Agonistic behaviour patterns of the slender mongoose,Herpestes sanguineus

Winter reproductive activity is exhibited by females of the viviparous lizard, Cordylus p.polyzonus. Vitellogenesis commences in May (autumn), continuing throughout the winter months with ovulation in October. Females are pregnant during summer and give birth in late summer (February). Clutch size is positively correlated to female body size. During embryonic development, ovarian follicles remain small and translucent and the corpora lutea progressively decrease in size until parturition occurs. Embryonic growth was characterized by a concomitant decline in embryonic yolk mass. Although considerable variation was observed in the fat body mass, maximal fat body mass peaked in winter (June) and in mid-summer (December). The onset of vitellogenesis corresponded to declining photoperiod and environmental temperatures.     

Gene expression profiling in embryonic chicken ovary during asymmetric development

The reproductive system in female birds arises as bilateral asymmetrical anlagen, excluding the birds of prey. Earlier, histological and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profile studies of several genes related to gonadal sex differentiation in chicken embryos tried to elucidate the query of this asymmetry in a scattered manner. To understand the matter precisely, we have focused on mRNA expression of a cohort of genes (FSHR, CYP19A1, caspase 3, caspase 8) in second half of the embryonic days (E10–E18). The established role of leptin in development of the embryo and its expression in the embryonic ovary also drove us to check leptin receptor (LEPR) expression in the ovary. Increased expression of FSHR and CYP19A1 in the left ovary compared with that in the right ovary was identified (P < 0.05), promoting preferential left ovarian development and functionality. Significant high expression (P < 0.05) of the apoptotic genes in the right ovary were also involved here. Leptin probably has no direct influence on ovarian asymmetry as no significant variation in gonadal mRNA expression of LEPR was observed within the same experimental days. We propose that asymmetric expression of this cohort of genes (FSHR, CYP19A1, caspase 3, caspase 8) leads to the development of dimorphic gonads during embryogenesis.     

棉鼠丝虫的组织学观察

应用常规的组织学方法，观察了棉鼠丝虫的显微结构。棉鼠丝虫雄虫的角皮及体肌均较雌虫的为厚，假体腔亦以雄虫的为大，对两性成虫的生殖器官进行了详细的描述或测量。雄虫生殖器官由睾丸、输精管及贮精囊组成，睾丸内含精原细胞、精母细胞、精子细胞及精子。雌虫生殖器官包括卵巢、输卵管、子宫及肌性阴道，卵巢内有卵原细胞、卵母细胞及成熟卵细胞，子宫内含有从卵细胞至成熟微丝蚴的各发育期胚胎，消化道的管腔较两性成虫生殖道的为窄。了解正常棉鼠丝虫组织学的结构，对药物作用于成虫及幼虫机制的探讨有一定的意义。     

Ovarian activity,transuterine embryo migration and prenatal losses in Ethiopian highland ewes

A study was conducted on 1442 Ethiopian highland ewes to determine the seasonality of ovarian activity, intrauterine embryo migration and prenatal reproductive wastage. Assessment of ovarian follicular activity revealed that a higher (p < 0.01) proportion of ewes ovulated in the dry season than in the heavy and light rainy seasons. However, there was a tendency (p = 0.057) of decline in the mean number of ovulations per ewes during the light rains. The mean diameter of the largest follicle on the ipsilateral ovary was higher (p < 0.01) in both ewes with single and those with twin corpora lutea (CL) than on the contralateral ovary; and, compared to ewes with single CL, it was higher (p < 0.05) in those with twin CL. The right ovary was more active (p < 0.001) only in single-ovulating ewes. Similarly, a higher (p < 0.001) proportion of ewes were pregnant in the right horn. Embryos migrated to the opposite horn in single-, twin- and triple-ovulating ewes. There was a higher (p < 0.001) tendency for the left-to-right migration than the opposite. There was significant (p < 0.01) association between embryo loss and site and number of ovulations. Embryo loss was higher (p < 0.01) in ewes with twin ovulations on the right ovary. It is very likely that these results indicate a better chance of embryo survival in the right uterine horn.     

