Animal Reproduction Science最新文献

{"title":"Ovarian superstimulation for in vitro embryo production based on Anti-Müllerian hormone phenotype: Effect of FSH dose schedule","authors":"Jessica C.L. Motta ,&nbsp;Rodrigo V. Sala ,&nbsp;Cameron B. Hayden ,&nbsp;Daniela C. Pereira ,&nbsp;Vanessa C. Fricke ,&nbsp;Victor A. Absalón-Medina ,&nbsp;Pablo J. Ross ,&nbsp;Alvaro García-Guerra","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is positively associated with embryo production, yet it also reflects underlying physiological variability. While follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is typically administered using a decreasing dose schedule, the effects of alternative dosing strategies on <em>in vitro</em> embryo production (IVEP) outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of FSH dose schedule on IVEP outcomes in the context of differing AMH concentrations. Pregnant heifers (<em>n</em> = 22) received 350 IU of FSH across six administrations using decreasing, constant, or increasing dose schedules in a crossover design. Superstimulation began at follicular wave emergence, and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were retrieved 44 h after the last FSH dose and subjected to IVEP. Circulating AMH was positively associated with total follicle number, whereas follicle count did not differ by treatment (<em>P</em> ≥ 0.20). The increasing dose schedule tended (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.10) to yield more COCs and resulted in a greater COC retrieval percentage (<em>P</em> = 0.02) than the decreasing schedule. Both COC number and retrieval percentage were positively associated with AMH (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.03), independent of dose schedule. Greater AMH was linked to greater cleavage (constant and decreasing, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01) and blastocyst percentages (constant only, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01), while both parameters decreased with AMH under the increasing schedule (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). Despite these interactions, blastocyst yield was unaffected by FSH dose schedule (<em>P</em> = 0.84) but was positively associated with AMH (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). In conclusion, AMH was predictive of IVEP outcomes regardless of FSH dose schedule, and use of a constant dose schedule may simplify donor management without compromising embryo yield.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"281 ","pages":"Article 107980"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903157","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":"Urinary levels of oestradiol and pregnanediol glucuronides reflect the ovarian function in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris)","authors":"Tia M. Pennanen ,&nbsp;Heli Lindeberg ,&nbsp;Jaakko Mononen ,&nbsp;Jouko Vepsäläinen ,&nbsp;Mika Hujo ,&nbsp;Sari Viitala","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107973","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107973","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In many mammals, the reproductive cycle can be non-invasively monitored by measuring the concentrations of urinary steroid hormone metabolites. In domestic dogs, however, there is limited information available on the urinary excretion of oestrogens and progesterone. Oestradiol-3-glucuronide (E2G) and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG), the urinary metabolites of oestradiol-17β and progesterone, respectively, are commonly reported components of mammalian urine. In this study, we collected one to 28 daily urine samples of 43 female dogs after the onset of sanguineous vaginal discharge during 50 reproductive cycles. We developed an ELISA method for the measurement of urinary concentrations of E2G (nine cycles) and PdG (50 cycles). A linear mixed model was used to estimate the expected values and 95 % confidence intervals for the E2G and PdG concentrations. The expected urinary E2G was estimated to peak 6 days after the onset of sanguineous vaginal discharge and to decrease to one-third of the maximum concentration within a week. The estimates of the expected urinary PdG concentrations were low at the onset of sanguineous vaginal discharge and increased slowly thereafter, reaching maximum concentrations within three weeks. The similarity of the E2G and PdG models with existing literature suggested that urinary steroid metabolites could be a useful biomarker for detecting ovarian function in female dogs. Further detailed investigation is needed to enhance the suitability of E2G and PdG measurements in monitoring of oestrus. In summary, measurement of the urinary metabolites of steroid hormones is a promising non-invasive method for studying reproductive physiology in female dogs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"281 ","pages":"Article 