Taurine deficiency in the developing cat: persistence of the cerebellar external granule cell layer

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience research Vol. 13; no. 3; p. 405
• Main Authors: Sturman, J A, Moretz, R C, French, J H, Wisniewski, H M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1985
• Subjects: Animals; Cats; Cell Movement; Cerebellar Cortex - embryology; Cerebellar Cortex - growth & development; Cerebellar Cortex - pathology; Cerebellum - analysis; Female; Microscopy, Electron; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Taurine - analysis; Taurine - deficiency
• ISSN: 0360-4012
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.490130307

Dietary taurine deprivation adversely affects feline pregnancy and is associated with the frequent occurrence of fetal resorption, abortion, stillbirth, and low birthweight of live kittens at term. Taurine-deprived, live-born kittens have a poor postnatal survival rate and grow less well than kittens from taurine-supplemented queens. The postnatal dietary taurine intake of such kittens is reduced if they are nursed by their biologic mothers; the concentration of taurine in milk of taurine-deprived mothers is less than 10% of that in milk from taurine-supplemented queens. Surviving kittens from taurine-deprived mothers exhibit a constellation of neurological abnormalities (abnormal hind leg development, a peculiar gait characterized by excessive abduction and paresis, and thoracic kyphosis readily visible by X-ray). These findings suggest the presence of a developmental cerebellar deficit. Histological examination of the pre- and postnatally taurine-deprived kitten's cerebellum reveals a persistence of the external granule cell layer, which was confirmed by electron-microscopic examination. Numerous mitotic figures are present in the cells in the external granule cell layer of the cerebellum of kittens born from the nursed by taurine-deprived queens, but not in those from taurine-supplemented mothers. These findings suggest a maturational delay.