Ovariectomy as treatment for ovarian bacterial granulomas in a Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii)

CASE HISTORY: An adult female Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii) from a threatened species breeding programme presented due to a prolonged gestation period and distended abdomen.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The gecko was in lean body condition with an irregularly shaped, firm mass in the coelomic cavity. Radiographically there was a diffuse radio-opacity within the coelomic cavity with cranial displacement of the right lung field. Ultrasonography revealed a round homogenous abdominal mass of medium echogenicity with an echogenic capsule. Haematology showed a leucocytosis with a moderate left shift in heterophils and toxic changes. Bilateral ovariectomy was performed to remove two ovarian granulomas and Salmonella enterica subspecies houtenae (IV) was cultured from the ovarian tissue. The gecko recovered well from the surgery, regained weight and remained in good health 3 years following the surgery.

DIAGNOSIS: Pre-ovulatory stasis and ovarian granulomas associated with infection with Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The surgery described in this case resulted in recovery of the gecko, which despite its loss of reproductive capability is of value as an education animal. This is the first report of pre-ovulatory stasis and ovarian granulomas associated with infection with Salmonella enterica in a Duvaucel's gecko and is also the first reported case of pre-ovulatory stasis in a viviparous lizard species. The case adds to knowledge regarding potential reproductive pathology in lizards, which is particularly important information for managers of captive lizard breeding programmes.     

水分胁迫下雌雄异株植物草繁殖策略的可塑性调节

研究雌雄异株草本植物应对环境胁迫的繁殖策略及生殖分配可塑性,对发展雌雄异株植物的生活史进化理论和该类植物资源保护利用具有重要意义。实验以草为材料,通过设置轻度（LS）、中度（MS）、重度（RS）水分胁迫梯度,研究雌、雄单株的花芽分化、生物量分配、花穗性状、花药（或子房）数、花粉数及活力等与生殖生长相关的可塑性。结果表明：1）草通过提前花芽分化应对水分胁迫,雄株先于雌株进入生殖生长（P ＜0．01）。2）雄株增加生殖分配应对 LS 胁迫,雌株减少花穗生物量应对水分胁迫;在 RS 胁迫时雄株的生殖分配为雌株的近3倍。3）草通过减少花穗数应对胁迫,雄株显著增加单个花穗的小花数来应对轻中度缺水（P ＜0．05）,雌株则减少开花频次降低水分胁迫下生殖能量消耗。4）轻中度水分胁迫对雌株子房宽度无显著影响;中重度胁迫虽使雄株显著缩短了花药长度、减少了单个花药的花粉数（P ＜0．05）,但花粉大小、花粉活性受影响较小。5）雄株花穗的 POD 和 SOD活性显著高于雌株,雄株对水分胁迫更加敏感。在水分胁迫下,草在生存和防御功能稳定的基础上,可以通过协调分配有限资源,实现有性繁殖来完成草本植物较为短暂的生活史。     

Effects of Maternal Exposure to Bisphenol A on Survival Rate,Reproductive Hormones and Relative Genes of Offspring Mice

