39 research outputs found
Effects of Different Oral Doses of Sodium Chloride on the Basal Acid-Base and Mineral Status of Exercising Horses Fed Low Amounts of Hay
The provision of NaCl, according to current recommendations, to horses in moderate work has been shown to induce immediate postprandial acidosis. The present study aimed to clarify whether this NaCl induced acidosis i) persists beyond the immediate postprandial period, and ii) is still present after a 2 week adaptation period. Six adult warmblood mares in moderate work received daily 1.00 kg hay per 100 kg body weight (bwt) only together with 0.64 kg unprocessed cereal grains/100 kg bwt. d as fed basis. Using a 3x3 Latin Square, either 0 (NaCl-0), 50 (NaCl-50) or 100 (NaCl-100) g NaCl/d were fed together with the concentrates in two equal doses for 3 weeks. During the final week, a mineral digestibility trial was undertaken. The middle sodium and chloride intake (NaCl-50) at least met the most common recommendations for moderate work. Morning (7: 00 AM) urine and venous blood samples were collected on days 0, 1-4, 8, and 15, and analysed for pH, acid-base status, creatinine and electrolyte concentrations. Fractional electrolyte clearances (FC) were determined. Mean apparent sodium digestibility ranged between 60-62% whereas chloride digestibility was consistently above 94%. Supplementing 100 g but not 50 g of NaCl resulted in significant reduction of blood pH and base excess as well as urinary pH and urine acid excretion. Both 50 g and 100 g NaCl supplementation caused a significant reduction in base and net acid-base excretion, urine density and potassium concentration, but increased urine sodium concentration and the FC of sodium and chloride (P < 0.05). This suggests that a high proportion of the recommended salt doses is excreted renally. The above effects of NaCl supplementation persisted over the 2 week measurement period. Results suggest that feeding 100 g NaCl to moderately exercising horses results in mild metabolic acidosis, whereas feeding 50 g according to current recommendations resulted in compensated acidosis
The male fetal biomarker INSL3 reveals substantial hormone exchange between fetuses in early pig gestation
The peptide hormone INSL3 is uniquely produced by the fetal testis to promote the transabdominal phase of testicular descent. Because it is fetal sex specific, and is present in only very low amounts in the maternal circulation, INSL3 acts as an ideal biomarker with which to monitor the movement of fetal hormones within the pregnant uterus of a polytocous species, the pig. INSL3 production by the fetal testis begins at around GD30. At GD45 of the ca.114 day gestation, a time at which testicular descent is promoted, INSL3 evidently moves from male to female allantoic compartments, presumably impacting also on the female fetal circulation. At later time-points (GD63, GD92) there is less inter-fetal transfer, although there still appears to be significant INSL3, presumably of male origin, in the plasma of female fetuses. This study thus provides evidence for substantial transfer of a peptide hormone between fetuses, and probably also across the placenta, emphasizing the vulnerability of the fetus to extrinsic hormonal influences within the uterus
Studies on oocyte quality of different follicle populations in mares
1 Einleitung und Zielstellung 1 2 LiteraturĂĽbersicht 3 2.1 Physiologie der
Fortpflanzung bei Stuten 3 2.2 Follikulogenese 6 2.3 Funktionelle
Follikelentwicklung 9 2.4 Eizellreifung 14 2.5 Bedeutung der Mitochondrien in
Oozyten während der Maturation 22 2.6 Bedeutung der Kumuluszellen für die
Prozesse der Eizellreifung 24 2.7 Parameter zur Bestimmung der Eizellqualität
26 2.8 In-vivo-Oozytengewinnung bei Stuten 33 3 Material und Methode 37 4\.
