Endometrial Adenocarcinoma and Mucometra in a 6-year-old Alaska Malamute Dog

A 6-year-old female Alaska Malamute dog was presented for evaluation of abdominal enlargement referred by a local veterinarian. On the history, the owner complained of chronic abdominal enlargement initiated more than 4 months ago, reduced appetite, occasional vomiting and general dullness. He also complained of greenish mucous intermittent vaginal discharge starting 10 days ago. The bitch was chronically treated with medroxiprogesterone acetate. A laparatomy was performed and fluid in the abdomen was found and aspirated during the surgery. Also a very fluid-filled distended uterus and a mass in the distal part of the left uterine horn were found. The mass was encapsulated by the omentum, but areas of necrosis and calcification were identified. Histopathological diagnosis was endometrial adenocarcinoma.     

Apoptosis-independent Poor Morphology of Bovine Embryos Produced by Multiple Ovulation

In multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) programmes in cattle, a considerable number of morphologically poor-quality embryos continue to be produced; this is one of the limiting factors of the technique. Apoptosis has often been implicated in developmental arrest and fragmentation; these are regarded as poor traits of embryonic quality in mammalian pre-implantation embryos. In the present study, apoptosis was assessed in morphologically poor-quality embryos in comparison with good-quality embryos that were recovered from a MOET programme. Retarded embryos (two to 16 cell stage), morulae with severe fragmentation and morphologically good-quality morulae recovered from superstimulated cows at day 7 post-insemination were subjected to TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) and Hoechst staining. Cell nuclei that showed both TUNEL staining and apoptotic morphology were considered to be apoptotic. Apoptotic index (AI) was calculated as the percentage of apoptotic cells per embryo. Fifteen of 17 retarded embryos and 10 of 15 morphologically poor-quality morulae did not show signs of apoptosis. The mean AIs in the morphologically poor-quality embryos (two to 16 cell stage, 2.2%; poor morulae, 1.3%) were as low as that in the good-quality embryos (2.9%). These results suggest that another mode of developmental arrest and/or fragmentation that is independent of apoptosis occurs in morphologically poor-quality embryos recovered from MOET programmes.     

Carbohydrate metabolism and hepatic zonation in the Atlantic hagfish,Myxine glutinosa liver: effects of hormones

Viable Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) hepatocytes were isolated from combined or separated large and small lobes and carbohydrate metabolism was studied. Cells had low levels of glycogen (16–30 μmol·g⁻¹), and low rates of total glucose production (TGP; 0–480 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹ cells). Lactate flux to glucose (5.5 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹) and CO₂ (76 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹) was lower than reported values for teleosts, with a low percentage (30%) of the lactate carbon reaching glucose. Insulin significantly increased total glucose production and gluconeogenesis and decreased 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase (PFK-1) activities and glucose oxidation, while glucagon was without effect on any parameter studied. Forskolin significantly increased TGP. Epinephrine (Epi), norepinephrine (NEpi), isoproterenol (Iso), and phenylephrine (Phe) all decreased CO₂ production from lactate; propanolol blocked the effects of Epi, NEpi, and Iso. The large lobe, accounting for 65% of total liver mass, had a higher glycogen content and higher CO₂ production from lactate compared to the small lobe. Furthermore, enzyme activities in the large lobe were greater than in the small lobe, with the exception of glycogen phosphorylase (GPase) which exhibited smaller %a values in the large lobe. These data indicate the presence of a hormonally-responsive carbohydrate metabolism in hagfish hepatocytes, which is qualitatively and quantitatively different between the two liver lobes.