Open Access
Expression of key myogenic, fibrogenic and adipogenic genes in Longissimus thoracis and masseter muscles in cattle
(Cambridge University Press, 2020) Martínez del Pino, Lara; Urrutia Vera, Olaia; Arana Navarro, Ana; Alfonso Ruiz, Leopoldo; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Soret Lafraya, Beatriz; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación
Adipogenesis, myogenesis and fibrogenesis are related processes that can contribute to meat quality. Therefore, extending the knowledge of these processes would facilitate the identification of molecular markers that predict intramuscular fat accretion. The main purpose of this work, based on previous results, was to further study the expression of key genes related to adipogenic, myogenic, fibrogenic processes and some cytokines in Longissimus thoracis (LT) and Masseter (MS) muscles of Pirenaica and Holstein young bulls. Longissimus thoracis and MS muscles from Pirenaica (n = 4) and Spanish Holstein (n = 4) were sampled for proximate analysis, determination of adipocyte size distribution and expression of key candidate genes. Fat percentage was lower in LT than in MS muscle in Pirenaica young bulls (P = 0.023) and was higher in LT muscle in Holstein than in Pirenaica young bulls (P = 0.007). Gene expression analysis revealed that the mRNA level of myogenic differentiation 1 (MYOD) was higher in LT than in MS muscles in both groups of animals (P < 0.001) and that myostatin (MSTN) expression was also higher in LT than in MS muscle in Holstein bulls (P = 0.001). On the other hand, MSTN and PPARG showed higher expression in LT and MS in Pirenaica young bulls (P = 0.026), while the expression of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) was higher in Holstein young bulls, also in both muscles (P < 0.001). The results suggested that the development of intramuscular adipose depot was directly related to the expression of adipogenic genes, such as FABP4, but inversely related to the expression of the cytokine MSTN and the myogenic gene MYOD, genes which showed a muscle-specific expression.
Open Access
Size and number variation of adipocytes during the growth of Rasa Aragonesa lambs
(CIHEAM, 1995) Purroy Unanua, Antonio; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Soret Lafraya, Beatriz; Horcada, Alberto; Lizaso, G.; Mendizábal Múgica, Francisco Javier; Arana Navarro, Ana; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
The size and number of adipocytes of different fat depots was studied in 45 male lambs of the Rasa Aragonesa breed, distributed in three groups of 15 lambs (G12, G24, G36), slaughtered respectively at 11.7 ± 0.67,24.5 ± 0.57 and 35.8 ± 1.74 kg live weight (LW) and at an age of 32 ± 5, 89 ± 8 and 123 ± 8 days. G12 lambs were slaughtered on the day of weaning, G24 and G36 lambs were weaned respectively at 16.2 ± 1.32 and 18.3 ± 2.46 kg LW and were fed from then onwards on concentrated fodder and barley straw ad libitum until they were slaughtered. The results obtained show that there is a significant increase in the amount of fat deposited in three internal (omental, mesenteric and kidney knob and channel) fat depots as the LW at slaughter increases (P<0.01). A similar phenomenon occurs in the size of the adipocytes, hypertrophy being more evident between 24 and 36 kg (P<0.01) than between 12 and 24 kg, except in the intermuscular fat depot, where the differences were between the two most extreme weight(P <0.01). The number of adipocytes in the omental and mesenteric fat depots increased significantly during the period of the study (P<0.01) while no variation occurred in the kidney knob and channel fat depot during the same period.
Open Access
Prediction of intramuscular fat in live bulls using real-time ultrasound and image analysis
(The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2008) Polák, P.; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Blanco Roa, N. E.; Krupa, E.; Huba, J.; Peškovičová, D.; Oravcová, M.; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
Sonograms of Longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) area were taken before slaughter on the last thoracic vertebra by an Aloka SSD-500. Three sonograms of each bull were taken with 60, 65 and 70% ultrasound intensity. A digital image of the LDM area was obtained on the last thoracic vertebra. Intramuscular fat content was detected by an Infratec 1265 - Meat Analyzer. The grey value of the sonogram measured by computer image analysis significantly correlated with the content of IMF, r=0.78 for Slovak Simmental, and r=0.60 for Holstein bulls. Area proportion of marbling determined on images obtained by computer image analysis (MARB) correlated significantly with IMF, r=0.65. This correlation was only significant for Slovak Simmental bulls. The obtained results suggest that prediction of intramuscular fat in meat is possible using the technique of ultrasound and computer image analyses of live animals. Further investigation is needed to improve measurement precision and to validate applicability among a wide variety of cattle breeds.
Open Access
Conformación y engrasamiento de terneros de raza Retinta y cruzados RetintaxPirenaica y RetintaxLimusín
(Asociación Interprofesional para el Desarrollo Agrario, 2005) Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Alzón, M.; Arana Navarro, Ana; Albertí, P.; Soret Lafraya, Beatriz; Purroy Unanua, Antonio; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
En el presente trabajo se comparan terneros de raza Retinta en pureza y cruzados con dos razas de aptitud cárnica más mejoradas, la Limusín y la Pirenaica, con la finalidad de profundizar en el conocimiento de los parámetros de conformación y engrasamiento que muestran estos genotipos cruzados.
Open Access
Las ferias de ganado en Andalucía Occidental y Extremadura, 1830-1958: reseña
(Universidad de Murcia, 2020) Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Este libro viene a cubrir un hueco importante de la historia agraria, como es el relacionado con las ferias de ganado, temática que ha sido estudiada muy vagamente. Por ello, supone una importante aportación para el conocimiento de las ferias de ganado, cuya importancia económica y social ha sido de gran magnitud hasta hace unas pocas décadas.
