Rat Liver Lipid Data from IUGR and Folic Acid Study

A 5.5 KB Excel file contains data from a study investigating intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) effects on long-term lipid metabolism in rats. The dataset, authored by Laiyi Zhou and published on Figshare in 2026, includes measurements of serum triglycerides, free fatty acids, and liver gene expression levels. It supports the analysis of how early postnatal folic acid supplementation can ameliorate metabolic dysfunctions induced by IUGR.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between IUGR status and serum triglyceride (TG) levels across different age points.
• Model the effect of folic acid supplementation on the expression levels of lipid-related genes like PPARα, Acox1, Acox3, and CPT1.
• Correlate histological observations of hepatocellular vacuoles with quantitative serum free fatty acid (FFA) measurements.
• Compare liver tissue pathology results from Hematoxylin and eosin staining between control, IUGR, and folic acid-supplemented groups.

Strengths

• Includes multiple biological data types: serum biochemistry (TG, FFA), gene expression (RT-qPCR, WB), and histology.
• Data is associated with a peer-reviewed scientific publication (PLOS ONE, DOI: pone.0346676).
• Clear experimental design comparing control, IUGR, and folic acid intervention groups over a 90-day period.

Limitations

• The dataset is very small at 5.5 KB, indicating it likely contains summary or illustrative data rather than raw individual observations.
• Data is derived solely from a rat model, limiting direct translation to human biology.
• Specific sample sizes (number of rats per group) and raw data values are not detailed in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

Figshare, associated with the PLOS ONE article 'pone.0346676'.

Collection Method

Experimental data from a controlled rat study involving dietary protein restriction, serum ELISA, liver histology, and molecular biology techniques (RT-qPCR, Western Blot).

Time Range

Covers rat development from birth to 90 days of age.

Freshness

Last updated in 2026, indicating a future publication date for the associated research.