Table 3.
Endocrine pancreas parameters of PL, DL, and DL+Lf piglets.
| Endocrine pancreas | PL | DL | DL+Lf | Diet effect p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endocrine tissue (%)* | 1.79 ± 0.17a,b | 2.28 ± 0.24b | 1.58 ± 0.07a | 0.02 |
| No. of islets (per 0.5-cm2 tissue) | 250 ± 21a,b | 291 ± 22 b | 221 ± 9a | 0.05 |
| Mean islet diameter (μm)* | 54.6 ± 0.9# | 56.7 ± 1.2§ | 54.7 ± 0.7# | 0.09 |
| Insulin content (IU/g of pancreas) | 14.3 ± 0.5 | 15.3 ± 1.3 | 13.7 ± 1.0 | 0.58 |
Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM. Labeled means in a row without a common letter or symbol differ (p < 0.05 and p < 0.1, respectively).
*
Endocrine tissue: p(sex) = 0.1(males > females); endocrine pancreas mean islet diameter: p(sex) < 0.01 (males > females).
Formulas contained as lipids either only plant lipids (PL, n = 6–8), a half-half mixture of plant and dairy lipids (DL, n = 6), or a half-half mixture of plant and dairy lipids supplemented with Lf (DL+Lf, n = 6–7).