scholarly journals Dose-response effects of equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on early embryonic development and viable pregnancy rate in rats

Reproduction ◽  
2001 ◽  
pp. 283-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
CF Tain ◽  
HH Goh ◽  
SC Ng
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Pregnancy Rate ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Embryo Yield ◽  
Female Wistar Rats ◽  
High Doses

The present study examined the dose-response effects of eCG treatment alone and in combination with various doses of hCG on early embryonic development in vivo and viable pregnancy rate in rats. Mated female Wistar rats were treated with eCG alone (0, 10, 20 or 40 iu), or with 20 iu eCG in combination with various doses of hCG (10, 20, 40 or 80 iu) administered 48 h later. The animals were killed on days 2, 3, 4, 5 or 14 of pregnancy and the numbers of embryos and fetuses recovered were scored. All rats treated with 0 or 10 iu eCG were pregnant. The pregnancy rate was reduced from 62.5% on day 2 to 25% on day 14 and from 31% on day 2 to 10% on day 14 in the groups treated with 20 and 40 iu eCG, respectively. The reduction in pregnancy rate induced by 20 iu eCG was negated by the increasing doses of hCG used. A 100% pregnancy rate was noted on days 2 and 3 in the groups treated with doses of hCG between 10 and 80 iu and from day 2 to day 4 in the groups treated with doses of hCG between 20 and 80 iu. However, a higher viable pregnancy rate was observed only in the group treated with 10 iu hCG compared with the group treated with 20 iu eCG and 0 iu hCG. These results imply that hyperstimulation of rats with high doses of eCG compromises pregnancy rate and markedly reduces litter size and that the addition of hCG is required for complete ovulation, which results in higher embryo yield and a delay in early embryo demise.

54 Altrenogest supplementation during early pregnancy improves swine embryonic development

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
B. Muro ◽  
R. Carnevale ◽  
M. Mendonça ◽  
D. Leal ◽  
M. Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Pregnancy Rate ◽  
Embryo Development ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Maternal Serum ◽  
Interferon Tau ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Implantation Period

Progesterone (P4) is of paramount importance in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy for mammals. Progesterone stimulates the endometrial secretion of several molecules involved in conceptus growth and development during the peri-implantation period. Indeed, several studies involving ruminants have reported that exogenous P4 supplementation is related to increased early embryo development, higher levels of interferon tau, and improved pregnancy rate. However, there is a lack of information about P4 supplementation during early pregnancy regarding swine embryonic development. Additionally, some of the few studies involving pigs have shown an impaired pregnancy rate when supplementation was performed before Day 6 of pregnancy. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of progesterone/progestin supplementation from Day 6 of pregnancy on total number of embryos (TE), pregnancy rate (PR), embryo development, and maternal serum 17β-oestradiol concentration (17β-E). A total of 31 crossbred, 2 to 6 parity sows were used. All sows were inseminated every 24h through the first oestrus following a 21-day lactation, and ovulation was detected by transrectal real-time ultrasound to determine Day 0 of pregnancy. On Day 6 of pregnancy, animals were randomly allocated to one of the following groups: CON (n=11), non-supplemented sows; RU (n=11), sows supplemented daily with 20mg of Altrenogest-Regumate® from Day 6 to 12 of pregnancy; and PG (n=9), sows supplemented with 2.15 mg/kg of long-acting P4 IM on Day 6 of pregnancy. Sows were treated with altrenogest p.o. as a top dressing over a small portion of feed. Blood samples were collected from 12 sows (4 per group) on Day 12 of pregnancy to measure the level of plasma 17β-E by radioimmunoassay. Sows were slaughtered on Day 28 of pregnancy. The uterus from each sow was collected and embryos were counted to determine TE. Embryos were individually separated from their placentas, weighed, and crown-to-rump length was determined. Data were analysed by the SAS program. All variables were analysed by PROC-MIXED t-test. Statistical difference was considered when P<0.05. The PR did not differ among groups (91, 90, and 88%, for CON, RU, and PG, respectively; P>0.05). No difference was observed among groups for TE and 17β-E level (P>0.05). However, embryonic weight and crown-to-rump length differed among the 3 groups (P<0.001). The RU-treated sows had heavier and bigger embryos when compared with the other groups. In contrast, PG-treated sows had the lowest averages for the same variables (weight: 1.39±0.01, 1.46±0.02, and 1.22±0.01; crown-to-rump: 21.07±0.08, 21.61±0.11, and 20.66±0.11; for CON, RU, and PG, respectively). In conclusion, altrenogest supplementation from Day 6 to 12 of pregnancy increases size and weight of porcine embryos, whereas 2.15mg kg−1 of long-acting P4 on Day 6 of pregnancy decreased these variables when compared with non-supplemented sows. Research was supported by FAPESP Grant 2017/00290-0.

