Mean number follicles (intermediate magnification).

<p>Follicles are classified in 9 categories. The counting was realized using one ovary per rabbit and per group (intermediate magnification).</p

Ovarian histology.

<p>Hematoxylin-eosin-saffron staining ovary sections of rabbits fed a control diet (left panel) or HH diet (right panel) at low (A,B) or high (C,D) magnification. Compared to the control sample (A), numerous atretic follicle remnants (open arrowheads) are scattered in the ovary parenchyma of the high fat diet-fed animal (B). With higher magnification, primary (I), secondary (II) and tertiary follicles (III) are observed in the control samples (C) whereas numerous fields in high fat diet-fed animal samples are devoid of maturing follicles and are only composed of atretic follicle remnants at different stage of involution (D). Scale bars = 500 µm (A, B) and 100 µm (C, D).</p

Mean (±SEM) serum leptin, estradiol and progesterone concentrations according to age in HH and Control does.

<p>Each box plot represents the distribution of values in each group at 13, 18, 22 and 27 weeks of age for leptin and estradiol (A and B) and at 13, 18 and 22 weeks of age for progesterone (C). Median values are indicated by the red line within the box. The upper point (in purple) and the lower point (in blue) represent the first and the third quartile respectively. The highest and the lowest values are representing by circle and square respectively. *indicates <i>P</i><0.05.</p

Hormonal response (LH response, estradiol and progesterone) after mating.

<p>(A) Mean ±SEM serum LH concentrations (ng/mL) according to time after mating and response to mating: C animals that all responded (N = 7). HH animals that had a LH response (N = 5). – HH animal that had a delayed response (N = 1). – HH animals that did not respond (N = 2). (B) Mean ±SEM serum estradiol concentrations (pg/mL) in HH and C does at 0, 3, 6, 13, 20 and 27 days of gestation (term: 31 days). (C) Mean ±SEM serum progesterone concentration (ng/mL) in HH and C does at 0, 3, 6, 13, 20 and 27 days of gestation (term: 31 days).</p

Mean number follicles according to size (low magnification).

<p>Follicles are classified into 5 categories. The counting was realized using one ovary per rabbit and per group (low magnification).</p

Mean (±SEM) LH response after induction of ovulation at 13 (A), 18 (B) and 22 weeks (C) of age (ng/ml).

<p>Mean (±SEM) LH response after induction of ovulation at 13 (A), 18 (B) and 22 weeks (C) of age (ng/ml).</p

Morphological analysis of placentas on D28 of gestation and distribution of lipid droplets on D6 in blastocysts.

<p>(A-B) Light microscopy morphological analysis of placentas on D28 from C and HH fetuses. Numerous light vesicles (LV) are located in the trophoblastic layer (TL) of HH (B) compared to C placenta (A). A’ and B’ represent the high magnification of the zone indicated by a star. Scale bar: 100 µm. (C-D) Transmission electron microscopy of placentas on D28 of gestation from C and HH fetuses. Light vesicles were identified as lipid droplets (LD) in the trophoblastic layer (TL) of HH (right panel) compared to C placenta (left panel). EC: Endothelial cell; FV: Fetal Vessel; MC: Maternal Compartment. Scale bar: 5 µm. (E-F) Distribution of lipid droplets on D6 in C and HH blastocysts Fluorescent immunodetection of adipophilin (green), Nile red (red), and DNA (blue) from C (E) and HH (F) blastocysts. In HH blastocysts, abnormal accumulation of lipid droplets is observed around the nuclei (F’), colocalized with adipophilin staining (F’’), in contrast to C blastocysts (E-E”). Scale bar: 20 µm.</p

Relative expression of <i>LXR-α</i> expressed in arbitrary unit (A.U.) in HH and C placentas, according to sex.

<p>N = 5 per group. HH is indicated in hatched columns and C diet by white columns.</p

Gene-specific primers and their accession number.

<p>Gene-specific primers and their accession number.</p

FA profiles of maternal diet (A) and blood (B) according to maternal diet.

<p>HH is indicated by hatched columns and C diet by white columns. (A) FA concentrations of maternal diet were expressed in mg/100 g of food. In (B), 6 samples per group were used to evaluate SFA, MUFA and PUFA concentrations. (**p<0.01).</p