scholarly journals Induction of Reproductive Behaviors by Exogenous Hormones in Captive Southern Rocky Mountain Boreal Toads, Anaxyrus boreas boreas

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Emma Calatayud ◽  
Amanda Kathryn Mullen ◽  
Cecilia Jane Langhorne
Keyword(s):  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Hormone Treatment ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Reproductive Behaviors ◽  
Exogenous Hormones ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Southern Rocky Mountain

ABSTRACTLoss of reproductive viability, physiologically and/or behaviorally, can have profound effects on the fitness of a captive population and conservation efforts. The southern rocky mountain (SRM) population of the boreal toad has declined over the past 35 years, making captive breeding necessary to protect and augment the species in the wild. In recent years, a notable reduction in the incidence of amplexus and viable offspring from the captive breeding population has been observed. Hormone treatment protocols to stimulate gamete release in males and females are established in this species and in vitro fertilization has been performed successfully. However, successful hormone stimulation of reproductive behaviors and natural fertilization has not been well documented. During the breeding season of 2012, 24 males and 24 female toads were selected from a population of over 600 captive animals. Both sexes were treated with Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Females were primed twice with 3.7IU/g hCG and then injected with an ovulatory dose (OvD) of 13.5 IU/ g BW (Body weight) hCG and 0.4 μg/ g BW GnRH. Males were injected a single time with 10 IU/g BW hCG and 0.4 μg/ g BW GnRH, 12 h after females received their OvD. In 2013, knowing the approximate time when females oviposited after hormone treatments, we tested the best time to induce amplexus and spermiation. Males were divided into 4 groups and injected at 4 different times: (a) 12 h before females OvD; (b) at the same time as OvD; (c) 12 h after OvD; (d) control injected with PBS. Results from 2012 indicated that oviposition was solely dependent on females receiving hormone treatments not males. However, in 2013 we found that the duration of amplexus significantly influenced oviposition (P>0.05), and males injected 12 h prior to females spent more time in amplexus than males injected at the same time or 12 h after the females received hormones. Promoting reproductive behaviors and synchronizing gamete deposition continues to be imprecise and may require more than exogenous hormones. The complexity of promoting breeding behaviors may require a closer assessment of the captive environment.

scholarly journals Captive breeding of two rare non-migratory galaxiids (Teleostei: Galaxiidae) for species conservation

2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Stoessel ◽  
Tarmo A. Raadik ◽  
Michael D. Nicol ◽  
Peter S. Fairbrother ◽  
Ruby Campbell-Beschorner
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Propagation ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Reproductive Maturation ◽  
Southeastern Australia ◽  
Methods And Techniques ◽  
In The Wild

Devising effective techniques for breeding and rearing rare non-migratory galaxiids is urgently required for conservation purposes where few animals exist in the wild for translocation or reintroduction. The development of such protocols is particularly pertinent in light of recent intense widespread bushfires and long-term drought in southeastern Australia, which have increased the likelihood of the need for captive maintenance to protect and recover remnant species. In this study, we promoted reproductive maturation via manipulation of day length and temperature, and produced viable offspring from two small, endemic freshwater galaxiids, Galaxias fuscus (Mack 1936) and Galaxias longifundus (Raadik 2014) using in vitro propagation techniques. Propagation trials resulted in 425 oocytes being stripped from four ripe G. fuscus females, and 1527 oocytes from three ripe G. longifundus females. Of these, 342 (80.5%) G. fuscus and 968 (63.4%) G. longifundus eggs hatched into larvae. Newly hatched G. fuscus and G. longifundus larvae were transparent, and 8.4–9.7 mm (mean 9.0 mm TL) and 7.1–8.9 mm (mean 8.3 mm TL) consecutively. Absorption of the yolk sac by G. fuscus larvae (1.5–2.0 mm diameter) was complete 6–7 days after hatching, and for G. longifundus (1.0–1.4 mm diameter) 12–13 days after hatching. One-month-old G. fuscus measured ~16 mm and two-month-old larvae ~22 mm, and one-month-old G. longifundus ~11 mm. Methods and techniques employed may aid broader galaxiid conservation efforts.