254 SYSTEMS BIOLOGY OF SPERM AND BULL FERTILITY

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 259
Author(s):  
E. Memili
Keyword(s):  
Systems Biology ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Fertility Data ◽  
Holstein Bulls

Bull fertility, the ability of the spermatozoon to fertilize and activate the egg as well as support early embryonic development, is crucial for efficient production of cattle. With the major advances in fundamental science of reproduction, such as genomics, and in biotechnology, such as assisted reproductive technologies, bull influence on herd production has been accentuated. In addition to providing half of the genome for the zygote, sperm also contribute proteins, transcripts, and epigenetic traits that play important roles in sperm physiology, fertilization, and early embryonic development. Recently, using sperm from Holstein bulls with different in vivo fertility data, we have demonstrated that sperm Protamine 1 protein and a panel of microRNA are associated with bull fertility. In addition, molecular and cellular biology experiments on the analyses of sperm nuclear proteins showed that bull sperm have significant levels of histones that are also associated with bull fertility. This presentation will convey the results of most relevant research on discovery of sperm biomolecular markers associated with semen quality and bull fertility. Because of the available field data in bull fertility and the physiological similarities between bovine and other mammals, research results stemming from the systems biology of bull fertility are applicable to other species as well.

scholarly journals Morphological features of lipid droplet transition during porcine oocyte fertilisation and early embryonic development to blastocyst in vivo and in vitro

Zygote ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Kikuchi ◽  
Hans Ekwall ◽  
Paisan Tienthai ◽  
Yasuhiro Kawai ◽  
Junko Noguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Oocyte Maturation ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Oocyte Activation ◽  
Energy Status ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Porcine Oocyte

Lipid content in mammalian oocytes or embryos differs among species, with bovine and porcine oocytes and embryos showing large cytoplasmic droplets. These droplets are considered to play important roles in energy metabolism during oocyte maturation, fertilisation and early embryonic development, and also in the freezing ability of oocytes or embryos; however, their detailed distribution or function is not well understood. In the present study, changes in the distribution and morphology of porcine lipid droplets during in vivo and in vitro fertilisation, in contrast to parthenogenetic oocyte activation, as well as during their development to blastocyst stage, were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis of semi-thin and ultra-thin sections by TEM showed conspicuous, large, electron-dense lipid droplets, sometimes associated with mitochondrial aggregates in the oocytes, irrespective of whether the oocytes had been matured in vivo or in vitro. Immediately after sperm penetration, the electron density of the lipid droplets was lost in both the in vivo and in vitro oocytes, the reduction being most evident in the oocytes developed in vitro. Density was restored in the pronculear oocytes, fully in the in vivo specimens but only partially in the in vitro ones. The number and size of the droplets seemed, however, to have decreased. At 2- to 4-cell and blastocyst stages, the features of the lipid droplets were almost the same as those of pronuclear oocytes, showing a homogeneous or saturated density in the in vivo embryos but a marbled or partially saturated appearance in the in vitro embryos. In vitro matured oocytes undergoing parthenogenesis had lipid droplets that resembled those of fertilised oocytes until the pronuclear stage. Overall, results indicate variations in both the morphology and amount of cytoplasmic lipid droplets during porcine oocyte maturation, fertilisation and early embryo development as well as differences between in vivo and in vitro development, suggesting both different energy status during preimplantation development in pigs and substantial differences between in vitro and in vivo development.

