ABSTRACT

1. When geese or ducks are overfed with a high-energy diet rich in carbohydrates, their liver increases in size by 5- to 10-fold in 2 weeks, which is accompanied by the occurrence of hepatic steatosis. As a result, this distinctive genetic characteristic of waterfowl has been taken advantage of to produce foie gras.

2. When overfed geese were fed a regular diet for a 20-d period of recovery, their liver was restored to the original state. Hence, the entire process is reversible, and cause no lasting cirrhosis or necrosis in the liver. This suggests that waterfowl have a mechanism to protect their liver from the harm caused by severe hepatic steatosis.

3. This paper reviews the formation, physiological changes to metabolic pathways and the protective mechanisms in geese and ducks with hepatic steatosis. Not only will understanding these mechanisms provide ideas for the waterfowl breeding selection for foie gras, it is conducive to improving production efficiency and quality of foie gras. This provides a scientific basis to ensure animal welfare and an approach to the prevention and treatment of fatty liver disease in human.

摘要

1.当鹅或鸭被富含碳水化合物的高能量饮食过量饲喂时，其肝脏大小在2周内增加5到10倍，并伴有肝脂肪变性的发生。结果，水禽这种独特的遗传特征已被利用来生产鹅肝。

2.当给过量食用的鹅定期饮食以使其恢复20天时，其肝脏就恢复了原始状态。因此，整个过程是可逆的，并且不会在肝脏中引起持久性肝硬化或坏死。这表明水禽具有保护其肝脏免受严重肝脂肪变性所造成伤害的机制。

3.综述了鹅和鸭肝脂肪变性的形成，代谢途径的生理变化以及保护机制。理解这些机制不仅为鹅肝水禽的选育提供思路，而且有利于提高鹅肝的生产效率和质量。这为确保动物福利和预防和治疗人类脂肪肝提供了科学依据。