Development of lipase in nursing piglets.

This experiment was designed to investigate the development of gastric lipase and pancreatic lipase in nursing piglets. During the nursing period, the lipase activity was measured at one, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age. The results showed that the gastric mucosa weight, pancreas weight, body weight, the specific activity of gastric lipase and pancreatic lipase, and the total activity of gastric lipase and pancreatic lipase increased with the age of the piglets. The development of the specific activity of gastric lipase slowed before the nursing piglets reached 3 weeks of age, but the total activity of gastric lipase at day 28 was significantly higher than that at day 21. The specific activity and total activity of pancreatic lipase were at low levels during the first two weeks of life and then developed quickly from days 21 to 28. It was observed that the specific activity and total activity of gastric lipase were lower than those of pancreatic lipase.