P. Maddox‐Hyttel, A. Dinnyés, J. Laurinčík, D. Rath, H. Niemann, H. Rosenkranz, H. Wilmut
{"title":"Gene expression during pre- and peri-implantation embryonic development in pigs","authors":"P. Maddox‐Hyttel, A. Dinnyés, J. Laurinčík, D. Rath, H. Niemann, H. Rosenkranz, H. Wilmut","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.16.0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.16.0013","url":null,"abstract":"'Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark; 2Department of Gene Expression and Development, Roslin Institute, Roslin, UK;3Constantin the Philosopher University and 4 Research Institute of Animal Production, Nitra, Slovak Republic; 5Department of Biotechnology, Institute for Animal Science and Behaviour (FAL), Mariensee, 31535 Neustadt, Germany; and 6 Veterinary University, Josef Baumann Cassel, A-1210 Vienna, Austria","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48254953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Control of Ovulation","authors":"S. Webel, B. Day","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0010","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47367077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
H. Henning, A. Petrunkina, R. Harrison, D. Waberski
{"title":"Changes in responsivenessto bicarbonate under capacitating conditions in liquid preserved boar spermatozoa in vitro","authors":"H. Henning, A. Petrunkina, R. Harrison, D. Waberski","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.18.0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.18.0006","url":null,"abstract":"Liquid-stored boar semen is commonly used for artificial insemination (Al) up to 72 h after dilution. Insemination with semen stored for longer periods generally results in reduced fertility. Standard semen parameters, i.e. motility and membrane integrity, usually give no indication of this reduction. Therefore, more sensitive methods are needed for detection of storage-induced changes in sperm quality. Capacitation has long been known to be an essential step in fertilization. In a number of studies bicarbonate hasbeen shown to be the key capacitating agent in boar sperm in vitro (reviewed in Harrison & Gadella 2005). The ability of sperm to respond to bicarbonate in vitro by undergoing capacitatory changes can be measured as a sperm property crucial to fertilization (Petrunkina et al. 2005a; Silva & Gadella 2006). In this study we used calcium influx as a parameter to investigate the responsiveness of stored semen samples to bicarbonate. This parameter has been shown to be sensitive with respect to evaluating detrimental effect of cooling during liquid storage of boar sperm (Petrunkina et al. 2005b). Three ejaculates from each of 14 boars of proven fertility were diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS)extender to a concentration of 20 x 106sperm / ml and stored at 17°C. After 12, 24, 72, 120 and 168 h of storage, motility was assessedin the diluted semen with a CASA-system, and membrane integrity was checked with propidium iodide (PI)and FITC-conjugated peanut agglutinin (FITC-PNA) using a flow cytometer. Samples were then washed through Percoll, loaded with the calcium probe Fluo-3-AM and PI, and incubated at 38°C in parallel in two variants of a Tyrode's medium. Medium A contained 15 mM bicarbonate aswell as 2 mM Ca2+,whereas bicarbonate was omitted from medium B; incubation in medium A was performed under 5°/c.CO2. Changes in Ca2+ influx were assessedon a flow cytometer at 3, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min. The resulting kinetics of cell sub-populations were compared between media and storage time points, based on analyses of the non-agglutinated population. During storage, motility declined only from 89.0 ± 3.2 to 74.4 ± 10.4°/c.(p —0.001) and membrane integrity from 83.1 ± 4.2 to 71.0 ± 20.9°/s (p —0.001). However, bicarbonate induced marked changes in membrane permeability, asmeasured by increases in the population of Ca2+-positiveand Pl-negative (live) cells as well as by increases in the population of PI-positive (dead) cells. After 12 and 24 h of storage, the population of Ca2+-positiveand Pknegative cells reached a maximum within 90 min of incubation in medium A, but as storage was prolonged the increase lessened although it reached its maximum more rapidly (after 40-60 min). A time point of 60 min was chosen for comparisons between storage periods and media. Values for the total % Ca2*-positive / PI-negative cells in medium A declined significantly from 21.6 ± 6.4% at 12 h to 15.7 ± 2.78% at 72 h of storage (p < 0.01) after","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47371124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Endocrine Control of Parturition","authors":"N. First, J. K. Lohse, B. Nara","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0016","url":null,"abstract":"The pig evolved as a litter bearing species with the maintenance of pregnancy dependent on the continued presence of the litter in utero and on continued production of ovarian progesterone. The length of gestation is reasonably precise, being approximately 112-116 days depending on the breed, size of litter and season (Cox, 1964; Bichard et al. , 1976; Aumaitre, Deglaire and LeBost, 1979). Parturition occurs slightly more frequently in the late afternoon and at night (Bichard et at , 1976; Boning, 1979) but no differences are seen in the frequency of day and night delivery when parturition is Artificially induced (Hammond