Suckling piglets: Control vs. weaned piglets

Transcriptional profiling of 25d old piglets comparing control untreated suckling jejunum with weaned piglets' jejunum. The goal was to gain new insight into the interaction between weaning and intestinal function.A keen interest is paid in deciphering expression changes of apoptosis or cell cycle control genes. The statistical analysis of gene ontology revealed that most of these altered genes are metabolic-related enzymes and regulators which may involved in the biological regulation, developmental process, and cellular process. Weaning also causes alterations in various immune response pathways. Results likely indicate that weaning induced cell cycle arrest, enhanced apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation. Two-condition experiment, suckling control piglets' jejunum vs. weaned piglets' jejunum. Biological replicates: 4 control replicates, 4 weaned replicates.