This study was aimed to investigate the reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) exposed to the mother on the offsprings mice. Forty pregnant Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e. groups A, B, C and D with 10 mice in each group. Group A was the control group and the mice received conventional feeds, mice in groups B, C and D were given 50,500 and 2 500 mg/kg BW BPA in feedstuffs during the whole gestation period (from 1 d to parturition), respectively. The death rates of the offsprings were calculated every week. The offspring mice were sacrificed at 56 days of age (at puberty). The morphology of ovary and testicular tissues were observed with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of estradiol (E₂), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T) in mice serum were detected with ELISA Kit. The protein levels of Bax and Bcl-2 in ovary or testicular tissues were detected with immunohistochemistry, and the StAR,CYP11a mRNA levels in testicular tissues, the AMH, Kitlg mRNA levels in ovary were measured using Real-time PCR. The results showed that exposure of BPA to the mother extremely significantly increased the mortality (P<0.01),and significantly reduced the testicular weight of offspring mice (P<0.05). Maternal exposure to BPA extremely significantly reduced the levels of T (♂) and FSH(♀) (P<0.01),and extremely significantly elevated E₂ (♀) level in offspring mice (P<0.01). BPA exposure damaged the testicular with less leydig cells and ovarian tissues with more vacuoles and less corpus granules in offspring mice. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that maternal exposure to BPA increased the Bax protein level and decreased the Bcl-2 protein level of testicular and ovary tissues in offspring mice. BPA significantly reduced the StAR mRNA expression in male offsprings (P<0.05). However, the mRNA level of CYP11a in groups B and D extremely significantly decreased while group C showed an significant elevation in male offsprings (P<0.01). The expression levels of Kitlg mRNA in groups C and D were decreased extremely significantly in female offsprings (P<0.01), the AMH mRNA expression in groups C and D increased significantly (P<0.05). The conclusion indicated that pregnant mice exposed to different doses of BPA had harmful effects on survival rate in offspring mice, and impact the reproductive hormones, proteins and genes expression.     

Changes of cyclic AMP levels and phosphodiesterase activities in the rat ovary

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a second messenger that plays a critical role in follicular recruitment, development and luteinization in the mammalian ovary. The cellular level of cAMP is largely dependent on the activity of phosphodiesterase (PDE), which degrades cAMP into 5'-AMP. The present study was conducted to investigate the level of cAMP and the activity of cAMP-PDE in postnatal rats; immature rats during gonadotropin-primed follicular development, ovulation and luteinization; adult rats during normal estrous cycling; and aged rats that spontaneously developed persistent estrous (PE) by radioimmunoassay (RIA). All four rat models were confirmed by histological examination of one ovary and assayed using the other ovary by RIA. In the postnatal rats, the ovarian cAMP level was high on day 10 after birth, while ovarian cAMP-PDE activity was highest at 21 days of age. In the immature female rats, both the ovarian cAMP level and cAMP-PDE activity increased remarkably after treatment with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), increased continuously 24 h after injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for induction of ovulation and luteinization, and then declined significantly. In the adult rats during the normal estrous cycle, the ovarian cAMP levels were low on the day of estrus, and there were no significant changes in ovarian cAMP-PDE activity throughout the estrous cycle. In the PE rats, the ovarian cAMP levels were similar to those of the adult rats on the day of estrus but were lower than those on the other days of the estrous cycle; ovarian cAMP-PDE activity was lower than that in the adult rats on any day of the estrous cycle. Together, these findings indicate that the ovarian cAMP level and cAMP-PDE activity were regulated in a stage-dependent manner during ovarian follicular development, atresia and luteinization and providing evidences that cAMP and cAMP-specific PDEs are involved in these physiological processes.     

Reproductive strategies in males of the world's southernmost lizards

Reproductive and life history patterns in reptiles are tightly related to the environmental conditions, so male reproductive cycles have been historically characterized as continuous, for tropical lizards, or seasonal, for temperate lizards. However, males of Liolaemus and Phymaturus lizards (Liolaemidae), from cold temperate climates of high altitudes or latitudes in Argentina and Chile, have developed a variety of reproductive cycles to coordinate with the short female reproductive season and to deal with the low frequency of reproductive females in the population. Using gonadal histology and morphological analysis, we describe the male reproductive biology, fat storage and sexual dimorphism of the viviparous lizards Liolaemus sarmientoi and Liolaemus magellanicus that inhabit an austral grass steppe at 51°S, in the southern limit of the American continent. Males of L. sarmientoi and L. magellanicus are reproductively available during the entire activity season of approximately 5 months. In addition, males of both species exhibit greater body sizes than females in morphological variables relevant in sexual selection. Meanwhile, females of both species exhibit larger inter‐limb length than conspecific males, which suggests fecundity selection to increase space for a larger litter size. The continuous sperm production throughout the activity season allows these liolaemids to mate at any time when females ovulate, representing a selective advantage to deal with the short activity season and the adversities of the cold environment they inhabit.     