and Matty, 1980). For an individual herd a knowledge of the average length of gestation and exact breeding dates are essential for optimal piglet survival and growth when parturition is to be induced. The entire parturition process requires 2-5 hours with piglets being delivered at approximately 12-16 minute intervals (Sprecher et aL, 1974; see Table 16.1). Piglets are delivered randomly from the two uterine horns (Dziuk and Harmon, 1969; Taverne et al., 1977). They sometimes pass each other in birth order (Taverne a aL , 1977) and the placentas are delivered either in part after the emptying of one uterine horn or within approximately four hours after the last piglet is delivered (Jones, 1966). This is at a time when plasma levels of oxytocin are elevated (Taverne, 1979). Parturition is normally preceded by udder oedema, attempted maternal nest building and a milk ejection response (First and Bosc, 1979). Parturition is not without complications. Body temperature increases 13±4.1 hours before delivery of the first piglet, reaches a peak of 0.6 °C-1.2 °C above the normal of 38.3 ±0.3 °C and in healthy sows returns to near normal within 24 hours (Elmore et al. , 1979). Parturition is often complicated by a disease called Mastitis—Metritis—Agalactia in which the sow's temperature remains greatly elevated for a prolonged period and she refuses to provide milk for the piglets. Not all piglets survive farrowing; at least 6% are born dead (Randall, 1972; Sprecher et , 1974; Leman, Hurtgen and Hilley, 1979) and the last piglet in each uterine horn has less than a 50% chance of survival (Sevier and Dziuk, 1976). The factors influencing piglet survival were reviewed recently by Leman, Hurtgen and Hilley (1979). It is apparent from their","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47928809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Embryo Transplantation and Preservation","authors":"C. Polge","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.11.0014","url":null,"abstract":"Effective techniques for embryo transplantation in some laboratory and farm animals are now well established. Methods for collection and transfer of embryos in the pig were first developed in the early 1960s (Hancock and Hovell, 1962; Dziuk, Polge and Rowson, 1964; Vincent, Robison and Ulberg, 1964) and since then they have been applied mainly in research. Embryo transplantation has proved to be a valuable experimental tool in a number of studies concerned with early embryonic development, the survival of embryos in vivo or in vitro, migration and spacing of embryos within the uterus and factors affecting the maintenance of pregnancy. Future research is also likely to be concerned increasingly with cellular and genetic manipulation of eggs and embryos in vitro and the application of these techniques depends to a large extent on having reliable methods for the culture of embryos and their subsequent transfer. Practical applications, particularly in farm animals, are also important and the best example is in cattle where methods developed for research have now been extended very successfully into the practice of animal breeding. Applications in pig husbandry have so far been on a relatively small scale. The high fecundity and reproductive rate in pigs compared with cattle will never provide the same economic incentive to apply such methods for the purpose of genetic improvement or to get more offspring from a few superior animals. On the other hand, strict control of disease, especially in large intensive units, is a most important aspect of modern pig husbandry and embryo transplantation should provide the safest method of introducting new genetic material into closed herds. It is mainly for this reason, and perhaps also for the possibility of transporting embryos between countries, that embryo transplantation in pigs is likely to be applied as a practical measure.","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45237218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Introduction to Pregnancy in Waiting: Embryonic Diapause in Mammals: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Embryonic Diapause","authors":"B. Murphy, K. Jewgenow, M. Renfree, S. Ulbrich","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.10.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.10.001","url":null,"abstract":"The capacity of the mammalian embryo to arrest development during early gestation is a topic that has fascinated biologists for over 150 years. The first known observation of this phenomenon was in a ruminant, the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in 1854, later confirmed in a number of studies in the last century [1]. The phenomenon, now known as embryonic diapause, was then found to be present in a wide range of species and across multiple taxa. Since that time, its biological mystery has attracted studies by scientists from around the globe.","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47689990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Autophagy and multivesicular body formation in blastocysts during the experimental diapause in mice","authors":"Hj Lim, H. Shin, J. J. Hyun, H. Song","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.10.