107973"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895903","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":"The roles of NLRP3 and prostaglandin E2 in mediating bidirectional cross-talk between bovine endometrial fibroblasts and M2 macrophages","authors":"Jiamin Zhao ,&nbsp;Haixia Bao ,&nbsp;Wenhui Bao ,&nbsp;Zhiguo Gong ,&nbsp;Yunhe Fu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Hu ,&nbsp;Yanqin Dong ,&nbsp;Wei Mao ,&nbsp;Shuang Feng ,&nbsp;Shuangyi Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107972","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107972","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The bovine endometrium undergoes dynamic structural and functional changes during the estrous cycle, driven by intricate cellular interactions and a complex network of chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors. Among the key cell types, endometrial stromal fibroblasts and M2 macrophages are essential for anti-inflammatory responses and tissue remodeling. However, their bidirectional cross-talk remains poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated fibroblast-macrophage interactions using a conditioned medium-based co-culture system. M2 macrophages were treated with myofibroblast-conditioned medium (MFbCM), while myofibroblasts were treated with M2 macrophage-conditioned medium (M2ø CM), allowing detailed analysis of reciprocal regulatory effects. M2ø CM significantly upregulated fibroblast expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), suggesting M2 macrophage-mediated modulation of fibroblast remodeling activity. Conversely, MFbCM enhanced interleukin-10 (IL-10) and arginase expression in M2 macrophages, supporting fibroblast-driven polarization. Notably, both conditioned media increased expression of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in target cells. Inhibition of NLRP3 using the selective inhibitor MCC950 revealed that the NLRP3-prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) axis plays a pivotal role in mediating the cross-talk between these cell types. Collectively, our findings reveal a pivotal NLRP3-PGE₂ signaling axis in the regulation of fibroblast-macrophage interactions, offering novel insights into the mechanisms underlying bovine endometrial homeostasis and remodeling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107972"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887377","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":"Effect of the new fixed-time artificial insemination technology based on novel hormone preparations in gilts","authors":"Kexiong Liu ,&nbsp;Hanbing Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoling Xu ,&nbsp;Zheng Huang ,&nbsp;Feng Ji ,&nbsp;Yusheng Qin ,&nbsp;Linli Xiao ,&nbsp;Shiwen Chen ,&nbsp;Miaomiao Yan ,&nbsp;Peng Zhao ,&nbsp;Suozi Ge ,&nbsp;Jiani Shu ,&nbsp;Hao Zhang ,&nbsp;Qin Chu ,&nbsp;Yan Liu ,&nbsp;Jiahua Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107971","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107971","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effect of a novel fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol for gilts, which incorporates altrenogest tablets (ALT-T), long-acting recombinant porcine FSH (rpFSH), and recombinant hCG (rhCG). A total of 160 gilts were divided into the control (n = 80) and the new treatment (n = 80) groups. Control gilts received oral altrenogest solution (20 mg/day) for 18 days, followed by 1000 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) administered 42 h post-treatment and 100 μg GnRH 80 h later. The new treatment group received ALT-T, 40 μg rpFSH + 200 IU rhCG, and 400 IU rhCG at equivalent time points. Both groups underwent dual inseminations at 24 h and 40 h after GnRH/rhCG administration. Hormonal profiles (altrenogest, FSH, E₂, P₄) showed no significant differences between the groups, except for a higher LH level (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) during ALT-T treatment. Follicle sizes were comparable during the two types of altrenogest administration but became significantly larger in the control group 12 h pre-ovulation (6.99 vs. 6.57 mm, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). There was no significant difference in reproductive outcomes between two groups including estrus rate (76.25 % vs. 76.25 %), pregnancy rate (88.52 % vs. 91.80 %) and farrowing rate (94.44 % vs. 94.64 %). Notably, the new treatment group exhibited superior litter productivity with significantly increased total born (13.81 vs. 11.80, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) and live-born piglets (11.81 vs. 10.39, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that the new FTAI protocol achieves comparable synchronization efficacy while enhancing litter productivity compared to traditional regimens, supporting its use as an effective alternative for gilts reproductive