| Project Detail |
The calcium conundrum in hens: from bones to eggshells
Eggshells are loaded with calcium, the same element that makes up our bones – and hens’ bones. Hens absorb calcium from their diet, store it in their bones and release it into the bloodstream following bone demineralisation on demand. Skeletal disorders among egg-laying hens are common. Despite the known coupling between bone demineralisation and calcium mobilisation for eggshell formation, the relationship between bone quality and eggshell quality is unclear. With the support of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the BonEggHens project will evaluate bone and eggshell samples over a hen’s life cycle and at all scales to address this question. Outcomes will support more sustainable farming and egg production with fewer detrimental effects to the hens.
Skeletal disorders in laying hens are a major concern for the food industry. It is well recognized that bone demineralization in laying hens is coupled to the daily mobilization of Ca for egg formation but the relation between bone properties and eggshell quality is still unclear. A key point for understanding this coupled process is reveling the factors that influence bone dissolution since the unbalance between resorption and formation is what causes bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta. Notably, there is limited information on how the composition, structural organization and interaction between bone mineral phase and organic matrix in different bone types influence chicken bone dissolution and its mechanical properties. BonEggHens aims to perform a systematic study, from macro to nanoscopic scale, on a large array of bone and eggshell samples representative of the hen’s life cycle, to assess i) the effect of the mineral labile phase and the organic matrix on bone dissolution, ii) the relation between micro and nanoscopic characteristics of hen’s bones to bone quality parameters (e.g. bone density, mineral crystallinity) and iii) the correlation between bone structural and compositional changes and eggshell quality. The results of the proposed study will shed light on bone/eggshell (de)mineralization processes, which will help to find solutions for a more sustainable yet productive farming system for ovo-production. Moreover, the outcome of BonEggHens has potential implications for future biomineral investigation by cutting-edge microscopy tools and, most importantly, for the study of human bone diseases resembling those in chickens. Finally, the development of the proposal will be career-defining, contributing to the professional and personal growth of the experienced researcher and providing the necessary skills and competences to increase her competitiveness and attain a permanent position in the European scientific framework. |
