Cyclical changes in the uterine endometrium and peripheral plasma concentrations of progesterone in the marsupial Trichosurus vulepcula

1973 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
CD Shorey ◽  
RL Hughes

The proliferation and secretory activity of the uterine endometrium in the marsupial T. vulpecula is examined at the cellular and subcellular levels throughout the 26-day oestrous cycle. The observations described are correlated with measured concentrations of progesterone in the peripheral blood plasma. Evidence cited indicates that there are no significant functional differences in the uterine endometrial secretory activity during the 17.5-day gestation period in pregnant females, compared with those in a normal oestrous cycle. Progesterone assays carried out on blood plasma taken from 20 staged animals throughout the oestrous cycle, five of which were at known stages of gestation, also supports the view that pregnancy does not significantly alter the physiological pattern of the reproductive cycle in this marsupial.

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
SD Johnston ◽  
MR McGowan ◽  
P O'Callaghan ◽  
R Cox ◽  
V Nicolson

As an integral part of the development of an artificial insemination programme in the captive koala, female reproductive physiology and behaviour were studied. The oestrous cycle in non-mated and mated koalas was characterized by means of behavioural oestrus, morphology of external genitalia and changes in the peripheral plasma concentrations of oestradiol and progestogen. The mean (+/- SEM) duration of the non-mated oestrous cycle and duration of oestrus in 12 koalas was 32.9 +/- 1.1 (n = 22) and 10.3 +/- 0.9 (n = 24) days, respectively. Although the commencement of oestrous behaviour was associated with increasing or high concentrations of oestradiol, there were no consistent changes in the morphology or appearance of the clitoris, pericloacal region, pouch or mammary teats that could be used to characterize the non-mated cycle. As progestogen concentrations remained at basal values throughout the interoestrous period, non-mated cycles were considered non-luteal and presumed anovulatory. After mating of the 12 koalas, six females gave birth with a mean (+/- SEM) gestation of 34.8 +/- 0.3 days, whereas the remaining six non-parturient females returned to oestrus 49.5 +/- 1. 0 days later. After mating, oestrous behaviour ceased and the progestogen profile showed a significant increase in both pregnant and non-parturient females, indicating that a luteal phase had been induced by the physical act of mating. Progestogen concentrations throughout the luteal phase of the pregnant females were significantly higher than those of non-parturient females. Parturition was associated with a decreasing concentration of progestogen, which was increased above that of basal concentrations until 7 days post partum.


1972 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 731-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Eric Edqvist ◽  
Lars Ekman ◽  
Börje Gustafsson ◽  
Sten-Olof Jacobsson ◽  
Elof D. B. Johansson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Eight pregnant cows of the Swedish Red and White Breed were used. Four cows at 248–250 days of pregnancy received 10 or 20 mg of dexamethasone1) intramuscularly and a second dose equal to the first 3 to 6 days later. Two cows at day 75 and two cows at days 147 and 150 of pregnancy received daily injections of 40 mg of dexamethasone for 7 to 12 days. All late pregnant cows delivered living calves 12 to 68 hours after the second injection. One cow at day 150 of pregnancy aborted on the 6th day from the start of treatment. In all the other cows dead foetuses were found. An increase in oestrone and a decrease in progesterone in peripheral blood plasma were observed in all late pregnant cows after the dexamethasone treatment. The increase in oestrone preceded the decrease in progesterone. The cow pregnant for 150 days which aborted showed decreased plasma levels of progesterone before abortion. No pronounced changes in the levels of progesterone were observed in the other three early pregnant cows. The peripheral plasma levels of oestrone showed no increase in any of the early and mid-term pregnant cows.


1983 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. W. Byers ◽  
K. F. Dowsett ◽  
T. D. Glover

Three stallions were bled each hour for 25 h at 28-day intervals throughout 1 year. Testosterone levels were pulsatile. Pulse frequency and pulse amplitude were higher in the summer months than at other times (P<0·01). The number of testosterone pulses also varied throughout the day, with the greatest frequency occurring in the afternoon (14.00–17.00 h) and at night (22.00–01.00 h). Mean testosterone levels were highest in the summer (P<0·01) but showed a secondary, smaller increase in the autumn. Semen characteristics were assessed from measurements of 222 stallions. Semen volume was greatest in the summer (P<0·01) but both the concentration (P<0·01) and the total number of spermatozoa per ejaculate (P<0·05) were highest in the autumn. These results show that the highest testosterone concentrations in peripheral plasma are not necessarily associated temporally with optimum semen quality.


2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1444-1460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Melen-Mucha ◽  
Agata Niedziela ◽  
Slawomir Mucha ◽  
Ewelina Motylewska ◽  
Hanna Lawnicka ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 993-1002
Author(s):  
N. M. Lazareva ◽  
O. P. Baranova ◽  
I. V. Kudryavtsev ◽  
N. A. Arsentieva ◽  
N. E. Liubimova ◽  
...  

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology with damage to the lungs and other organs characterized by development of necrosis-free epithelioid cell granulomas. Granulomatous inflammation characterized by the activation of different immune systems cells, in particular T lymphocytes, and the cytokines production. Our study was aimed at investigating the characteristics of the cytokine profile of blood plasma in patients with sarcoidosis. We studied peripheral blood plasma samples of patients with sarcoidosis (n = 52). The control blood samples were taken from healthy volunteers (n = 22). The level of 46 cytokines (pg/ml) was determined, as follows: IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL- 6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12 (p40), IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17A, IFNα2, IFNγ, TNFα, TNFβ, IL- 1ra, IL-10, EGF, FGF-2, Flt3 Ligand, G-CSF, GM-CSF, PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB / BB, TGFα, VEGF-A, sCD40L, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL7, CCL11, CCL17, CCL20, CCL22, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, CX3CL1. Significantly higher levels of interleukins and some proinflammatory cytokines were found in the patients with sarcoidosis, i.e., IL-3, 0.70 vs 0.20, p = 0.003; IL-4, 14.37 vs 3.15, p = 0.009; IL-5, 1.06 vs 0.89, p < 0.001; IL-12 (p70), 1.27 vs 0.56, p = 0.028; IL-17A, 1.48 vs 0.43, p < 0.001; IFNα2, 41.79 vs 25.04, p = 0.003; IFNγ, 4.13 vs 1.14, p < 0.001; TNFα, 21.67 vs 6.70, p < 0.001; anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, 1.03 vs 0.45, p = 0.019; growth factors: FGF-2, 40.08 vs 30.58, p = 0.008, G-CSF, 24.18 vs 8.21, p = 0.006, and VEGF-A, 42.52 vs 26.76, p = 0.048; chemokines: CCL3, 3.86 vs 1.33, p < 0,001; CCL17, 78.24 vs 26.24, p < 0.001; CCL20, 7.19 vs 5.64, p = 0.021; CCL22, 660.60 vs 405.00, p < 0,001; CXCL9, 4013 vs 1142, p < 0,001; CXCL10, 565.90 vs 196.60, p < 0.001; CXCL11, 230.20 vs 121.10, p = 0.018; CX3CL1, 56.99 vs 5.16, p < 0.001. Peripheral blood chemokine CCL11 levels were significantly lower in patients compared to the group of healthy volunteers: 77.58 vs 124.70, p = 0.022. The features of the cytokine profile in patients with sarcoidosis may indicate their important role in the processes of formation and outcomes of granulomas. These issues require an additional detailed study, comparison with phenotypes, differential course and outcomes of the disease.


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