孕马血清促性腺激素对水貂雌性生殖系统发育的影响

将30只处于乏情期的雌性水貂,随机分成6组.除一对照组外,5个实验组每只动物肌注PMSG 200 IU,在注射后2、3、4、5、6 d(5个阶段)分别取卵巢和子宫作组织切片,光镜下观察其结构变化.结果显示,注射PMSG后,乏情期母貂的卵巢迅速增长,卵泡发育加快,子宫也迅速增大,表明PMSG能促进之情期水貂雌性生殖系统迅速发育.     

胚胎期大鼠性腺生长与分化的研究

本试验旨在研究胚胎期大鼠性腺生长与分化的情况。选取12.5~15.5 dpc SD大鼠胚胎为研究对象,运用PCR技术进行大鼠胚胎性别鉴定,采用H-E技术对大鼠性腺分化形态进行观察。结果表明:12.5 d的鼠胚肾管已经开始形成,生殖嵴已经建立,此时仍无明显的性别分化形态;13.5 d的鼠胚开始出现性别分化的迹象,雄性的原始性索开始形成,雌性性腺分化比雄性稍晚,此期仍不易辨别出典型的卵巢特征结构;14.5 d的鼠胚性腺形态初步成型,此期性别明显分化,雄性的原始性索开始分化为实心原始生精小管,雌性胚胎中性腺分为两层,初步形成卵巢特征;15.5 d的鼠胚,雄性胚胎性腺中已经具有明显的曲精小管的雏形,雌性胚胎卵巢特征也开始明显。大鼠胚胎性腺从13.5 d胚龄时开始分化,15.5 d胚龄性腺特征明显。     

Anatomicohistological Characteristics of the Tubular Genital Organs of the Female Red Brocket Deer (Mazama americana) in the Peruvian Amazon

This study examined the anatomical and histological characteristics of tubular genital organs of 51 adult female red brocket deer in the wild in different reproductive stages, collected by rural hunters in the north‐eastern Peruvian Amazon. The infundibulum was characterized by a large diameter and the presence of a highly folded and ciliated epithelium, and the isthmus has a growing secretor epithelium and a thicker muscular layer. Whereas ciliated cells are more frequent in the infundibulum, epithelial secretory cells showing abundant apical secretory blebs are more frequent in the isthmus. In non‐pregnant females in luteal phase, the endometrium transforms from a proliferative to a secretory type, showing a significant proliferation of endometrial uterine glands. The red brocket deer has four large circular folds in the cervix. The epithelium of the cervix is composed primarily of secretory cells. In pregnant females, the lumen of the endocervical canal is occupied by abundant mucous secretion. All pregnant females had one embryo or fetus, with a fetal sex ratio of 54.0% females to 46.0% males. This species has a cotyledonary, syndesmochorial and partially deciduate placenta, with 6–7 dome‐shaped caruncles per female. The red brocket deer does not present a true cornification of the vaginal epithelial cells, and no vaginal epithelial pattern was determined according the reproductive state of the female.     

