Differential gene expression in lactating rats compared against age matched virgin controls

Lactation is a time of significantly increased energy demands imposed by the suckling young that requires a proportional adjustment in the ability of the lactating dam to absorb nutrients and to synthesize critical biomolecules to meet the dietary needs of both the offspring and the dam. We have shown an increase in the size and hydrophobicity of the bile acid pool during lactation [1], implying an increased absorption and disposition of lipids, sterols, nutrients, and xenobiotics. In order to investigate changes at the level of mRNA, we utilized an exon array and calculated gene level summaries to investigate changes in gene expression in the liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of lactating dams when compared against age-matched virgin controls.