Ergebnisse 54 4.1 Kumulus-Oozyten-Komplex-Gewinnung mittels transvaginaler
ultraschallgeleiteter Follikelpunktion 54 4.2. Steroidkonzentrationen in den
FollikelflĂĽssigkeiten der unterschiedlichen Follikelpopulationen 56 4.3
Aktivität der Glukose-6-Phosphat-Dehydrogenase der gewonnenen Oozyten 58 4.4
Untersuchungen zur Chromatinkonfiguration der Oozyten 63 4.5 Untersuchungen
zur mitochondrialen Aktivität in den gewonnenen Oozyten 70 4.6 Untersuchungen
zur mitochondrialen Aggregation der gewonnenen Oozyten 76 5 Diskussion 82 6
Zusammenfassung 106 7 Summary 108 8 Zitierte Literatur 110 9 Publikationen 124
10 Danksagung 125 11 Selbstständigkeitsversicherung 126Ziel des tierexperimentellen Designs war es Eizellen in vivo zu gewinnen, die
verschiedenen, definierten physiologischen Entwicklungsstadien von
Follikelpopulationen zugeordnet werden konnten. Durch die parallele Bestimmung
mehrerer Parameter der Eizellqualität an jeder einzelnen Eizelle, sollten
Zusammenhänge in vivo zwischen chromosomalen und zytoplasmatischen
Reifungsprozessen in den Oozyten untersucht werden. Insbesondere sollte dabei
die follikuläre Herkunft als Einflussfaktor auf die Eigenschaften von Oozyten
näher beschrieben werden. Die Oozytengewinnung erfolgte durch wiederholte
transvaginale ultraschallgeleitete Follikelpunktionen, die in 120
Follikelpunktionssitzungen an 14 Mecklenburger Warmblutstuten während einer
Zuchtsaison vorgenommen wurden. Die Eizellgewinnung erfolgte zunächst bei
rossigen Stuten, denen 24 Stunden zuvor ein hCG-Präparat appliziert worden
war. Die Follikelaspirate wurden getrennt nach präovulatorischen Follikeln und
subordinanten Follikeln gesammelt. Nach einer Ablation aller sichtbaren
Follikel, wurden die Stuten einer zweiten Follikelaspiration unterzogen, noch
bevor sich in der neu herangewachsenen Follikelpopulation ein dominanter
Follikel entwickelt hatte. Zur genaueren Charakterisierung der verschiedenen
Follikelgruppen erfolgten stichprobenartig Analysen der Östradiol-17β- und
Progesteronkonzentrationen in den FollikelflĂĽssigkeiten. Die Kumulus-Oozyten-
Komplexe (KOK) wurden nach der Gewinnung unter einem Stereomikroskop
morphologisch beurteilt und mit Brillant-Cresyl-Blau (BCB) unter
Kulturbedingungen zur Bestimmung der Aktivität der Glukose-6-Phosphat-
Dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) inkubiert. AnschlieĂźend wurden die denudierten Oozyten
mit dem Fluoreszenzfarbstoff MitoTracker Orange CMTM Ros zur Bestimmung der
mitochondrialen Aktivität und Aggregation vital inkubiert und nach einer
Fixierung in Paraformaldehyd mit Hoechst 33258 zur Bestimmung der
Chromatinkonfiguration parallel gefärbt. Die Östradiol-17β-Konzentrationen
waren mit 1911,4±184,5 ng/ml in präovulatorischen Follikeln, mit 885,6±120,6
ng/ml in Follikeln der wachsenden und mit 54,4±155,9 ng/ml in Follikeln der
subordinanten Follikelgruppe zwischen den Follikelgruppen signifikant
unterschiedlich (p<0,05). Kompakte KOK wurden signifikant häufiger aus
wachsenden Follikelgruppen (p<0,05) und Oozyten, die nur die Corona radiata
aufwiesen tendenziell häufiger aus den subordinanten Follikelgruppen (p=0,06)
gewonnen. Insgesamt wurde mittels der BCB-Färbung in einem Drittel der Oozyten
eine hohe G-6-PDH-Aktivität festgestellt. Es wurden keine signifikanten
EinflĂĽsse der Follikelgruppen, der KOK-Morphologie, des mitochondrialen
Aggregationsmusters oder der mitochondrialen Aktivität auf die Verteilung von
Oozyten mit unterschiedlicher G-6-PDH-Aktivität beobachtet. Bei der
Untersuchung der Chromatinkonfigurationen konnte gezeigt werden, dass
wachsende Follikelpopulationen signifikant höhere Anteile Oozyten im
fibrillären Diplotänstadium enthalten, während Oozyten aus subordinanten
Follikelpopulationen gehäuft ein kondensiertes Diplotän aufwiesen (p<0,05).
