Successful outcome after surgical correction of large colon atresia in a colt foal

This report describes successful surgical correction and long-term survival of a case of large colon atresia in a 24-h-old Warmblood colt, referred with signs of unrelenting abdominal pain and a suspicion of meconium impaction. Radiographic and ultrasonographic examination was indicative of large colon meconium impaction with secondary ileus. Due to deterioration of the foal, surgery was recommended. An atretic segment was found between the left ventral and dorsal large (ascending) colon. A band of fibrous tissue with no identifiable lumen connected the segments. Surgical correction was done by performing a stapled side-to-side anastomosis. Twelve days after surgery, the foal was discharged. Twenty-two months after discharge, the owner reported the foal developing as expected compared with its peers, but had a mild, self-limiting episode of colic at 20 months of age.     

年龄、温度、膘情对伊犁马卵泡发育的影响

【目的】 研究新疆昭苏地区伊犁马发情周期内卵泡发育变化规律,分析年龄、温度、膘情对伊犁马母马卵泡发育的影响,为掌握伊犁马母马卵泡发育规律提供理论依据。【方法】 选取伊犁哈萨克自治州昭苏县康苏马业配种站内,同一草场放牧情况下84匹母马作为研究对象监测发情期内卵泡发育,分析对比不同年龄、温度、膘情对伊犁马卵泡发育时长的差异性。【结果】 年龄Ⅱ组TF3-F5显著高于年龄Ⅲ组(P＜0.05)。年龄Ⅱ组TF4-5显著高于年龄Ⅲ组(P＜0.05)。平均高温对TF1-F2具有显著影响(P＜0.05),平均高温Ⅰ组TF1-F2显著高于平均高温Ⅱ组(P＜0.05)。平均低温对TF1-F2具有极显著影响(P＜0.01),平均低温Ⅰ组TF1-F2极显著高于平均低温Ⅱ组(P＜0.01)。积温对TF1-F2具有显著影响(P＜0.05),积温Ⅱ组TF1-F2极显著高于积温Ⅰ组(P＜0.01)。膘情对TF1-F2、TF3-F4、TF1-F5、TF2-F5、TF3-F5均具有极显著影响(P＜0.01),对TF2-F3具有显著影响(P＜0.05)。膘情Ⅰ组TF1-F2极显著高于膘情Ⅲ组(P＜0.01)。膘情Ⅰ组TF2-F3显著高于膘情Ⅲ组(P＜0.05)。膘情Ⅲ组TF3-F4极显著低于膘情Ⅰ组(P＜0.01),膘情Ⅲ组TF3-F4显著低于膘情Ⅰ组、膘情Ⅱ组(P＜0.05)。膘情Ⅰ组TF1-F5极显著高于膘情Ⅱ组、膘情Ⅲ组(P＜0.01),膘情Ⅱ组TF1-F5显著高于膘情Ⅲ组(P＜0.05)。膘情Ⅰ组TF2-F5极显著高于第Ⅲ组(P＜0.01),膘情Ⅰ组TF2-F5显著高于膘情Ⅱ组、膘情Ⅲ组(P＜0.05)。【结论】 年龄、温度、膘情均一定程度的影响伊犁马母马的卵泡发育,其中膘情对卵泡发育有极显著影响,体况较差可抑制母马卵泡发育。     

Association of RBP‐4 gene polymorphisms with follicular cysts in large white sows

Follicular cysts, which is a common infertility disease, can cause financial losses in pig breeding programmes. The pathogenesis and mechanisms of the formation of follicular cysts are not understood clearly. In our previous study, the concentration of retinol‐binding protein 4 (RBP‐4) in the follicular fluid (FF) of the ovary with follicular cysts was found to be significantly higher than that of normal ovary, thereby suggesting that RBP‐4 may be a candidate biomarker for porcine follicular cysts. To study the association of RBP‐4 and follicular cysts further, we detected the polymorphisms of the RBP‐4 gene and the presence of follicular cysts by PCR‐Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. In this study, we screened the mutations of RBP‐4 gene in 79 sows with follicular cysts and 100 normal sows without cysts. Results showed that +249‐63G>C polymorphisms were significantly associated with follicular cysts, and sows with CC genotype in RBP‐4 gene had a high risk of developing follicular cysts. Hence, our findings further proved that RBP‐4 may be a novel biomarker for follicular cysts, which may be valuable for the diagnosis of follicular cysts and molecular breeding of pigs.     

