Feed for chickens based on wheat and soybean are deficient in L-methionine. To meet the nutritional requirements of the chicken for this amino acid, it is necessary to supplement them. DL-2-hydroxy-(4-methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBA) is a widely used L-methionine source in the poultry sector. In this line of research, we have identified the transport system involved in the intestinal absorption of the hydroxyanalogue, its conversion to L-methionine in the intestinal epithelium and the regulation of both processes by dietary HMTBA contents. We have also studied the protective role of the HMTBA on the epithelial barrier function in a model of intestinal inflammation.
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