Oozyten, deren Kern sich im fibrillären Diplotänstadium befand, wiesen einen
signifikant größeren Anteil Oozyten mit einer niedrigen G-6-PDH-Aktivität und
Oozyten mit pyknotischen Chromatin einen signifikant größeren Anteil Oozyten
mit einer hohen G-6-PDH-Aktivität auf (p<0,05). Oozyten, deren Chromatin
pyknotisch war, fanden sich nur in subordinanten Follikelgruppen. In Oozyten
aus wachsenden Follikelgruppen wurden signifikant höhere Werte
(Fluoreszenzintensität/Oozyte) der mitochondrialen Aktivität gemessen als in
Oozyten aus subordinanten Follikelgruppen (p<0,05). Oozyten, die nur eine
Corona radiata aufwiesen und Oozyten der expandierten KOK zeigten ebenfalls
signifikant höhere Werte der mitochondrialen Aktivität als Oozyten mit
kompaktem Kumulus (p<0,05). Oozyten mit grob granulierten Mitochondrien
zeigten eine signifikant höhere mitochondriale Aktivität als Oozyten mit fein
granulierten Mitochondrien (p<0,0001). Insgesamt zeigten 28,1% der
untersuchten Oozyten ein grobgranuliertes mitochondriales Aggregationsmuster
und 71,8% ein fein granuliertes Aggregationsmuster. Ein signifikanter Einfluss
der follikulären Herkunft oder der Chromatinkonfiguration der Oozyten auf ihr
mitochondriales Aggregationsmuster wurde nicht beobachtet. Die
Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigten deutlich, dass in subordinanten
Follikelgruppen hauptsächlich atretische und in den wachsenden Follikelgruppen
zum größten Teil vitale Follikel enthalten waren. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse kann
angenommen werden, dass es bereits in unreifen Follikeln zu einer Entkopplung
zwischen der chromosomalen und zytoplasmatischen Reifung in Oozyten kommen
kann. Besonders in stark atretischen Follikeln könnte dieser Prozess bereits
irreversibel fortgeschritten sein. Oozyten mit der gleichen
Chromatinkonfiguration oder Kumulusmorphologie sollten daher bei
unterschiedlicher follikulärer Herkunft hinsichtlich ihrer
Entwicklungskompetenz in vitro nicht als gleichwertig betrachtet werden. Da
die follikuläre Herkunft chromosomale und zytoplasmatische Eigenschaften von
equinen Oozyten signifikant beeinflusst, kann das Wissen über die follikuläre
Herkunft einer Oozyte als weiterer Parameter zur Abschätzung der
Oozytenqualität dienen. Die erzielten Ergebnisse können in Zukunft dazu
beitragen In-vitro-Systeme der Eizellreifung zu optimieren und die
Oozytengewinnung auf eine möglichst hohe Anzahl entwicklungskompetenter
Oozyten zu orientieren.The aim of this study was to recover equine oocytes in vivo, which could be
assigned to follicle populations in different physiologic developmental
stages. By a parallel determination of several parameters of oocyte quality
for every single oocyte, links between chromosomal and cytoplasmic maturation
processes in vivo should be investigated. Especially the impact of the
different follicular origins on the characteristics of oocytes should be
described in detail. Oocyte recovery was done by repeated transvaginal
ultrasound guided follicle aspiration in 14 Mecklenburger Warmblood mares,
which underwent 120 follicle aspiration sessions during one breeding season.
Follicle aspiration sessions were performed first during the heat of the
mares, 24 hours after they had received hCG. The aspirates of the preovulatory
follicles and the subordinate follicle populations were collected separately.