scholarly journals Revealing the bovine embryo transcript profiles during early in vivo embryonic development

Reproduction ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maud Vallée ◽  
Isabelle Dufort ◽  
Stéphanie Desrosiers ◽  
Aurélie Labbe ◽  
Catherine Gravel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Bovine Embryo ◽  
Rna Content

Gene expression profiling is proving to be a powerful approach for the identification of molecular mechanisms underlying complex cellular functions such as the dynamic early embryonic development. The objective of this study was to perform a transcript abundance profiling analysis of bovine early embryonic development in vivo using a bovine developmental array. The molecular description of the first week of life at the mRNA level is particularly challenging when considering the important fluctuations in RNA content that occur between developmental stages. Accounting for the different intrinsic RNA content between developmental stages was achieved by restricting the reaction time during the global amplification steps and by using spiked controls and reference samples. Analysis based on intensity values revealed that most of the transcripts on the array were present at some point during in vivo bovine early embryonic development, while the varying number of genes detected in each developmental stage confirmed the dynamic profile of gene expression occurring during embryonic development. Pair-wise comparison of gene expression showed a marked difference between oocytes and blastocysts profiles, and principal component analysis revealed that the majority of the transcripts could be regrouped into three main clusters representing distinct RNA abundance profiles. Overall, these data provide a detailed temporal profile of the abundance of mRNAs revealing the richness of signaling processes in early mammalian development. Results presented here provide better knowledge of bovine in vivo embryonic development and contribute to the progression of our current knowledge regarding the first week of life in mammals.

scholarly journals Miz1 Is Required for Early Embryonic Development during Gastrulation

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (21) ◽  
pp. 7648-7657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sovana Adhikary ◽  
Karen Peukert ◽  
Holger Karsunky ◽  
Vincent Beuger ◽  
Werner Lutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Target Gene ◽  
Physiological Function ◽  
Core Promoter ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Transcription Factor Family ◽  
Massive Apoptosis

ABSTRACT Miz1 is a member of the POZ domain/zinc finger transcription factor family. In vivo, Miz1 forms a complex with the Myc oncoprotein and recruits Myc to core promoter elements. Myc represses transcription through Miz1 binding sites. We now show that the Miz1 gene is ubiquitously expressed during mouse embryogenesis. In order to elucidate the physiological function of Miz1, we have deleted the mouse Miz1 gene by homologous recombination. Miz1+/− mice are indistinguishable from wild-type animals; in contrast, Miz1−/− embryos are not viable. They are severely retarded in early embryonic development and do not undergo normal gastrulation. Expression of Goosecoid and Brachyury is detectable in Miz1−/− embryos, suggesting that Miz1 is not required for signal transduction by Nodal. Expression of p21Cip1, a target gene of Miz1 is unaltered; in contrast, expression of p57Kip2, another target gene of Miz1 is absent in Miz1−/− embryos. Miz1−/− embryos succumb to massive apoptosis of ectodermal cells around day 7.5 of embryonic development. Our results show that Miz1 is required for early embryonic development during gastrulation.

scholarly journals Chronic Exposure to High Doses of Bisphenol A Exhibits Significant Atrial Proarrhythmic Effects in Healthy Adult Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 587-595
Author(s):  
Vasile Bogdan HALATIU ◽  
◽  
Alkora Ioana BALAN ◽  
Dan Alexandru COZAC ◽  
Remus BOBARNAC ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Chronic Exposure ◽  
Atrial Pacing ◽  
Autonomic Tone ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Female Wistar Rats ◽  
High Doses ◽  
Premature Beats

