Theriogenology最新文献

{"title":"North American perspectives for cattle production and reproduction for the next 20 years","authors":"M.C. Lucy ,&nbsp;K.G. Pohler","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ruminant species are important to human society due to their ability to convert human-inedible sources of energy and protein to human-edible food. Greater efficiency of meat and milk production will require the management of the complex reproductive biology of many cattle with a limited capacity and limited budget within a smaller, hotter, and more climatically erratic land area. The over-riding drivers of new reproductive technologies in North America will be smaller economic margins, larger herd size, fewer agricultural workers per farm, and a greater reliance on automation to offset the reduced agricultural labor force. Climate change and the possibility that consumers may dictate the procedures used for animal reproductive management may present additional challenges. The successes of the past 20 years (timed AI, genomic selection for fertility in both bulls and cows, automated estrus detection, chemical and ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis, and gender selected semen) will be improved upon in the next 20 years as most of these technologies can be optimized further. Improving embryo technologies and increasing our understanding of embryonic loss may provide the greatest challenges for the future. Researchers must attempt to devise practical methods to release more follicles from the primordial follicle pool so that a greater number of oocytes and embryos can be harvested from individual animals. Embryonic loss continues to be an unsolved question that cuts the total number of potential offspring by nearly one-third. The identification of fertile embryos in vitro, better methods of cryopreservation, and the optimization of methods of transfer into recipient animals may improve the efficiency of advanced embryo technologies. The derivation of oocytes, sperm, and embryos from pluripotent stem cells may yield a vast supply of gametes and embryos from genetically superior animals and radically change the reproductive management in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 109-116"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142628677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oxidative phosphorylation decline and mitochondrial dynamics disequilibrium are involved in chicken large white follicle atresia","authors":"Jianing Hu,&nbsp;Jie Li,&nbsp;Shanyou Zheng,&nbsp;Yan Chen,&nbsp;Yucheng Zhang,&nbsp;Jiguang Deng,&nbsp;Jiasheng Fan,&nbsp;Huiyan Xu,&nbsp;Yangqing Lu,&nbsp;Xingting Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In domestic hens, the atresia of large white follicles (LWFs) directly affects the number of follicles that enter the hierarchical development and ovulation. Figuring out factors responsible for LWFs atresia is helpful to improve egg production of hens. At the LWF stage, yellow yolk begins to be deposited into the follicles via receptor mediated endocytosis, which requires large amounts of ATP. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the primary source of ATP for follicular development. However, it is not clear whether the OXPHOS is changed along LWFs atresia. In this study, firstly, differences in morphological appearance, histology, cell proliferation, apoptosis, OXPHOS and mitochondrial dynamics between LWFs and atretic large white follicles (ALWFs) in hens at the peak laying stage (35W) were determined to elucidate whether OXPHOS changes in ALWFs. Then, these differences of LWFs between the peak laying hens (35W-LWFs) and the late laying hens (70W-LWFs) were detected to confirm whether OXPHOS changes during LWFs atresia. The results showed that ALWFs exhibited a wrinkled surface with several hemorrhage spots, and numerous intercellular vacuoles, as well as severe nuclear pyknosis. Compared to LWFs, a higher cell apoptosis rate and a lower proliferation rate were observed in ALWFs. In ALWFs, OXPHOS declined as manifested by reductions in ATP levels, ATP synthetase abundance, NAD⁺, NADH and NAD⁺/NADH ratio, and mRNA levels of genes associated with OXPHOS complexes I-V. Meanwhile, mitochondrial dynamics disequilibrium was detected in ALWFs as the expression levels of proteins and genes related to mitochondrial fusion (MFN1, MFN2, and OPA1) decreased, while the expression levels of proteins and genes related to mitochondrial fission (DRP1 and FIS1) increased. Further, compared to 35W-LWFs, 70W-LWFs showed a histology resembling to ALWFs, manifested as a slightly loosen structure of granulosa layers, and a lower cell proliferation rate. Moreover, both lower OXPHOS and impaired mitochondrial dynamics were detected in 70W-LWFs. In conclusion, our results indicated that OXPHOS decline and mitochondrial dynamics disequilibrium are involved in LWFs atresia in laying hens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 87-95"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142628679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production of second-generation sheep clones via somatic cell nuclear transfer using amniotic cells as nuclear donors","authors":"Chunxiao Zhu ,&nbsp;Yiyi Liu ,&nbsp;Hongyang Xu ,&nbsp;Shenyuan Wang ,&nbsp;Huanmin Zhou ,&nbsp;Junwei Cao ,&nbsp;Fanhuan Meng ,&nbsp;Yanru Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) has transformed animal genetic improvement, gene-editing in model production, xenotransplantation, and conservation efforts for endangered species. However, SCNT-derived embryos occasionally display developmental