Assessment of fertility and reproductive toxicity in adult female mice after long-term exposure to Pueraria mirifica herb

The present study investigated the effects of long-term administration of Pueraria mirifica (PM) at non-toxic doses on the ovarian function and fertility of adult female mice based on evaluation of hematological and biochemical parameters. Female mice were divided into 4 groups (36 mice/group). Groups 1-3 were orally treated with a dose of 0 (PM-0), 10 (PM-10) or 100 mg/kg BW/day PM (PM-100), and group 4 was subcutaneously injected with 200 mug/kg BW/day of synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES). The treatment schedule was separated into treatment and post-treatment periods. The duration of each period was 8 weeks. The PM-10 mice exhibited regular estrous cycles, while the PM-100 and DES treatments induced prolonged estrous cycles. Although no changes were observed in the uterus and ovary weights of the mice after the PM-100 and DES treatments, hyperplasia of the uterine endothelium and a decrease in the number of growing ovarian follicles were detected. The changes in the ovarian histologies of the PM-100 and DES mice were related to reductions in the levels of LH and FSH, which subsequently caused a decrease in mating efficiency. Once the PM mice were able to copulate, they were capable of successfully becoming pregnant and mothering offspring. No abnormalities were observed in the external morphologies and reproductive organ weights of the 50-day-old offspring. In conclusion, our results suggest that long-term exposure to 100 mg/kg BW of PM has adverse effects on the mating efficiency and reproduction of adult female mice and that administration of 10 mg/kg BW of PM does not induce any changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian-uterine axis.     

过表达FOXL2基因对鸡胚性腺分化的影响

试验旨在研究FOXL2基因对鸡胚性腺分化的影响。本试验分为试验1组、试验2组和空白对照组（鸡胚数量分别为260、100、20枚），试验组通过胚盘下腔注射的方法分别将pLV-FOXL2慢病毒重组质粒、pLV空质粒注入胚胎期第2天的鸡胚，空白对照组不做处理并与试验组一起孵化至出雏，利用CHD1基因遗传性别鉴定的方法对出雏的雏鸡进行性别检测，分析其性腺解剖学、组织学结构变化，并利用免疫组化的方法检测性腺FOXL2和CYP19A1蛋白表达量。结果显示，试验1组遗传性别为公的23只，遗传性别为母的18只，表型性别为公的21只，表型性别为母的18只，其中有2只表型性别不典型，左侧性腺发生变化，朝卵巢结构转变；试验2组遗传性别为公的9只，遗传性别为母的12只，表型性别与遗传性别一致。阳性PCR检测结果显示，试验1组获得阳性个体10个，阳性率为24.4%（10/41）；试验2组获得阳性个体8个，阳性率为38.1%（8/21）。性腺解剖学结果显示，阳性pLV-FOXL2雄性鸡胚左侧性腺体积明显大于右侧性腺，表现膨松状态；组织切片结果显示，雄性鸡胚性腺具有典型的卵巢皮质层和髓质层结构；阳性pLV-FOXL2雌性鸡胚性腺的发育无明显变化。免疫组化结果显示，FOXL2和CYP19A1蛋白在试验1组左右侧睾丸中的表达量与空白对照组母鸡卵巢中的表达量相似，显著高于试验2组（P<0.05）。以上结果表明，FOXL2基因可能促进鸡雄性性腺的性反转，在鸡性腺分化和发育过程中发挥着重要的作用。     

Effect of Overexpression of FOXL2 Gene on Gonadal Differentiation in Chicken Embryo