management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107971"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890559","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":"Effects of dietary zearalenone intake on oocyte quality for in vitro embryo production and on serum anti-Müllerian hormone and inflammatory marker levels, following ovum pick-up in Japanese Black donor cows","authors":"Shogo Hashimoto ,&nbsp;Hiroshi Hasunuma ,&nbsp;Katsuki Toda ,&nbsp;Hinako Fujisaki ,&nbsp;Miyuki Arai ,&nbsp;Daisaku Matsumoto ,&nbsp;Osamu Yamato ,&nbsp;Oky Setyo Widodo ,&nbsp;Masayasu Taniguchi ,&nbsp;Mitsuhiro Takagi","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107970","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107970","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Japanese Black (JB) cattle, the number and percentage of transferable in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos after oocyte collection are essential for the economic success of embryo production. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a useful predictive marker for the number of cumulus-oophorus complexes (COCs) obtained through transvaginal oocyte retrieval. We aimed to examine the relationship of AMH levels, serum amyloid A (SAA) levels, and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratios, which are inflammatory markers, and urinary zearalenone (ZEN) levels, which reflect dietary ZEN intake, with the number and quality of oocytes recovered after ovum pickup (OPU) in JB donor cows as well as the number and rate of transferable IVF embryos. Oocytes obtained after OPU were fertilized in vitro. Additionally, blood and urine samples were collected at the time of OPU to assess serum AMH and SAA levels as well as urinary ZEN levels. The number of recovered oocytes (<em>R</em> = 0.745, <em>P</em> = 0.000) and transferable embryos was positively correlated with AMH levels (<em>R</em> = 0.704, <em>P</em> = 0.000) and negatively correlated with gamma-globulin levels. Furthermore, the percentage of transferable embryos per total number of embryos was positively correlated with urinary ZEN levels (<em>P</em> = 0.027). In conclusion, AMH levels can inform the selection of JB donor cows for OPU. Moreover, substandard ZEN contamination of dietary feed may not affect embryo production following OPU; instead, it may result in an increased number of transferable embryos, and in turn facilitate oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation during follicle development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107970"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867061","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":"Behavioural study of rams subjected to photoperiod change: sexual, social, vital and group activities monitored by video","authors":"Elena Pérez-García ,&nbsp;Jaime Nieto ,&nbsp;José Alfonso Abecia ,&nbsp;Javier Plaza ,&nbsp;Carlos Palacios","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined behavioural differences in rams exposed to artificial photoperiod stimulation, within the context of the ram effect. Eleven rams were divided into two groups: six received two months of long-day artificial photoperiod (16 h light/day), followed by one month of natural light (9 h light/day, February), while five control rams remained under natural lighting. At the end of the third month, three pens were established: one with photoperiod-stimulated rams (Group L, n = 3), one with control rams (Group C, n = 3), both with 30 ewes, and one mixed pen with both stimulated (Group L+C, n = 3) and control rams (Group C+L, n = 2) with 60 ewes. Behavioural observations were conducted over 11 consecutive days. A total of 26 behaviours-classified as sexual, vital, social, and grouping- were manually recorded and analysed using BORIS software. Sexual behaviours were the most frequent across all groups. Rams in Group L exhibited higher frequencies in all behaviour categories (p &lt; 0.001). Vital activities had the longest durations, with Group C spending more time on these behaviours than others. In the mixed pen, both stimulated and control rams showed intermediate activity frequencies compared to their respective isolated counterparts (Group L: 36.7 % vs. L+C: 26.6 %; Group C: 17.6 % vs. C+L: 19.0 %; p &gt; 0.001).