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) on atrial fibrillation (AF) occurrence in rats. Methods: Twenty-two healthy female Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: Control (no BPA; n=7), BPA (exposed to usual BPA doses; 50 μg/kg/day, 9 weeks; n=7), and hBPA (exposed to high BPA doses; 25 mg/kg/day, 9 weeks; n=8). 24-h ECG monitoring was performed using radiotelemetry ECG devices prior to and after transesophageal atrial pacing. Spontaneous and pacing-induced atrial arrhythmias, autonomic tone, and in vivo an in vitro atrial arrhythmogenicity-related parameters were evaluated. Results: All studied parameters were similar between Control and BPA (all p>0.05). However, compared to Control, hBPA presented more atrial premature beats both at baseline (p=0.04) and after pacing (p=0.03), more AF episodes (p<0.001) and of longer duration (p=0.02) following transesophageal stimulation, and significantly higher vagal tone (all p<0.05). Conclusions: Chronic exposure to high, but not usual BPA doses induced significant atrial proarrhythmic effects in healthy rats, and this may be at least partially due to BPA-induced vagal hyperactivation. Exposure to high BPA doses, such as that occurring in plastics industry workers, could favor AF occurrence even in the absence of underlying cardiovascular disease.

scholarly journals Sperm miRNAs— potential mediators of bull age and early embryo development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chongyang Wu ◽  
Patrick Blondin ◽  
Christian Vigneault ◽  
Rémi Labrecqu ◽  
Marc-André Sirard
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Developmental Competence ◽  
Paternal Age ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
High Selection

Abstract Background: Sperm miRNAs were reported to regulate spermatogenesis and early embryonic development in some mammals including bovine. The dairy cattle breeding industry now tends to collect semen from younger bulls under high selection pressure at a time when semen quality may be suboptimal compared to adult bulls. Whether the patterns of spermatic miRNAs are affected by paternal age and/or impact early embryogenesis is not clear. Hence, we generated small non-coding RNA libraries of sperm collected from same bulls at 10, 12, and 16 months of age, using 16 months as control for differential expression and functional analysis. Results: We firstly excluded all miRNAs present in measurable quantity in oocytes according to the literature. Of the remaining miRNAs, ten sperm-borne miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in younger bulls (four in the 10 vs 16 months contrast and six in the 12 vs 16 months contrast). Targets of miRNAs were identified and compared to the transcriptomic database of two-cell embryos, to genes related to two-cell competence, and to the transcriptomic database of blastocysts. Ingenuity pathway analysis of the targets of these miRNAs suggested potential influence on the developmental competence of two-cell embryos and on metabolism and protein synthesis in blastocysts. Conclusions: The results showed that miRNA patterns in sperm are affected by the age of the bull and may mediate the effects of paternal age on early embryonic development.

scholarly journals Murine Surf4 is essential for early embryonic development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian T. Emmer ◽  
Paul J. Lascuna ◽  
Emilee N. Kotnik ◽  
Thomas L. Saunders ◽  
Rami Khoriaty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Apolipoprotein B ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Early Embryonic Development ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Normal Appearance ◽  
Anterograde Transport ◽  
Transport Vesicles

ABSTRACTNewly synthesized proteins co-translationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen may be recruited into anterograde transport vesicles by their association with specific cargo receptors. We recently identified a role for the cargo receptor SURF4 in facilitating the secretion of PCSK9 in cultured cells. To examine the function of SURF4 in vivo, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing to generate mice with germline loss-of-function mutations in Surf4. Surf4+/- mice exhibited grossly normal appearance, behavior, body weight, fecundity, and organ development and demonstrated no significant alterations in circulating plasma levels of PCSK9, apolipoprotein B, or total cholesterol. Surf4-/- mice exhibit embryonic lethality, with complete loss of all Surf4-/- offspring between embryonic days 3.5 and 9.5. Taken together with the much milder phenotypes of PCSK9 or apolipoprotein B deficiency in mice, these findings imply the existence of additional SURF4 cargoes or functions that are essential for murine early embryonic development.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document