Isolation and characterization of rabbit intramuscular preadipocytes: Establishing a foundation for studies of intramuscular fat metabolism.
- 1College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
Abstract
Intramuscular fat (IMF) significantly influences meat quality, affecting flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Despite extensive research on livestock such as cattle and pigs, the regulation of IMF in rabbits remains poorly understood. This study establishes a standardized in vitro method for isolating and characterizing intramuscular preadipocytes from the longissimus dorsi muscle of 3-day-old Hycole rabbits using enzymatic digestion and differential centrifugation. Three-day-old neonates were selected for initial protocol development due to their higher progenitor cell abundance and tissue accessibility, which facilitates method optimization and ensures consistent cell yields. Isolated cells displayed typical preadipocyte morphology and expressed key markers, including PREF-1, PPARγ, and Leptin, confirmed by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Upon adipogenic induction, cells exhibited progressive lipid accumulation, as indicated by Oil Red O staining, and showed upregulated expression of PPARG, C/EBPa, and FABP4, confirming their differentiation potential. This study establishes a comprehensive protocol for isolating rabbit intramuscular preadipocytes, providing a foundational tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms of adipogenesis in lagomorphs. The model supports future studies on genetic and nutritional strategies to enhance rabbit meat quality while preserving its lean characteristics.
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BibTeX
@article{ahamba2026isolation,
title = {{Isolation and characterization of rabbit intramuscular preadipocytes: Establishing a foundation for studies of intramuscular fat metabolism.}},
author = {Ifeanyi S Ahamba and Guohua Song and Lionel Kinkpe and Qianting Duan and Naqash Goswami and Zhuoya Jin and Jie Wu and Xianggui Dong and Zhanjun Ren},
journal = {Animal biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1080/10495398.2026.2740386},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908313},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Isolation and characterization of rabbit intramuscular preadipocytes: Establishing a foundation for studies of intramuscular fat metabolism.
AU - Ifeanyi S Ahamba
AU - Guohua Song
AU - Lionel Kinkpe
AU - Qianting Duan
AU - Naqash Goswami
AU - Zhuoya Jin
AU - Jie Wu
AU - Xianggui Dong
AU - Zhanjun Ren
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Animal biotechnology
DO - 10.1080/10495398.2026.2740386
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908313
AB - Intramuscular fat (IMF) significantly influences meat quality, affecting flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Despite extensive research on livestock such as cattle and pigs, the regulation of IMF in rabbits remains poorly understood. This study establishes a standardized in vitro method for isolating and characterizing intramuscular preadipocytes from the longissimus dorsi muscle of 3-day-old Hycole rabbits using enzymatic digestion and differential centrifugation. Three-day-old neonates were selected for initial protocol development due to their higher progenitor cell abundance and tissue accessibility, which facilitates method optimization and ensures consistent cell yields. Isolated cells displayed typical preadipocyte morphology and expressed key markers, including PREF-1, PPARγ, and Leptin, confirmed by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Upon adipogenic induction, cells exhibited progressive lipid accumulation, as indicated by Oil Red O staining, and showed upregulated expression of PPARG, C/EBPa, and FABP4, confirming their differentiation potential. This study establishes a comprehensive protocol for isolating rabbit intramuscular preadipocytes, providing a foundational tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms of adipogenesis in lagomorphs. The model supports future studies on genetic and nutritional strategies to enhance rabbit meat quality while preserving its lean characteristics.
SN - 1049-5398
SN - 1532-2378
ER -