Our interest is on the cellular signals regulating the growth of adipose and muscle tissue for the purpose of identifying tools to modify body composition for productive purposes. We also have interest in fat and meat quality with the goal of improving product quality in lean pigs. Much of our work has focused on how endocrine signals may be modified between adipose and muscle tissue to partition nutrients toward muscle growth and away from adipose growth.
Porcine somatotropin decreases acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene expression in porcine adipose tissue.
Wilson, L.A., S.E. Mills, E. Finley, E. Kilgour, P.J. Buttery and R.G. Vernon. 1997. Effect of lactation on insulin signal transduction in sheep adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. J. Endocrinology . Liang, W., C.A. Bidwell, S.K. Williams and S.E. Mills. 1997. Cao, H., C.A. Bidwell, S.K. Williams, W. Liang and S.E. Mills.