Cathepsin mRNA level in bovine cumulus cells fails to be a good marker of oocyte quality

Cathepsins (CTS) are lysosomal cysteine proteinases, of which elevated transcript content is attributed to the reduced quality of oocytes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether transcript content of three CTS genes in cumulus cells (CC) may be related to oocyte quality. The relationships between mRNA content of CTS genes in CC, the fatty acids profile in follicular fluid (FF) and selected quality traits of the corresponding oocyte (COC morphology, follicle diameter, mtDNA copy number) were investigated. Although an increased RA of the CTSB and the CTSK genes was accompanied by inferior COC morphology, it was also correlated with a higher mtDNA copy number in the oocyte and an increased content of C18.3n3 and n3 in FF. The last two traits were attributed to better quality oocytes, which contrasts with the high RA of the CTS genes. In conclusion, elevated transcript levels of CTS genes within CC are of limited value as an indicator of reduced quality in bovine oocytes. We suggest that the possible reason for the ambiguity of the obtained data could be the origin of cumulus cells within the COC, which may prove to be crucial for this type of studies

Relative expression of mRNAs related to cavitation process in bovine embryos produced in vivo and in vitro

The objectives of this work were to identify and to evaluate possible differences on gene expression of aquaporins and Na/K-ATPases transcripts between embryos in vivo and in vitro produced. For each group, 15 blastocysts distributed in three pools were used for RNA extraction followed by amplification and reverse transcription. The resulting cDNAs were submitted to Real-Time PCR, using the GAPDH gene as endogenous control. It was not possible to identify AQP1 transcripts. Relative expression of AQP3 (1.33 ± 0.78) and AQP11 (2.00 ± 1.42) were not different in blastocysts in vitro and in vivo produced. Na/K-ATPase α1 gene (2.25 ± 1.07) was overregulated whereas Na/K-ATPase β2 transcripts 0.40 ± 0.30) did not differ among blastocysts produced in vitro from those produced in vivo. Transcripts for gene AQP1 are not present in bovine blastocysts. In vitro culture system does not alter expression of genes AQP3, AQP11 and Na/K-ATPase β2 genes, however, it affects expression of Na/K-ATPase α1.Os objetivos neste trabalho foram identificar e avaliar possíveis diferenças na expressão gênica de transcritos de Aquaporina e ATPases-Na/K presentes em embriões produzidos in vivo e in vitro. Para cada grupo, 15 blastocistos distribuídos em três conjuntos foram utilizados para a extração do RNA, seguida da amplificação e da transcrição reversa. Os DNAs complementares foram submetidos à reação em cadeia da enzima polimerase em tempo real, utilizando-se o gene GAPDH como controle endógeno. Não foi possível identificar transcritos de AQP1. A expressão relativa dos genes AQP3 (1,33 ± 0,78) e AQP11 (2,00 ± 1,42) não foi diferente em blastocistos produzidos in vitro e in vivo. O gene ATPase-Na/K α1 (2,25 ± 1,07) encontrou-se sobrerregulado, enquanto o gene ATPase-Na/K β2 (0,40 ± 0,30) não diferiu entre os blastocistos produzidos in vitro e aqueles produzidos in vivo. Transcritos para o gene AQP1 não estão presentes em blastocistos bovinos. O sistema de cultivo in vitro não influencia a expressão dos genes AQP3, AQP11 e ATPase-Na/K β2, porém altera a expressão do gene ATPase-Na/K α1

Professional Activity of Teachers of the Near Retirement Age

Postępujący niż demograficzny oraz rozszerzenie rynku edukacyjnego o nowych, prywatnych udziałowców doprowadziło do uaktualnienia zagadnienia aktywności zawodowej wśród nauczycieli. Także warunki ekonomiczne, którymi kierują się samorządy przy ekonomizacji budżetów oświatowych wpływają na liczne likwidacje szkół i pozostawienie nauczycieli z problemem poszukiwania pracy. Niezwykle ważny temat ze względu na sformalizowanie zawodu nauczyciela przez określenie jego ścieżki zawodowej prowadzi do określenia problemu dla wysoko wyspecjalizowanej kadry w wieku okołoemerytalnym. Przykład Gminy Kramsk pokazuje, iż problem znalezienia pracy oraz przekwalifikowania się nauczycieli w wieku okołoemerytalnym w dzisiejszych czasach prowadzi do postawienia sobie pytania, co należałoby zrobić, żeby wizja likwidacji szkół nie była końcem aktywności zawodowej nauczycieli.The progressive period of population decline and the extension of the educational market with new, private stakeholders have led to updating of the issue of professional activity among teachers. Also economic conditions, which are taken into account as a guide by self-governments in the course of economisation of educational budgets, affects numerous cases of schools liquidation and leaving the teachers with the problem of job seeking. This extremely important issue, due to formalisation of the teacher’s profession by determination of their professional path, leads to definition of the problem for highly specialised staff of the near retirement age. The example of Kramsk Municipality shows that the problem of finding job and retraining of teachers of the near retirement age leads nowadays the teachers to ask the question what should be done that the vision of school liquidation was not the end of teachers’ professional activity

Species and embryo genome origin affect lipid droplets in preimplantation embryos

Mammalian embryo development is affected by multiple metabolism processes, among which energy metabolism seems to be crucial. Therefore the ability and the scale of lipids storage in different preimplantation stages might affect embryos quality. The aim of the present studies was to show a complex characterization of lipid droplets (LD) during subsequent embryo developmental stages. It was performed on two species (bovine and porcine) as well as on embryos with different embryo origin [after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and after parthenogenetic activation (PA)]. Embryos after IVF/PA were collected at precise time points of development at the following stages: zygote, 2-cell, 4-cell, 8/16-cell, morula, early blastocyst, expanded blastocyst. LD were stained with BODIPY 493/503 dye, embryos were visualized under a confocal microscope and images were analyzed with the ImageJ Fiji software. The following parameters were analyzed: lipid content, LD number, LD size and LD area within the total embryo. The most important results show that lipid parameters in the IVF vs. PA bovine embryos differ at the most crucial moments of embryonic development (zygote, 8–16-cell, blastocyst), indicating possible dysregulations of lipid metabolism in PA embryos. When bovine vs. porcine species are compared, we observe higher lipid content around EGA stage and lower lipid content at the blastocyst stage for bovine embryos, which indicates different demand for energy depending on the species. We conclude that lipid droplets parameters significantly differ among developmental stages and between species but also can be affected by the genome origin

Regressional patterns of short cells development in the glumellae abaxial epidermis in Avena fatua L.

The different development of short cells in the abaxial epidermis of lemma versus palea was discovered in a wild oat, Avena fatua. A developmental pattern presented in the form of a linear regression shows, that in palea, cytokineses creating papillae and cell duplexes are highly correlated and that such a correlation does not exist in lemma