Applied reproductive technologies and genetic resource banking for amphibian conservation

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Kouba ◽  
Carrie K. Vance
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproduction ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Genetic Resource ◽  
Nutritional Ecology ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Amphibian Conservation ◽  
In Vitro Fertilisation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In The Wild

As amphibian populations continue to decline, both government and non-government organisations are establishing captive assurance colonies to secure populations deemed at risk of extinction if left in the wild. For the most part, little is known about the nutritional ecology, reproductive biology or husbandry needs of the animals placed into captive breeding programs. Because of this lack of knowledge, conservation biologists are currently facing the difficult task of maintaining and reproducing these species. Academic and zoo scientists are beginning to examine different technologies for maintaining the genetic diversity of founder populations brought out of the wild before the animals become extinct from rapidly spreading epizootic diseases. One such technology is genetic resource banking and applied reproductive technologies for species that are difficult to reproduce reliably in captivity. Significant advances have been made in the last decade for amphibian assisted reproduction including the use of exogenous hormones for induction of spermiation and ovulation, in vitro fertilisation, short-term cold storage of gametes and long-term cryopreservation of spermatozoa. These scientific breakthroughs for a select few species will no doubt serve as models for future assisted breeding protocols and the increasing number of amphibians requiring conservation intervention. However, the development of specialised assisted breeding protocols that can be applied to many different families of amphibians will likely require species-specific modifications considering their wide range of reproductive modes. The purpose of this review is to summarise the current state of knowledge in the area of assisted reproduction technologies and gene banking for the conservation of amphibians.

Influence of New Synthetic Xanthones on the Proliferation and Migration Potential of Cancer Cell Lines In Vitro

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (16) ◽  
pp. 1949-1965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Szkaradek ◽  
Daniel Sypniewski ◽  
Dorota Żelaszczyk ◽  
Sabina Gałka ◽  
Paulina Borzdziłowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Human Tumor ◽  
Plant Metabolites ◽  
Xtt Assay ◽  
Treatment Protocols

Background: Natural plant metabolites and their semisynthetic derivatives have been used for years in cancer therapy. Xanthones are oxygenated heterocyclic compounds produced as secondary metabolites by higher plants, fungi or lichens. Xanthone core may serve as a template in the synthesis of many derivatives that have broad biological activities. Objective: This study synthesized a series of 17 new xanthones, and their anticancer potential was also evaluated. Methods: The anticancer potential was evaluated in vitro using a highly invasive T24 cancer cell line. Direct cytotoxic effects of the xanthones were established by IC50 estimation based on XTT assay. Results: 5 compounds of the total 17 showed significant cytotoxicity toward the studied cancer cultures and were submitted to further detailed analysis, including studies examining their influence on gelatinase A and B expression, as well as on the cancer cells migration and adhesion to an extracellular matrix. These analyses were carried out on five human tumor cell lines: A2780 (ovarian cancer), A549 (lung cancer), HeLa (cervical cancer), Hep G2 (liver cancer), and T24 (urinary bladder cancer). All the compounds, especially 4, showed promising anticancer activity: they exhibited significant cytotoxicity towards all the evaluated cell lines, including MCF-7 breast cancer, and hindered migration-motility activity of cancer cells demonstrating more potent activity than α-mangostin which served as a reference xanthone. Conclusion: These results suggest that our xanthone derivatives may be further analyzed in order to include them in cancer treatment protocols.

scholarly journals The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma on the Intra-Articular Microenvironment in Knee Osteoarthritis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5492
Author(s):  
Dawid Szwedowski ◽  
Joanna Szczepanek ◽  
Łukasz Paczesny ◽  
Jan Zabrzyński ◽  
Maciej Gagat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Operative Treatment ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Metabolic Functions ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
Positive Effect

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) represents a clinical challenge due to poor potential for spontaneous healing of cartilage lesions. Several treatment options are available for KOA, including oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, braces, activity modification, and finally operative treatment. Intra-articular (IA) injections are usually used when the non-operative treatment is not effective, and when the surgery is not yet indicated. More and more studies suggesting that IA injections are as or even more efficient and safe than NSAIDs. Recently, research to improve intra-articular homeostasis has focused on biologic adjuncts, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The catabolic and inflammatory intra-articular processes that exists in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) may be influenced by the administration of PRP and its derivatives. PRP can induce a regenerative response and lead to the improvement of metabolic functions of damaged structures. However, the positive effect on chondrogenesis and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) is still highly controversial. Recommendations from in vitro and animal research often lead to different clinical outcomes because it is difficult to translate non-clinical study outcomes and methodology recommendations to human clinical treatment protocols. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of PRP action. In this review, we will discuss mechanisms related to inflammation and chondrogenesis in cartilage repair and regenerative processes after PRP administration in in vitro and animal studies. Furthermore, we review clinical trials of PRP efficiency in changing the OA biomarkers in knee joint.

scholarly journals Effects of Non-thermal Ultrasound on a Fibroblast Monolayer Culture: Influence of Pulse Number and Pulse Repetition Frequency

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5040
Author(s):  
Silvia Ronda Peñacoba ◽  
Mar Fernández Gutiérrez ◽  
Julio San Román del Barrio ◽  
Francisco Montero de Espinosa
Keyword(s):  
Short Pulse ◽  
Pulse Repetition Frequency ◽  
Pulse Number ◽  
Repetition Frequency ◽  
Pulse Repetition ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Culture Plate ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Long Pulse