abnormalities, and following embryo transfer, the miscarriage rate is high. Gene-edited fetuses may experience birth defects, resulting in decreased survival rates. Correct selection of nuclear donor cells is essential for the success of somatic cell cloning. Fibroblasts are the most commonly used cells, but their rapid proliferation increases the risk of genetic mutation, impairing embryo development and production. Conversely, amniotic cells have slower proliferation rates, decreasing the mutation risk during cultivation. Amniotic cells are thus better SCNT candidates than fibroblasts because they offer genomic stability, low tumorigenic and teratogenic risks, reduced immunogenicity, high differentiation potential, ease of accessibility, and fewer ethical concerns. Cells derived from first-generation gene-edited animals exhibit stable genetic structures, reduced susceptibility to genetic alterations and artificial modifications, closely resembling natural cells, and enhanced compatibility with SCNT procedures. Amniotic cells derived from gene-edited sheep fetuses used as nuclear donor cells for SCNT successfully recloned three healthy second-generation gene-edited sheep. Using amniotic cells as nuclear donor cells for SCNT did not significantly alter embryo cleavage rates, blastocyst formation, or fetal birth compared to edited fibroblasts (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). However, fetal survival rates were significantly higher than edited fibroblasts (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). The results support the potential of amniotic cells as SCNT alternatives, suggesting a promising strategy to improve gene-edited fetus survival rates using first-generation gene-edited sheep-derived amniotic cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 79-86"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142605827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ferric ammonium citrate regulates iron death in mature porcine oocytes and their embryonic development in vitro through the NRF2 signaling pathway","authors":"Da Xu,&nbsp;Caifei Li,&nbsp;Yao Huang,&nbsp;Kaixin Hu,&nbsp;Cheng Wang,&nbsp;Pengyang Zhou,&nbsp;Haiying Shen,&nbsp;Chang Liu,&nbsp;Jiatong Xu,&nbsp;Jinyuan He,&nbsp;Jiaxu Jiang,&nbsp;Qi Qi,&nbsp;Yu Guo,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Iron death is a novel type of programmed cell death caused by excessive accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation products; however, the function of iron death during porcine oocyte maturation and embryo growth is poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) in regulating iron death in mature oocytes <em>in vitro</em> through the NRF2 signaling pathway, and subsequent embryonic development. The experiment was divided into four groups: 0 (control group), 2, 5, and 10 μM FAC. Western blotting (WB), reactive oxygen species (ROS)assays, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assays, and Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to detect the maturation of porcine oocytes <em>in vitro</em>, the protein content of nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the distribution of mitochondria, the level of oxidative stress, and the development of embryos fertilized <em>in vitro</em>. The results showed that with increasing FAC concentrations, the oocyte maturation rate <em>in vitro</em>, Nrf2 protein content, MMP, and cleavage rates of <em>in vitro</em> fertilized embryos decreased (significantly in the 5 μM group); the oxidative stress level was significantly increased; the transcript levels of <em>Nrf2</em>, <em>GPX4,</em> and <em>FTH1</em> mRNAs were significantly decreased; the expression of <em>ACSL4</em> was significantly upregulated (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05); and the blastocyst rate of embryos fertilized <em>in vitro</em> was reduced (significantly in the 2 μM group). In conclusion, FAC can regulate Nrf2 protein levels in porcine oocytes matured <em>in vitro</em> to induce iron death, affecting the maturation rate of oocytes, distribution of mitochondria, level of oxidative stress, expression of iron-death-related genes, and development of embryos after <em>in vitro</em> fertilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142586945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IVF with frozen-thawed sperm after prolonged capacitation yields comparable results to ICSI in horses: A morphokinetics study","authors":"Soledad Martin-Pelaez ,&nbsp;Alejandro de la Fuente ,&nbsp;Kazuki Takahashi ,&nbsp;Itzel Tirado Perez ,&nbsp;Jazmin Orozco ,&nbsp;Carolina T.C. Okada ,&nbsp;Carlos Ramires Neto ,&nbsp;Stuart Meyers ,&nbsp;Pouya Dini","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the current clinical practice for the <em>in vitro</em> production of equine embryos. The use of conventional fertilization methods such as <em>in vitro</em> fertilization (IVF), has historically been associated with poor success in horses. However, recent improvements have led to better outcomes with IVF, though only when using fresh semen, which limits its use in clinical practice. IVF remains in its infancy in equine reproduction, and several unknowns remain about the technique. One significant gap in knowledge concerns the morphokinetics of IVF embryos and how they differ from their ICSI counterparts. To address this, we performed IVF using frozen-thawed sperm from five different stallions following sperm selection and a prolonged capacitation period of 10 h, on a total of 109 oocytes. We then analyzed the cleavage rate (cleaved/initial oocytes), blastocyst