We established a surgical technique to implant a cannula in the lateral ventricle of a calf stomach and force transducer methods to monitor stomach motility in cattle extend over a long time. In addition, the effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha) in the central nervous system on abomasal motility in a calf were examined. Abomasal motility in the calf stopped about 210 minutes after microinjection of 20 micorgram/calf rhTNF-alpha into the lateral ventricle and remained stopped for 90 minutes. There was no change in abomasal motility after administration of PBS or autoclaved rhTNF-alpha. The results suggest that TNF-alpha in the central nervous system acts to suppress abomasal motility in calves.
(Lab. of Pathophysiology, Department of Pathology and Physiology)
Reference:
The Proceeding of 78th Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (USA), p.105 (1997)
