DOHaD: A MENAGERIE OF ADAPTATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES Large animal models of developmental programming: sustenance, stress, and sex matter

Abstract

In brief: Developmental programming refers to the long-term programming of gene expression during fetal and postnatal development, resulting in altered organ function even into adulthood. This review describes how maternal and paternal sustenance and stress, as well as fetal sex, all matter in large animal models and affect developmental programming of the offspring. Abstract: Developmental programming is the concept that certain health outcomes throughout life can be linked to early fetal or postnatal development. Progress in understanding concepts and mechanisms surrounding developmental programming is heavily leveraged by the use of large animal models. Numerous large animal models have been developed that apply a host of different maternal stressors and, more recently, paternal stressors. Maternal nutrition is the most researched maternal stressor applied during gestation and includes both global nutrient supply and models that target specific macro- or micronutrients. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the many large animal models of developmental programming and to discuss the importance of sex effects (including paternal contributions) in study design and data interpretation.