDL secretion by at least 50% in males whereas selection for high-VLDL concentration has increased the rate of VLDL secretion over 2-fold. 3. Body fat content was highly correlated with rate of secretion of plasma triglyceride-rich (TGR) lipoproteins (r = 0.88 over the three lines). However, extrapolation of the data suggests that birds secreting no TGR-lipoproteins into the plasma would still have substantial amounts of body fat. 4. Selection for high VLDL has increased the proportion of circulating VLDL-triglyceride taken up by the abdominal fat pad by over 2-fold but there was no difference between high- and low-VLDL lines in the proportion of VLDL-triglyceride taken up by tissues and oxidised to [14C]-carbon dioxide. 5. The results confirm the importance of plasma lipoprotein metabolism in determining body composition in the chicken but suggest there are limits to further reduction in body fat content by manipulation of plasma lipoprotein metabolism.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1991

The effects of dietary fat and bird age on the weights of eggs and egg components in the laying hen.

1. A low-fat diet or an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous high-fat diet containing 55 g maize oil/kg were fed to laying hens at different stages during the laying year in two experiments. 2. Feeding the high-fat diet to young hens resulted in a rapid increase of 2.5 g in egg weight, made up of increases in both yolk and albumen weights. 3. Switching the diets at 50 weeks caused changes in egg weight that were accounted for entirely by changes in egg albumen weight. 4. Feeding the high-fat diet from 46 weeks in a second experiment increased egg and egg albumen weights by 1.26 and 1.34 g respectively. 5. The increase in egg weight with age was associated with a greater increase in the proportion of yolk, at the expense of albumen, compared to egg weight increases related to dietary fat. 6. It is concluded that dietary fatty acids increase egg weight by a mechanism different from that causing age-related increases in weight and that the mechanism involves a stimulation of oviduct protein synthesis.

Aging↗

PubMed1991

Hydrogenated oil decreases tissue concentrations of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and may contribute to dyschondroplasia in broilers.

1. In a factorial design of dietary treatments, male Ross broilers were given diets containing soyabean oil, hydrogenated soyabean oil (as a source of trans-fatty acids) or feed fat with either 0 or 300 micrograms of added D-biotin/kg. 2. Growth to 28 d was not influenced by the dietary treatments. 3. Length of tibiotarsal bones was reduced (P less than 0.05) and severity of leg bone cartilage lesions, characteristic of dyschondroplasia, was highest (P less than 0.05) in broilers fed on diets containing hydrogenated soyabean oil. 4. Feeding hydrogenated soyabean oil lowered (P less than 0.05) the concentrations of C20:4n6 and the ratios of C20:4n6/C18:2n6 in liver and growth plate cartilage. 5. Growth plate cartilage from birds affected with dyschondroplasia contained lower proportions of prostaglandin precursor fatty acids compared with normal growth plate. 6. It is speculated that an inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis brought about by the presence of trans-fatty acids might contribute to the occurrence of lesions similar to dyschondroplasia.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1990

Responses of body composition, growth and food efficiency to dietary protein in genetically lean and fat broilers up to seven weeks of age.

1. Growth, food intake and abdominal fatness were measured at 7 weeks of age in male and female broilers from genetically lean and fat lines fed on isoenergetic diets containing 160, 190, 210, 230 and 260 g crude protein/kg from hatching. 2. The mean proportions of abdominal fat decreased from 39 to 20 g/kg body weight in the fat line and from 26 to 11 g/kg in the lean line over this range of protein concentrations. 3. Protein requirements, for optimum growth as a proportion of the diet did not differ between the lines but the lean line was less tolerant of inadequate dietary protein. 4. In birds fed on the same diet, conversion efficiencies of food (FCE) and dietary protein (PCE) were always superior in the lean line but energetic efficiency (EE) was similar in good growing birds of both lines. 5. When dietary protein was adequate for growth and body compositions were equalised in the two lines (by feeding higher protein diets to the fat line), lean line birds had 10% better FCE, 6% better EE and 33% better PCE. 6. It is concluded that genetic selection is a more effective and economic means of producing leaner broilers than dietary manipulation.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1990

Effects of dietary borate and aluminate on riboflavin metabolism in the breeding hen.

Breeding hens were used to investigate the effects of aluminate and borate ingestion on riboflavin metabolism. Groups of six hens were fed on either a control diet, or the control diet plus 15 g kg-1 of either sodium metaborate or sodium meta-aluminate. All diets contained 6 mg kg-1 riboflavin. Daily egg production per hen in the borate group had mean values of 0.71, 0.21 and 0.02 for the three weeks of the study. The values were 0.91, 0.91, 0.86 and 0.86, 0.74, 0.89 for the control and aluminate groups, respectively. Fertility (fertile eggs per 100 set) and hatchability (live chicks per 100 fertile eggs) were both nil in the borate-treated hens, compared with 57 and 95 and 59 and 100 for the control and aluminate-treated hens, respectively. Fluorimetric analysis of blood plasma, egg yolk and albumen showed that the riboflavin contents of all tissues were greatly reduced in the borate-treated hens. Borate ingestion can therefore induce a severe riboflavin deficiency in the hen, but aluminium, a more universal contaminant of food or water, did not impair riboflavin metabolism when fed as aluminate.

Aluminum↗