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of FOXL2 gene on gonadal differentiation in chicken embryos.This test was divided into the experiment groups 1,2 and blank control group(chicken embryos were 260,100 and 20,respectively).In the experimental group,pLV-FOXL2 lentivirus recombinant plasmids and pLV empty plasmids were injected into the chicken embryo on the second day of the embryonic stage by subpaneoidal injection.The blank control group was not treated and incubated with the experimental groups until the chick was hatched.CHD1 gene genetic sex identification method was used to detect the sex of chicks,the changes of gonadal anatomy and histological structure were analyzed,and the expression levels of FOXL2 and CYP19A1 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry.The results showed that in the experiment group 1,there were 23 male and 18 female of genetic sex,21 male and 18 female of phenotypic sex,and two of them had atypical phenotypic gender,with changes in the left gonadal gland toward ovarian structure.The phenotypic sex was consistent with the genetic sex in experiment group 2,with 9 male and 12 female.Positive PCR results showed that 10 positive individuals were obtained in the experiment group 1,with a positive rate of 24.4% (10/41),and 8 positive individuals were obtained in the experiment group 2,with a positive rate of 38.1% (8/21).The anatomical structure of the gonad showed that the volume of the left gonad was significantly larger than that of the right gonad in the positive plV-FOXL2 male embryos.The results of tissue sections showed that the gonad of male chicken embryo had typical structure of ovarian cortex and medulla.There was no significant change in the development of gonad in female embryos with positive pLV-FOXL2.Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression levels of FOXL2 and CYP19A1 proteins in the left and right testicle of experiment group 1 were similar to that in the hen ovary of the blank control group,and were significantly higher than that in experiment group 2 (P<0.05).These results suggested that FOXL2 gene might promote the sexual inversion of chicken gonads and played an important role in the differentiation and development of chicken gonads.     

Spontaneous ovarian choriocarcinoma in a young ICR mouse

This paper describes the spontaneous ovarian choriocarcinoma observed in a young female Crl:CD1 (ICR) mouse. The mouse was sacrificed at 8 weeks of age after oral administration of a compound for 2 weeks. The left ovary was found to be cystically enlarged with dark red hemorrhaging. The cystic mass contained abundant blood plasma and erythrocytes. At the peripheral regions of the mass, large pleomorphic tumor cells with bizarre shaped nuclei were detected. Tumor cells contained a single large nucleus and abundant eosinophilic to amphophilic cytoplasm. Histopathology of the tumor cells resembled that of trophoblastic giant cells. Therefore, the observed ovarian lesion was diagnosed as a choriocarcinoma. No microscopic lesions were observed in the right ovary or other reproductive organs. Ovarian choriocarcinoma was considered to be of non-gestational origin. This is the first report of ovarian choriocarcinoma in a young ICR mouse.     

Is Tryptophan ‘more’ Essential than Other Essential Aminoacids in Development? A Morphologic Study

An ontogenetic study was designed on developing rats in uterus of mothers tryptophan deprived at day 1 (exp. 1) and day 14.5 (exp. 2) of conception to verify the supposed determining role of the serotoninergic system (SS) in sexual differentiation in mammals. Tryptophan-free feeding was pursued uninterruptedly in the litter after birth, during lactation and post-natal development. Tryptophan-free pregnant rats were obtained by exclusion of tryptophan sources from chow. In both exp. 1 and exp. 2, the litter showed at birth a significant physical under evolution that worsened, during post-natal development, to a much more marked dwarfism in exp. 1 pups. Growth hormone concentrations in both sexes of dwarf rats were lower than that in the control rats. At 30 days post-natal age, whereas exp. 1 female rats showed a right-timed onset of puberty, no descensus of testes could be observed in male rats of same experiment. Dwarf male rats showed an evident hypotrophy of the whole reproductive apparatus. In histological examination of testes, neither spermatogenesis nor Leydig cells have been observed. Moreover, dwarf female rats showed a pronounced hypotrophy of reproductive organs, but a normal puberal status pattern was evident. In exp. 2, litters showed a less pronounced dwarfism, but a normal right-timed onset of puberty in both male and female rats. Data indicate that role of tryptophan in physical and sexual maturation in both male and female rats is essential.     

Primary Unilateral Fibroleiomyoma of the Ovary in a Pregnant Mare: A Case Report

Fibroleiomyomas of the ovary are rare. This smooth muscle tumour may develop and increase in size during pregnancy. Diagnosis is based on histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Histologically, the ovarian fibroleiomyoma consists of non‐invasive bundles of smooth muscle cells that synthesize collagen‐like extracellular matrix. This case report describes an ovarian fibroleiomyoma in a pregnant multiparous broodmare with a history of intermittent signs of colic.