Vol. 45, No. 1 Supplementum, 2001 content next

THE EFFECT OF MICROGRAVITATION ON THE ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY OF THE SMALL INTESTINE IN JAPANESE QUAIL CHICKS

Lenhardt, Ľ., Cigánková, V., Zibrín, M., Kočišová, J., Tomková, I., Tomajková, E., Sabo, V.*, Boďa, K.**, Dadasheva, O. A.***, Guryeva, T. S.***, Mózeš, Š.****

University of Veterinary Medicine
Komenského 73
041 81 Košice
The Slovak Republic		 * Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics SAS
900 28 Ivanka pri Dunaji
The Slovak Republic		 ** Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine
900 28 Ivanka pri Dunaji
The Slovak Republic		 *** State Scientific Centre - Institute of Biomedical Problems
76A Khoroshevskoye shosse
Moscow 123007
Russia		 **** Institute of Animal Physiology, SAS
Šoltésovej 4
040 01 Košice
The Slovak Republic

Summary

The enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and acid phosphatase (AcP) in the small intestine of Japanese quail chicks hatched on the orbital station "MIR" after their return to the Earth at the age of 4-5 days (experimental group) were compared with those of the chicks of the same age hatched on the Earth (laboratory control). A short term in space including the last days of embryonic development and the first days after hatching led to a decrease in normal food intake and to a significant increase in the AP and AcP activities in the duodenal and jejunal enterocytes in the experimental animals (P < 0.001). Results indicate an increasing in the activity of both enzymes observed on days 4-5 after hatching - when their decrease occurs naturally in normally nourished animals - due to the delayed functional development of the digestive tract in these animals.

Key words: microgravity; quail; enzymes; small intestine

References

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Folia Veterinaria / 2001