After an ablation of all visible follicles of the mare, a second follicle
aspiration session was done just before a dominant follicle had developed in
the newly grown progressive follicle population. To characterise the follicle
populations more closely random samples of follicle fluid from the different
follicle populations were taken simultaneously and analysed for their
oestradiol and progesterone content. Immediately after recovery the cumulus-
oocytes-complexes (COCs) were divided in groups depending on their cumulus
morphology under a stereomicroscope and incubated under culture conditions
with brilliant cresyl blue (BCB), to evaluate the activity of
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) enzyme. The denuded oocytes were
then incubated with the Mito Tracker Orange CMTM Ros vital stain to measure
the mitochondrial activity and aggregation. Following a fixation with
paraformaldehyde the oocytes were also subjected to Hoechst 33258 stain to
detect the chromatin configuration. The oestradiol concentrations showed a
level of 1911.7 ± 185.5 ng/ml in preovulatory follicles, 885.6 ± 120.6 ng/ml
in growing and 54.4 ± 155.9 ng/ml in subordinate follicle populations
indicating significant differences between the follicular fluid samples of the
different follicle populations (p < 0.05). Significantly more oocytes with
compact cumuli were found in the progressive follicle population (p < 0.05),
whereas the subordinate follicle population tended to contain more oocytes,
which were only covered by corona radiata cells (p = 0.06). By the measurement
with BCB stain, altogether one third of the recovered oocytes showed a high
G-6-PDH activity. No significant impacts of the follicle population of origin,
the cumulus morphology, the mitochondrial aggregation patterns or the
mitochondrial activity of the oocytes were observed on the distribution
patterns of oocytes with different G-6-PDH activity. The evaluation of the
chromatin configuration showed that follicles of growing follicle populations
contained significantly higher proportions of oocytes with a fibrillar
diplotene, while subordinante follicle populations had higher proportions of
oocytes with a condensed diplotene (p < 0.05). While oocytes with the
chromatin configuration of a fibrillar diplotene showed a significantly higher
amount of oocytes with a low G-6-PDH activity, oocytes with pycnotic chromatin
had a significantly higher number of oocytes with a high G-6-PDH activity (p <
0.05). Oocytes with a pycnotic chromatin were found in subordinate follicle
populations only. The mitochondrial activity (fluorescence intensity/oocyte)
was significantly increased in oocytes of growing follicle populations as
compared to oocytes from subordinate follicle populations (p < 0.05). Higher
levels of mitochondrial activity were found also in oocytes with an expanded
cumulus and in oocytes with only corona radiata cells than in the oocytes with
a compact cumulus (p < 0.05). The mitochondrial activity was significantly
higher in oocytes which showed mitochondria in granulated aggregation pattern
than in oocytes with fine mitochondrial aggregation pattern (P<0,0001). In
total, 28.1% of the oocytes showed a granulated mitochondrial aggregation
pattern and 71.8% a fine aggregation pattern of the mitochondria but no
significant impact of the follicle population of origin or the chromatin
configuration were found. The results of this study show clearly that
subordinate follicle populations consisted mainly of atretic follicles while
the growing follicle population consisted of a greater number of viable
follicles. Based on the results it could be supposed that already in immature
follicles chromosomal and cytoplasmic maturation processes of the enclosed
oocytes can be teared apart. Especially in follicles with progressed atresia
this deviation process could have already reached an irreversible stage.
Therefore, oocytes with the same chromatin configuration or the same cumulus
morphology but with a different follicular origin should not be taken as
having the same developmental competence. Because of the significant impact of
the follicular origin on chromosomal and cytoplasmic characteristics of equine
oocytes, the knowledge about the follicular origin of an oocyte can be used as
a parameter to assess the quality of an oocyte. The results can contribute to
optimize in vitro oocyte maturation systems and should be helpful to design
oocyte-recovery treatments in vivo, which results in highest numbers of
developmental competent oocytes
Ultrasonographic Monitoring of Fetal Growth and Fetal Weight Calculation in Sows during Gestation
