Biotin Deficiency and the Development of the Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome in Chickens: An Ultrastructural Study

Abstract

The structure of the tissue from the liver, kidneys, pancreas and adrenal glands of 4-week-old chickens showing symptoms of the fatty liver and kidney syndrome (FLKS) was compared with that of normal tissue and related to the amount of biotin present in the liver tissue. These birds were reared with different levels of dietary biotin and were stressed by removal of food before being killed. Birds with less than 1·5 pg biotin/g liver were considered to be deficient in biotin. In the stressed birds the severity of FLKS increased with decreasing levels of biotin.