rate (blastocyst/initial zygotes), and blastocyst development (blastocyst/cleaved zygotes) of the IVF cycles, and compared them with those of the clinical ICSI cycles during the same period. We also evaluated time-lapse images of the developed embryos to assess developmental time points such as time to morula compaction and blastocyst expansion, as well as morula and blastocyst sizes. Overall, developmental rates were not different between IVF and ICSI cycles (blastocyst rate 41.1 % IVF and 41.8 % ICSI, p &gt; 0.05). However, development proceeded faster in IVF cycles (blastocyst expansion IVF 155.5 ± 18.5 h; ICSI 167.2 ± 19.6 h; p &lt; 0.05) and IVF embryos were also larger (blastocyst area IVF 22608 ± 2857 μm²; ICSI 20806 ± 1505 μm²; p &lt; 0.05). The faster development and larger size might suggest a more advanced developmental stage. The implications of these findings need to be further evaluated to assess their association with pregnancy potential. The successful developmental rates achieved in IVF cycles demonstrate the potential of this technique for clinical application, although the amount of frozen-thawed semen required is significantly higher in IVF than in ICSI, which is an important consideration for mare and stallion owners. Nonetheless, the use of frozen-thawed semen in equine IVF, coupled with comparable blastocyst rate, presents promising potential for broader clinical adoption of the IVF technique.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 39-45"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142591271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"α-Linolenic acid promotes testosterone synthesis by improving mitochondrial function in primary rooster Leydig cells","authors":"Xuerui Chang ,&nbsp;Danyang Li ,&nbsp;Yong Guo ,&nbsp;Xihui Sheng ,&nbsp;Xiangguo Wang ,&nbsp;Kai Xing ,&nbsp;Longfei Xiao ,&nbsp;Xueze Lv ,&nbsp;Cheng Long ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study aimed to investigate the direct effects of α-Linolenic acid (ALA) on the in vitro production of testosterone and the expression of key enzymes and proteins related to steroidogenesis in Leydig cells of roosters.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Purified primary Leydig cells isolated from 65-week-old roosters were purified and treated with different concentrations of ALA treatments: (0 μm/L [control], solvent control group (DMSO), 20 μM/L, 40 μM/L, and 80 μM/L) and cell counting-8 (CCK-8) for cell viability assay, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for the determination of testosterone in cell supernatants, quantitative (real-time) PCR, and analysis of activities of antioxidants catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), evaluation of mitochondrial membrane potential, pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins/genes Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were done respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our results showed that ALA significantly increased testosterone secretion in primary rooster Leydig cells (P &lt; 0.05), and 40 μM/L is the optimal dose. Leydig cells supplemented with ALA (20, 40, 80 μM) increased the expression of key enzymes and proteins 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) concerning steroidogenesis, enhanced antioxidant capability, improved mitochondrial biogenesis, and markedly improved the mitochondrial membrane potential (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the expression of the apoptosis-suppressive gene Bcl-2 was significantly increased, but Bax and AIF expression was decreased in the ALA group compared to that in the control group (P &lt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ALA promoted testosterone production, enhanced steroidogenic enzyme expression, improved mitochondrial function, and antioxidant capacity, and reduced apoptosis in primary rooster Leydig cells, with 40 μM/L identified as the optimal concentration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 9-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142586944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feline cumulus cells and oocytes show massive accumulation of lipid droplets and upregulation of PLIN2 expression after in vitro maturation","authors":"Natalia Sowinska ,&nbsp;Joanna Lechtanska ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Greczka ,&nbsp;Dorota Lechniak ,&nbsp;Piotr Pawlak","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates lipid content and expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in feline cumulus cells and oocytes before and after <em>in vitro</em> maturation (IVM). Domestic cats represent valuable models in reproductive research, yet the efficiency of <em>in vitro</em> embryo production remains suboptimal, with contributing factors still under investigation. We characterized lipid droplets (LDs) in oocytes collected from adult queens, both before and after IVM, using confocal microscopy with Bodipy 493/503 staining. We also quantified the expression of four genes involved in regulation of lipid metabolism. Our findings revealed a substantial accumulation of LDs and a significant upregulation of <em>PLIN2</em> expression in both cumulus cells and oocytes following IVM. The number and total area of LDs and fluorescence intensity increased markedly in oocytes at the MII stage, while the average LD diameter decreased. Similarly, cumulus cells showed an increase in number and total area of LDs post-IVM, suggesting their involvement in oocyte maturation by modulating lipid homeostasis. This study presents the first detailed characterization