Ultrasound examinations offer the possibility to monitor fetal growth and estimate fetal weight, but reference data for such techniques in pigs are rare. The aim of this study was therefore to identify suitable anatomical fetal structures for monitoring physiological growth dynamics by ultrasound examinations and to estimate fetal weight using appropriate mathematical models. For this purpose, 198 fetuses of 15 primiparous Landrace sows were examined by ultrasound on days 36, 50, 64, 79 and 92 of gestation in live sows and in utero after slaughter. Biparietal distance (BPD), rostro-occipital distance (ROD), corpus vitreum diameter, heart length, abdominal circumference (AC) and transverse and sagittal abdominal diameter were determined by ultrasound in utero, and the fetuses were subsequently ex uteri determined and weighed. Reference curves for the continuous increase in fetal parameters over the pregnancy were established. Weight estimation could be performed with linear models at a known stage of pregnancy using one or a combination of parameters. Cubic equations were developed to describe the relationships between body measurements and weight over the course of gestation. BPD, ROD and AC have been shown to be the most suitable parameters for fetal weight estimation, but in live sows, only the fetal head parameters could be easily and reliably determined. These techniques could initially be of interest for research into fetal growth, but future application in veterinary practice is also conceivable
Data on piglet bodyweight_body temperature_catheter functionality_plasma xylose concentration_after jugular vein catheter surgery
<p>Data on piglet bodyweight and body temperature before and after jugular vein catheter surgery in suckling piglets at the age of 10 to 15 days compared to control piglets without catheter surgery.</p>
<p>Data on plasma xylose concentration in samples from jugular vein catheter and catheter functionality in suckling piglets..</p>
<p>Supplementary material including surgical materials and pictures_De Leonardis et al. animal open space</p>
Data on piglet bodyweight_body temperature_catheter functionality_plasma xylose concentration_after jugular vein catheter surgery
Data on piglet bodyweight and body temperature before and after jugular vein catheter surgery in suckling piglets at the age of 10 to 15 days compared to control piglets without catheter surgery.
Data on plasma xylose concentration in samples from jugular vein catheter and catheter functionality in suckling piglets..
Supplementary material including surgical materials and pictures_De Leonardis et al. animal open spac
Anti-Muellerian hormone levels in plasma of Holstein-Friesian heifers as a predictive parameter for ovum pick-up and embryo production outcomes
The aim of this study was to investigate whether plasma anti-Muellerian hormone (AMH) levels of Holstein-Friesian heifers could be used to predict ovum pick-up (OPU) and embryo production outcomes. Plasma samples and data were collected from 64 heifers, which underwent repeated OPU with subsequent in vitro embryo production followed by embryo flushing after superovulation. AMH levels were significantly positively correlated with the number of follicles aspirated per OPU session (r = 0.45), recovered oocytes per OPU (r =0.43) and in vitro produced embryos per OPU (r = 0.28). No significant correlations between AMH and in vivo produced embryos were ascertained. Our results suggest that correlations between AMH and outcomes of an OPU-IVF program are too low to use AMH as a precise predictive parameter for the success of a particular OPU procedure in Holstein-Friesian heifers. However, AMH can help to identify groups of very good or very poor oocyte donors
Correction: The Male Fetal Biomarker INSL3 Reveals Substantial Hormone Exchange between Fetuses in Early Pig Gestation
Exposure of Lactating Dairy Cows to Acute Pre-Ovulatory Heat Stress Affects Granulosa Cell-Specific Gene Expression Profiles in Dominant Follicles
High environmental temperatures induce detrimental effects on various reproductive processes in cattle. According to the predicted global warming the number of days with unfavorable ambient temperatures will further increase. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of acute heat stress during the late pre-ovulatory phase on morphological, physiological and molecular parameters of dominant follicles in cycling cows during lactation. Eight German Holstein cows in established lactation were exposed to heat stress (28°C) or thermoneutral conditions (15°C) with pair-feeding for four days. After hormonal heat induction growth of the respective dominant follicles was monitored by ultrasonography for two days, then an ovulatory GnRH dose was given and follicular steroid hormones and granulosa cell-specific gene expression profiles were determined 23 hrs thereafter. The data showed that the pre-ovulatory growth of dominant follicles and the estradiol, but not the progesterone concentrations tended to be slightly affected. mRNA microarray and hierarchical cluster analysis revealed distinct expression profiles in granulosa cells derived from heat stressed compared to pair-fed animals. Among the 255 affected genes heatstress-, stress- or apoptosis associated genes were not present. But instead, we found up-regulation of genes essentially involved in G-protein coupled signaling pathways, extracellular matrix composition, and several members of the solute carrier family as well as up-regulation of FST encoding follistatin. In summary, the data of the present study show that acute pre-ovulatory heat stress can specifically alter gene expression profiles in granulosa cells, however without inducing stress related genes and pathways and suggestively can impair follicular growth due to affecting the activin-inhibin-follistatin system