Effect of maternal rearing on lipid metabolism-related gene expression in offspring broilers during embryonic development

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal rearing on lipid metabolism and lipid metabolism-related gene expression in offspring broilers during embryonic development. 2. One hundred laying Sanhuang breeders were divided into two groups, and either floor-reared or cage-reared on the same diet. Liver and serum samples were extracted on days 14 and 19 of embryonic development and at hatching. The lipid metabolism related gene expressions of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), malic enzyme (ME), apolipoprotein B100(apoB100), sterol regulating element binding protein (SREBP-1c), carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT-1) and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPARα) genes were determined using real time RT-PCR. 3. The results showed that embryonic weight, liver weight, serum and hepatic total cholesterol (TC) concentration and serum triglyceride (TG) content were not significantly different between the cage-reared group and the floor-reared group during embry...