of lipid droplet dynamics in feline oocytes and cumulus cells, providing insights into metabolic processes during IVM, which are critical for optimizing assisted reproductive technologies in felids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 70-78"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142605816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative analysis of Piezo-ICSI and conventional ICSI in bovine embryo development","authors":"Fernanda Fuentes ,&nbsp;Luis Aguila ,&nbsp;Felipe Pérez ,&nbsp;Erwin Muñoz ,&nbsp;Maria Elena Arias ,&nbsp;Ricardo Felmer","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an assisted reproductive technique (ART) mainly used to overcome severe male factor infertility problems in humans and animals. However, in cattle, one of the most demanded species for its meat and milk, the efficiency of this technique is low. The present study compared the effect of the piezoelectric and conventional injection systems on the preimplantational development and quality of bovine embryos generated by ICSI. Evaluations of the conditions for performing the Piezo-ICSI procedure showed that the application of a strong pulse (I4S7) was more effective in damaging the sperm plasma and acrosomal membranes prior to injection, compared to a soft pulse (I2S2, P &lt; 0.05). In addition, Piezo-ICSI embryos without the application of exogenous activators achieved similar levels of development as Piezo-ICSI embryos activated with ionomycin and anisomycin (P &gt; 0.05). When comparing conventional and piezoelectric injection systems, no significant differences in embryo development were observed (P &gt; 0.05). However, embryos generated by Piezo-ICSI showed a higher embryo quality in terms of total cell number (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, Piezo-ICSI embryos showed an expression profile of genes essential for embryonic development similar to IVF embryos (P &gt; 0.05), in contrast to conventional ICSI-derived embryos, which presented overexpression of <em>CASP3</em> and <em>IFNT2</em> (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, we confirmed that Piezo-ICSI is a more convenient approach than traditional ICSI, since does not require exogenous activation and generate embryos of better quality, regarding the total number of blastomeres and the pattern of gene expression observed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 46-55"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142592534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrasound biometry for estimating delivery dates in small and medium breed cats","authors":"Anna Górka,&nbsp;Małgorzata Ochota,&nbsp;Wojciech Niżański","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigated the development of fetal and feto-maternal structures and their correlation to the time leading up to parturition during pregnancy in small and medium breeds of domestic cats. The experiment involved 53 purebred queens assigned to two groups based on their weight. Ultrasound examinations were performed weekly from the 15th day after the last mating until delivery. The inner chorionic cavity (ICC) was measured from pregnancy confirmation up to 35 days before parturition. Crown-rump length (CRL) was measured between 43 and 28 days before parturition. Biparietal diameter (BPD), abdominal diameter (AD), femur length (FL), kidney length (KL), and eye diameter (ED) were assessed from the time they were first accessible via ultrasound examination until delivery. The results indicated that CRL, BPD, and FL are the most suitable parameters for estimating the date of parturition in cats, while ED and KL can serve as useful supplementary parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 56-69"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142592535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) promote autophagy in buffalo sertoli cells","authors":"Yuan Yang ,&nbsp;Junjun Zhang ,&nbsp;Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Qinqiang Sun ,&nbsp;Ruixin Liu ,&nbsp;Chunrong Xu ,&nbsp;Peng Xu ,&nbsp;Yangqing Lu ,&nbsp;Qiang Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sertoli cells (SCs) play a pivotal role in spermatogenesis, with autophagy modulation being an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis and protecting spermatogenic cells against apoptosis. The bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family are transcriptional regulators of autophagy. This study investigated the relationship between BET inhibition and autophagy in buffalo SCs. Our findings reveal that BET inhibition suppresses cell proliferation and alters the biological characteristics of SCs. RNA-seq analysis demonstrated significant downregulation of autophagy-related genes upon BET inhibition. Moreover, our bioinformatics analysis suggested the involvement of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in autophagy regulation within buffalo SCs. Immunofluorescence and Transmission electron microscopy observations indicated that BET inhibition results in autophagosome accumulation and impedes autophagosome-lysosome degradation, thereby compromising autophagy activity and flux. In summary, this study sheds light on the indispensable role of BET proteins in autophagy and paves the way for further investigations into the mechanisms governing BET protein-mediated autophagy regulation and its implications for male reproduction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"232 ","pages":"Pages 30-38"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142591178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}