Open Access
Caracterización de las 'Costillas de Palo' de cordero de raza Navarra. I. Composición tisular
(Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU. Fundación Universitaria San Pablo-CEU, 2002) Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Alzón, M.; Arana Navarro, Ana; Eguinoa Ancho, Paola; Delfa, R.; Beriain Apesteguía, María José; Purroy Unanua, Antonio; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
Se ha estudiado la composición tisular de 46 costillas de palo (10ª y 11ª) procedentes de 23 corderos de raza Navarra sacrificados con 24,2±1,55Kg. de peso vivo y 98±6,3d de edad. El peso medio de la costilla fue de 78,4±10,82g, de los que el porcentaje de músculo supuso el 48,5±4,16%, el de grasa 29,3±4,78% y el de hueso 15,0±3,19%, respectivamente. El músculo Longissimus dorsi, que presentó un área media de 9,6±1,34cm2, supuso el 52,4±6,30% del músculo total de la costilla. El componente óseo se distribuyó en un 41,8% en la costilla y el 58,2% en la vertebra. La grasa subcutánea supuso el 50,1% de la grasa total diseccionada, correspondiendo el 49,9% restante a la intermuscular. Por último, se midió la grasa intramuscular o de veteado que presentaba el músculo Longissimus dorsi, ocupando dicha grasa un 2,5±0,98% de la superficie de dicho músculo. El número medio de vetas de grasa en cada costilla fue de 5,6±1,92 y el tamaño medio de éstas de 4,5±1,74mm2.
Open Access
¿Sigue siendo leche la leche?
(Asociación The Conversation España, 2022-07-05) Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Lleva con nosotros millones de años. En forma de leche materna, es el primer alimento que recibimos los mamíferos; el único que en nuestras primeras etapas de vida es capaz de proveernos de los principios nutritivos imprescindibles para un adecuado desarrollo neuronal, óseo, muscular, amén de las inmunoglobulinas necesarias para dotar de defensas a los recién nacidos. Todo ello constituye la prueba irrefutable de que hablamos de un alimento sano, saludable, equilibrado y con innumerables propiedades beneficiosas para el ser humano. Quizás por eso, buena parte de la población opta por mantener en su dieta la leche de origen animal (de vaca, sobre todo) una vez superada la fase de lactancia. En forma de leche líquida o como derivados lácteos.
Open Access
Adiposity and adipogenic gene expression in four different muscles in beef cattle
(Public Library of Science, 2017) Martínez del Pino, Lara; Arana Navarro, Ana; Alfonso Ruiz, Leopoldo; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Soret Lafraya, Beatriz; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
Anatomical site and divergent functionalities of muscles can be related to differences in IMF content, metabolism and adipogenic gene expression. Then, potential differences in different muscles in beef cattle were studied. As a second objective, the main sources of experimental variability associated to RT-qPCR results were analyzed following a nested design in order to implement appropriate experimental designs minimizing gene expression variability. To perform the study Longissimus thoracis (LT), Semitendinosus (SM), Masseter (MS), Sternomandibularis (ST) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples of Pirenaica young bulls (n = 4) were collected for IMF, collagen and protein quantification, analysis of adipocyte size distribution and gene expression (PPARG, CEBPA, FAPB4 and WNT10B). A greater IMF content was observed in MS and SM muscles, which had a bimodal adipocyte size distribution while it was unimodal in the muscles LT and ST. This suggest that the different IMF accretion in the muscles studied might be related to different rates of hyperplasia and hypertrophy and that IMF might develop later in LT and ST muscles. The former differences were not mirrored by the expression of the genes analyzed, which might be related to the different contribution of mature and non-mature adipocytes to the total gene expression. When comparing IMF and SAT gene expression, late and early developing tissues respectively, expression of PPARG, CEBPA and FABP4 was higher in the SAT, in agreement with bigger cell size and numbers. The variability study indicates that the analytical factors that add higher variability to the gene expression are the sampling and RT and therefore, it would be appropriate to include those replicates in the design of future experiments. Based on the results, the use of MS and SM muscles could allow less expensive experimental designs and bigger sample size that could permit the detection of lower relevant differences in gene expression.
Open Access
Qué dice (y qué no) el informe de la ONU sobre la carne
(Asociación the Conversation España, 2019-09-08) Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
El informe que el IPCC (Panel Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático, perteneciente a la ONU) publicó recientemente es exhaustivo y clarificador. El hecho de que hayan participado en su elaboración 107 expertos de 52 países da idea de su importancia y magnitud. Titulado El cambio climático y la tierra, el informe está estructurado en siete capítulos. En total 1384 páginas de texto, más abundante material suplementario. Conscientes de la dificultad que supone para los no expertos en el tema la lectura y el estudio de un texto de tal extensión, el IPCC ha elaborado un comunicado de prensa de siete páginas en varios idiomas, donde recoge las principales ideas y conclusiones del informe. Su lectura, por la transcendencia del tema y la concisión y claridad con que está escrito, resulta muy recomendable para todo ciudadano del mundo.
Open Access
Leposoila oilarra
(Gobierno Vasco, 1989) Amenábar Arzuaga, María Eugenia; García Sanz, Alberto; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Producción Agraria; Nekazaritza Ekoizpena
Eusko-oiloa oilo arrazaren barruan, leposoila moetatakoa bere ingurukoekin parekatzen badugu desberdintzapen morfologiko nabari bat azaltzen du, eta ez dago lumaiaren kolorazioan oinarritua, lepo inguruan lumarik ez izatean baizik. Lumarik ez izatea Na (Nacked-Neck) deritzaion genak erregulatzen du. Artikulu honetan oiloen artean gurutzaketa ezberdinetatik lortu diren datoek azaldu nahi ditugu.