The localization and expression of epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor in bovine ovary during oestrous cycle

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the important regulatory factors of EGF family. EGF has been indicated to effectively inhibit the apoptosis of follicular cells, to promote the proliferation of granulosa cells and the maturation of oocytes, and to induce ovulation process via binding to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). However, little is known about the distribution and expression of EGF and EGFR in cattle ovary especially during oestrous cycle. In this study, the localization and expression rule of EGF and EGFR in cattle ovaries of follicular phase and luteal phase at different time points in oestrous cycle were investigated by using IHC and real-time qPCR. The results showed that EGF and EGFR in cattle ovary were mainly expressed in granulosa cells, cumulus cells, oocytes, zona pellucida, follicular fluid and theca folliculi externa of follicles. The protein and mRNA expression of EGF/EGFR in follicles changed regularly with the follicular growth wave both in follicular and in luteal phase ovaries. In follicular phase ovaries, the protein expression of EGF and EGFR was higher in antral follicles than that of those in other follicles during follicular growth stage, and the mRNA expression of EGFR was also increased in stage of dominant follicle selection. However, in luteal phase ovaries, the growth of follicles was impeded during corpus luteum development under the action of progesterone secreted by granular lutein cell. The mRNA and protein expressions of EGF and EGFR in ovarian follicles during oestrous cycle indicate that they play a role in promoting follicular development in follicular growth waves and mediating the selection process of dominant follicles.     

绵羊卵泡发育过程中关键信号通路研究进展

卵泡从原始卵泡发育为成熟卵泡，直至排卵、黄体发育等过程都受到精密的调控，产生大量的优势卵泡是绵羊产多羔及实现快速扩繁的关键因素。研究发现，相关信号通路和转录因子通过影响绵羊卵泡中卵母细胞、颗粒细胞的生长，进而调控卵泡的发育成熟，对这些信号通路进行深入了解，有助于探索卵泡发育的调控机制，早日实现绵羊高效繁育。Notch是卵泡发育过程中发挥重要作用的高度保守信号通路，PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路各成员都是广泛存在于细胞内的信号转导分子，在卵泡发育早期发挥了主要作用，还有间隙连接（gap junction，GJ）和跨带突触（transzonal projections，TZPs）等物理连接方式，在细胞间的交流通讯起到重要作用。作者详细介绍了Notch信号通路、PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路、间隙连接及跨带突触的结构功能在绵羊卵泡发育中的调控作用，为进一步探明绵羊卵泡发育的调控机制提供参考。     

山羊卵泡卵母细胞的采集及体外成熟效果研究

为了获取高质量的卵泡卵母细胞，提高山羊体外胚胎生产的效率，采用切剖法与抽吸法采集卵泡卵母细胞，并对获得的可用卵母细胞进行了体外成熟培养。结果表明，切剖法能够获得较多的可用卵母细胞，可以明显增加用于体外成熟的卵母细胞数；卵母细胞的体外成熟率与卵泡直径密切相关，大卵泡与中卵泡的卵母细胞成熟率明显高于(P<0.05)小卵泡；山羊卵泡卵母细胞的体外成熟培养液中FCS的添加比例以10% ~ 15%为益。在一定范围内，提高FCS的浓度，并不能提高卵母细胞的成熟率。     

山羊卵泡细胞中bFGF基因表达和bFGF cDNA部分序列分析

建立了一种检测山羊(Caprane)卵泡中bFGF基因表达的RT—PCR技术。检测了在不同大小的山羊卵泡中bFGF基因表达情况。结果表明，在不同大小的卵泡细胞、卵丘卵母细胞复合体、颗粒细胞和卵泡膜中都检测到了bFGF的基因表达。同时．对山羊卵泡中的bFGF cDNA部分序列进行了，序列分析，并与牛和人的相应序列进行了比较，表明它们具有高度的序列相似性。