Trahair J F, DeBarro T M, Robinson J S, Owens J A
Department of Anatomy & Histology, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
J Nutr. 1997 Apr;127(4):637-41. doi: 10.1093/jn/127.4.637.
This study examined the effects of reduced nutrition on fetal growth over the first half of gestation. Reduced nutrition was achieved by a combination of reduced maternal food intake and carunclectomy, a procedure which restricts the development of the placenta. There were no major effects of restriction on fetal body, tissue or organ growth, except for the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Total GIT weight was lower in restricted fetuses than in controls. More specifically, it was growth of the small and large intestine which was compromised. Small intestinal weight was significantly lower, both in absolute terms and relative to body weight. The intestinal diameter and mucosal area were significantly lower in both small and large intestine of restricted fetuses. Maturation of enterocytes was also delayed in nutrient-restricted fetuses. In addition, there were focal lesions of the brush border present, indicating abnormal epithelial differentiation. By term, in growth-retarded fetuses, growth deficits in many organs were present, including the GIT. The present study suggests that GIT growth deficits may have a long-term etiology, including at their onset, abnormal cellular differentiation. These results could explain why GIT function in intrauterine growth-retarded infants is more likely to be compromised than in premature or term infants.
本研究考察了孕期前半段营养减少对胎儿生长的影响。通过减少母体食物摄入量和进行子宫阜切除术（一种限制胎盘发育的手术）相结合的方式实现营养减少。除胃肠道（GIT）外，限制措施对胎儿身体、组织或器官的生长没有重大影响。受限胎儿的胃肠道总重量低于对照组。更具体地说，是小肠和大肠的生长受到了影响。小肠重量无论是绝对值还是相对于体重均显著降低。受限胎儿的小肠和大肠的肠直径和黏膜面积均显著降低。营养受限胎儿的肠上皮细胞成熟也延迟。此外，存在刷状缘的局灶性病变，表明上皮分化异常。到足月时，生长受限胎儿存在许多器官的生长缺陷，包括胃肠道。本研究表明，胃肠道生长缺陷可能有长期病因，包括在其起始阶段细胞分化异常。这些结果可以解释为什么宫内生长受限婴儿的胃肠道功能比早产或足月婴儿更易受损。