</div><div>In conclusion, artificial photoperiod stimulation increased the frequency of key behavioural categories, especially sexual activity. Social interactions in mixed groups modified behaviour, suggesting mutual influence. BORIS software proved valuable for detailed behavioural analysis in ethological research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107969"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867062","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":"Determining the best timing of insemination based on salivary fern pattern and its association with conception in buffalo","authors":"Aashirbad Pokharel ,&nbsp;Gokarna Gautam ,&nbsp;Shatrughan Shah ,&nbsp;Kapil Dev Yadav ,&nbsp;Mourad Rekik ,&nbsp;Deka Ram Pratim ,&nbsp;Padmakumar Varijakshapanicker ,&nbsp;Bhuminand Devkota","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107968","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107968","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salivary fern patterns (SFP) offer a simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective alternative to conventional estrus detection methods, addressing challenges such as silent heat, inaccurate heat detection, and improper timing of artificial insemination (AI). This study evaluated the utility of SFP in determining best timing for AI and its association with conception in buffaloes. Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, twelve cyclic buffaloes in follicular phase were treated with standard Ovsynch protocol and 168 saliva samples were systematically collected to establish reference SFP, its grades, and corresponding fractal dimension values across the luteal and follicular phases. In Experiment 2, 62 buffaloes in natural estrus were inseminated without hormonal treatment, with saliva samples collected prior to insemination for SFP analysis. The SFP were graded as excellent<em>,</em> good<em>,</em> fair, or poor based on microscopic observation and fractal dimension values. During Experiment 1, an excellent grade SFP with lower (P &lt; 0.01) fractal dimension values was observed during late proestrus and early estrus. In about 15 h, the grading transitioned to a good grade corresponding to late estrus before declining to fair or poor grades in the luteal phase. In Experiment 2, buffaloes exhibiting a good grade SFP at insemination showed higher conception rates (P &lt; 0.01) compared to other grades. These findings suggested a precision AI timing for improved conception in buffaloes at either 15 h after the appearance of an excellent grade SFP or when the SFP grade transitions to good, corresponding to late estrus. This approach may help enhance reproductive efficiency and address estrus detection challenges in buffaloes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107968"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852645","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":"The effects of mitochondria-targeted (MitoQ and Mito-TEMPO) and untargeted (SOD and CoQ10) antioxidants on ram’s sperm quality and fertility potential during the cryopreservation process","authors":"Maryam Hatami ,&nbsp;Reza Masoudi ,&nbsp;Nader Asadzadeh ,&nbsp;Mohsen Sharafi","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107967","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107967","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sperm cryopreservation is a widely used procedure for storing donor semen prior to artificial insemination. However, spermatozoa experience biochemical and functional changes during cryopreservation. The current study aimed to compare the effects of mitochondrial-targeted (MitoQ and Mito-TEMPO) and untargeted (SOD and CoQ₁₀) antioxidants on the quality traits of ram sperm and reproductive performance. Semen samples were collected and diluted in extenders as follows: the first group served as the control, while the other groups were supplemented with 100 U/mL superoxide dismutase (SOD), 1 μM CoQ₁₀ (Q10), 50 and 100 nM MitoQ (MQ50 and MQ100), 50 and 100 μM Mito-TEMPO (MT50 and MT100), and 50 nM MitoQ+ 50 μM Mito-TEMPO (MQ/MT). After the freezing, sperm quality characteristics and fertility potential were evaluated. According to the current results, the groups MQ50, MQ100, MT50, MT100, and MQ/MT exhibited higher (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05) rates of total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM), average path velocity (VAP), membrane integrity (MI), mitochondrial activity potential (MAP), acrosome integrity (AI), viable cells, and fertility potential, as well as lower (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05) late apoptotic-like changes, DNA fragmentation, H₂O₂ concentration, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations compared to the SOD and Q10 groups. Moreover, superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration increased (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05) in the groups of SOD, MT50, MT100, and MQ/MT than in other groups. Furthermore, the MQ/MT group exhibited the highest (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05) rates of TM, PM, VAP, MI, MAP, AI, viable cells, and fertility potential, along with the lowest (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05) late apoptotic-like changes, DNA fragmentation, H₂O₂ concentration, and MDA concentrations relative to the other groups. In conclusion, incorporating MitoQ+Mito-TEMPO into the extender during the semen freezing could be a valuable strategy to enhance the success of ram frozen