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Researchers create inside-out 'mini guts' to aid poultry research
The mini-guts are the first of their kind to naturally include cells from the immune system.

3D model will support studies into poultry health and disease.

Scientists from the Roslin Institute have developed inside-out miniature intestines, also known as enteroids, grown from stem cells, in order to improve research into poultry health and disease.

The development of the mini-guts follows a decade of research into organoids. The research team hopes that their creation will advance studies into common infections that affect birds around the world, and allow better understanding of the immune response to disease in chickens.

This creation will also reduce the number of animals used in research.

The mini-guts are the first of their kind to naturally include cells from the immune system and have been created with the internal gut surface on their exterior. This accessible surface enables researchers to easily expose the tissue to disease-causing organisms, feed additives, vaccines and drugs and then to monitor the effects.

Organoid development typically takes place inside a protein-rich gel dome, surrounded by growth factor-supplemented liquid cell culture. These conditions allow stem cells to follow their own genetic instructions  and form structures that resemble miniature intestines.

According to the Roslin Institute, the growth conditions in this case enabled a reverse of the usual structure, with the enteroids growing inside-out.

Tessa Nash of the Roslin Institute said: “Studies into the gastrointestinal systems of birds have long been hampered by a lack of cell culture tools. But with the development of these novel mini-guts we can now study diseases that are of importance to the poultry industry, including zoonotic infections such as Salmonella and flu.”

Professor Lonneke Vervelde of the Roslin Institute said: “Inside-out organoids will support studies to develop our understanding of how gut tissue in chickens responds to for example disease, feed additives, nutrition and heat stress, saving time and reducing the number of animals needed for this process.”

Further information on the creation of the enteroids can be found in Communications Biology volume 4.​​

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.