Despite the use of therapeutic ultrasound in the treatment of soft tissue pathologies, there remains some controversy regarding its efficacy. In order to develop new treatment protocols, it is a common practice to carry out in vitro studies in cell cultures before conducting animal tests. The lack of reproducibility of the experimental results observed in the literature concerning in vitro experiments motivated us to establish a methodology for characterizing the acoustic field in culture plate wells. In this work, such acoustic fields are fully characterized in a real experimental configuration, with the transducer being placed in contact with the surface of a standard 12-well culture plate. To study the non-thermal effects of ultrasound on fibroblasts, two different treatment protocols are proposed: long pulse (200 cycles) signals, which give rise to a standing wave in the well with the presence of cavitation (ISPTP max = 19.25 W/cm2), and a short pulse (five cycles) of high acoustic pressure, which produces a number of echoes in the cavity (ISPTP = 33.1 W/cm2, with Pmax = 1.01 MPa). The influence of the acoustic intensity, the number of pulses, and the pulse repetition frequency was studied. We further analyzed the correlation of these acoustic parameters with cell viability, population, occupied surface, and cell morphology. Lytic effects when cavitation was present, as well as mechanotransduction reactions, were observed.

scholarly journals Genotypic and Phenotypic Analyses of Hepatitis C Virus from Patients Treated with JTK-853 in a Three-Day Monotherapy

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 436-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Ogura ◽  
Yukiyo Toyonaga ◽  
Izuru Ando ◽  
Kunihiro Hirahara ◽  
Tsutomu Shibata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Viral Resistance ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Resistance Mutations ◽  
In The Wild

ABSTRACTJTK-853, a palm site-binding NS5B nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor, shows antiviral activityin vitroand in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Here, we report the results of genotypic and phenotypic analyses of resistant variants in 24 HCV genotype 1-infected patients who received JTK-853 (800, 1,200, or 1,600 mg twice daily or 1,200 mg three times daily) in a 3-day monotherapy. Viral resistance in NS5B was investigated using HCV RNA isolated from serum specimens from the patients. At the end of treatment (EOT) with JTK-853, the amino acid substitutions M414T (methionine [M] in position 414 at baseline was replaced with threonine [T] at EOT), C445R (cysteine [C] in position 445 at baseline was replaced with arginine [R] at EOT), Y448C/H (tyrosine [Y] in position 448 at baseline was replaced with cysteine [C] or histidine [H] at EOT), and L466F (leucine [L] in position 466 at baseline was replaced with phenylalanine [F] at EOT), which are known to be typical resistant variants of nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitors, were observed in a clonal sequencing analysis. These substitutions were also selected by a treatment with JTK-853in vitro, and the 50% effective concentration of JTK-853 in the M414T-, C445F-, Y448H-, and L466V-harboring replicons attenuated the susceptibility by 44-, 5-, 6-, and 21-fold, respectively, compared with that in the wild-type replicon (Con1). These findings suggest that amino acid substitutions of M414T, C445R, Y448C/H, and L466F are thought to be viral resistance mutations in HCV-infected patients receiving JTK-853 in a 3-day monotherapy.

Transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase is a fourth prolyl 4-hydroxylase regulating EPO production and erythropoiesis

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (16) ◽  
pp. 3336-3344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu Laitala ◽  
Ellinoora Aro ◽  
Gail Walkinshaw ◽  
Joni M. Mäki ◽  
Maarit Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Hepcidin Expression ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Hepcidin Mrna

AbstractAn endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H-TM) is able to hydroxylate the α subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in vitro and in cultured cells, but nothing is known about its roles in mammalian erythropoiesis. We studied such roles here by administering a HIF-P4H inhibitor, FG-4497, to P4h-tm−/− mice. This caused larger increases in serum Epo concentration and kidney but not liver Hif-1α and Hif-2α protein and Epo mRNA levels than in wild-type mice, while the liver Hepcidin mRNA level was lower in the P4h-tm−/− mice than in the wild-type. Similar, but not identical, differences were also seen between FG-4497–treated Hif-p4h-2 hypomorphic (Hif-p4h-2gt/gt) and Hif-p4h-3−/− mice versus wild-type mice. FG-4497 administration increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values similarly in the P4h-tm−/− and wild-type mice, but caused higher increases in both values in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt mice and in hematocrit value in the Hif-p4h-3−/− mice than in the wild-type. Hif-p4h-2gt/gt/P4h-tm−/− double gene-modified mice nevertheless had increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values without any FG-4497 administration, although no such abnormalities were seen in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt or P4h-tm−/− mice. Our data thus indicate that P4H-TM plays a role in the regulation of EPO production, hepcidin expression, and erythropoiesis.

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