semen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107967"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144803268","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":"Intrauterine growth restriction disrupts folliculogenesis in gilts: Insights into reproductive health","authors":"Lucas C. Cardoso ,&nbsp;Diogo Magnabosco ,&nbsp;Aparecida T.L. Fiúza ,&nbsp;Fernando P. Bortolozzo ,&nbsp;Hélio Chiarini-Garcia ,&nbsp;Fernanda R.C.L. Almeida","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107966","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107966","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a condition in which the fetus does not reach its full growth potential with serious consequences later in life. This study evaluated, by means of histomorphometrical analysis, the follicular development in normal weight (NW) and IUGR gilts along postnatal development. Fifty pairs of littermate gilts were selected at birth and allocated into two experimental groups according to birthweight: IUGR (0.8–1.0 kg) and NW (1.4–1.7 kg). Euthanasia was performed at three stages: birth, 100 days, and 150 days of age, when body and organ weights were measured, and the ovaries fixed and processed for histomorphometrical evaluation. Follicle area of tertiary follicles from 150-day-old animals were obtained and classified according to size. IUGR newborn females presented lighter liver and brain, as well as a higher brain/liver weight ratio (P &lt; 0.05), confirming that these females suffered intrauterine growth restriction. Moreover, IUGR gilts showed lower body weights at 100 and 150 days of age (P &lt; 0.05), demonstrating impaired body development compared to their NW littermates. IUGR animals presented higher number of primordial follicles at 100 days and lower number of atretic follicles at 150 days (P &lt; 0.05). IUGR females also showed a slight reduction in the number of mature follicles measuring 0.31–0.6 mm² (P = 0.07). Collectively, IUGR impacts folliculogenesis due to the reduction in follicular recruitment and selection, suggesting that these animals may have poor reproductive performance later in life and should not be selected to enter the breeding herd.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107966"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144809692","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":"Comparative efficacy of regular and slow-release GnRH in inducing spawning in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)","authors":"Behrooz Heidari ,&nbsp;Mansour Torfi Mozanzadeh ,&nbsp;AbdolMajid Valipour ,&nbsp;Mahvash Hadavi ,&nbsp;Samira Nazemroaya ,&nbsp;Hossein Houshmand","doi":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to identify the most effective hormone treatment for artificial breeding of Asian sea bass (<em>Lates calcarifer</em>) by comparing two delivery methods of GnRH hormone: regular release (R) versus slow-release (SL). SAIB-PC-based SL-GnRH was developed for sustained delivery. The 20 µg/kg R treatment achieved 100 % spawning success (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), with 94.4 % fertilization and 95.5 % hatching rates, while 20 µg/kg SL yielded 89.2 % fertilization and 71.4 % buoyant eggs (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), indicating prolonged but less synchronized stimulation. Hormonal profiling revealed elevated testosterone and 17β-estradiol (particularly in SL groups) (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), with sex-specific cortisol responses (decreased in females, increased in males) (n.s.). Histology confirmed enhanced gametogenesis at 20 µg/kg for both formulations, showing increased mature oocytes and spermatozoa. Metabolic markers (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides) rose significantly in treated groups (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), reflecting reproductive activation. Gene expression analysis demonstrated coordinated <em>gnrh-1</em> (sharp increase) and <em>kiss2</em> (gradual rise) transcription patterns, revealing their synergistic regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These results establish 20 µg/kg as the optimal dose for both R and SL formulations, with R-GnRH maximizing spawning synchronization and SL-GnRH extending egg production duration (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The study provides the first evidence that SAIB-PC systems can reduce effective GnRH doses by 50–75 % compared to traditional implants while maintaining efficacy. These protocols address critical bottlenecks in seabass aquaculture by improving reproductive outcomes and reducing handling stress, offering practical solutions for hatchery management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7880,"journal":{"name":"Animal Reproduction Science","volume":"280 ","pages":"Article 107965"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144798013","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}