부산대학교 도서관

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), which belongs to the FABP family, plays an essential role in long-chain fatty acid uptake and metabolic homeostasis, especially in adipose tissue. The pattern of A-FABP gene mRNA expression in different growth stages and its relation to intramuscular fat (IMF) accretion in pigs was studied. Fifteen female Duroc LandraceYorkshire pigs in five groups of three pigs each, weighing 1, 30, 50, 70 and 90 kg were used to study developmental gene mRNA expression of A-FABP in various adipose tissues by means of semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results showed that A-FABP mRNA levels in subcutaneous and ventral adipose tissues first increased from 1 to 50 kg, then gradually declined from 50 to 90 kg. Moreover, the rank order of A-FABP mRNA levels determined in three adipose tissues was as follows: subcutaneous adipose>ventral adipose>mesenteric adipose. A-FABP mRNA expression in mesenteric adipose tissue was constant during development. In addition, a positive correlation from 1 to 50 kg BW pigs and a negative correlation from 50 to 90 kg BW between A-FABP mRNA levels in subcutaneous and ventral adipose and IMF content were found.