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.10.011","url":null,"abstract":"In experimentally induced diapause model in mice, blastocysts remain dormant for an extended period but resume implantation competency upon estrogen injection. The underlying mechanism by which extended longevity of dormant blastocysts is maintained is unclear. We have previously shown that dormant blastocysts, during experimentally induced diapause, exhibit heightened autophagic activation. Activation of autophagy appears to be a crucial adaptive response for survival in the unfavorable uterine environment, as inhibiting autophagy reduces the survival rate of dormant blastocysts. As a unique cell biological change occurring following estrogen supplementation to activate dormant blastocysts, multivesicular bodies (MVBs) accumulate in the trophectoderm. In various cellular contexts, autophagy and MVB formation are linked cell biological phenomena. Herein, we discuss the implications of these cell biological changes in dormant and activated blastocysts.","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42067006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Conserved mechanisms for putting pregnancy on hold in the mouse, mink and tammar wallaby","authors":"J. Fenelon, G. Shaw, M. Renfree, B. Murphy","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.10.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"Embryonic diapause was first identified over 150 years ago, but many questions still remain about how the external and hormonal controls of embryonic diapause translate into how the uterus conveys information to the embryo. Current evidence suggests that the control of diapause is mediated by components of the uterine secretions. However, the identity of the essential signalling molecule(s) is unknown. The mouse (Mus musculus), the mink (Neovison vison) and the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) are the three most extensively studied mammalian diapause species. Despite differences in the external and hormonal control of diapause between these three species, we have now found that there is conservation of numerous molecular factors around diapause and reactivation. This was first suggested via the conserved expression of various growth factors. The first evidence for a conserved mechanism resulted from a study on the muscle segment homeobox transcription factor (MSX) in the uterus during diapause, whose expression is conserved amongst the mouse, mink and wallaby. Following this was the evidence that inhibition of polyamines induces entry into diapause in both the mink and mouse. Thus, although the signalling mechanisms via which the uterus is induced into diapause vary amongst species, the molecular communication that occurs between the uterus and the embryo to control diapause is conserved. Given that these mechanisms are conserved across varying taxa, this implies a universal mechanism for maintaining embryo health amongst all mammals. New technologies are now allowing us to examine diapause from a global perspective and to increase our knowledge of this enigmatic stage of pregnancy.","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42314608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification of mink (Neovison vison) fecal proteins during embryonic diapause and placental pregnancy for non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis in wildlife","authors":"E. Curry, J. Easley, J. Wojtusik, T. Roth","doi":"10.1530/biosciprocs.10.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1530/biosciprocs.10.007","url":null,"abstract":"Currently, there is no method to diagnose pregnancy non-invasively in most wildlife species that experience delayed implantation and pseudopregnancy, either during embryonic diapause or placental pregnancy. The aim of this study was to utilize farmraised mink (Neovison vison) as a model species to evaluate changes in the fecal proteome associated with pregnancy. Specific objectives were to: 1) determine if fecal peptides were differentially abundant in parturient versus non-parturient mink and; 2) identify proteins of interest. Samples (n=12) were selected retrospectively from mink (n=6) that were parturient (n=3) or non-parturient (n=3) and were collected from parturient females during embryonic diapause and placental pregnancy or, on the same calendar dates from non-parturient females. Following protein extraction, twodimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis was utilized to assess differences in protein spot abundance among samples. The mean number of spots per gel was 2107±62.2 and spots meeting specific criteria (student’s t-test; P<0.10; >2.5 fold change between groups) were selected for identification via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionizationtime-of-flight mass spectrometry. During diapause, six spots (angiotensinconverting enzyme 2, interleukin-36 receptor antagonist, carboxypeptidase A1 (two spots), carboxypeptidase A2, and chymotrypsin-like protease CTRL-1) were higher in parturient and one spot (intestinal fatty acid-binding protein) was higher in nonparturient. During placental pregnancy, seven spots (cytosol aminopeptidase (three spots), calcium-activated chloride channel regulator 1, carboxypeptidase A1 (two spots), and chymotrypsin) were higher in parturient and two (ovalbumin and protein PRR14L) were higher in non-parturient. This is the first description of the mink fecal proteome related to pregnancy and of changes in specific fecal proteins during embryonic diapause in any species.","PeriodicalId":93083,"journal":{"name":"Bioscientifica proceedings","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48658558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}