Assessment of age-related morphological changes in the testes of post-hatch light ecotype Nigerian indigenous chicken

The age-related morphological changes of the testes in light ecotype Nigerian indigenous chicken were evaluated in this study using gross anatomical, histological and histomorphometric techniques. The results showed that the testes of 3- to 9-month-old birds were light pink while testes of sexually mature chicken were creamy white in colour. The left and right testicular weight, length, diameter, circumference and the organosomatic indices increased significantly (p < .05) with increasing age across the groups. Although the mean tubular diameter and epithelial height of the left and right seminiferous tubules increased significantly (p < .05) with age, the tubular diameter, epithelial height and luminal diameter did not vary significantly (p > .05) between the left and right testes of all the groups. The one-cell layer thick germinal epithelium of the left testes at 3 to 6 months old showed islands of cell proliferation that contained spermatogonia and spermatocytes. At 6 to 9 months, the left testes exhibited numerous early spermatids with occasional occurrence of late stage spermatids while the right testes showed scanty early stage spermatids. At 12 to 18 months, the germinal epithelia of both left and right testes were characterized by the presence of Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, numerous early and late stage spermatids as well as spermatozoa. In conclusion, the morphological features highlighted in the present study show that at pre-pubertal periods, the left testes may develop faster than the right testes. However, both left and right testes may participate actively in the production of spermatozoa during the post-pubertal life.     

白牦牛卵母细胞的采集方法及卵巢贮存条件对其体外成熟的影响

探讨了白牦牛卵母细胞的采集方法以及卵巢保存温度和时间对其体外成熟的影响。结果表明:先抽吸卵泡,每卵巢平均可获可用卵母细胞4.7枚,再切割卵巢,可显著提高可用卵母细胞数9.8枚/卵巢。将屠宰白牦牛卵巢分别置于20~29℃和30~38℃的生理盐水中,6 h内收集卵母细胞,其成熟率、卵裂率分别为65.7%、41.3%和73.3%、45.7%,两者之间的差异均不显著,但均与<20℃组(16.0%、0)差异显著。在30~38℃下,白牦牛卵巢保存时间超过6 h,卵母细胞的成熟率和卵裂率显著下降,卵巢保存时间在2 h以内最好,最晚不超过6 h。     

谷氨酰胺对延边黄牛卵母细胞成熟及重组胚发育的影响

为了提高卵母细胞的成熟率及重组胚胎的发育率,在体外成熟液中添加了不同浓度的谷氨酰胺,研究谷氨酰胺对延边黄牛卵母细胞成熟的影响,并观察它对重组胚胎后续发育的影响,从中筛选出最佳的体外培养条件。结果表明,1.0 mmol/L的谷氨酰胺能够显著提高卵母细胞的成熟率,同时也能提高囊胚发育率。说明谷氨酰胺能够提高延边黄牛卵母细胞的体外成熟率,并能促进囊胚发育。     

牛卵泡卵母细胞的体外成熟和冷冻保存

在简化牛卵母细胞体外成熟的基础上,观察了保护剂、平衡温度、预平衡方法、解冻方法以及冷冻方法对牛卵泡卵母细胞冷冻的影响。结果表明:在体外成熟培养液中添加26.2 mmol/L的NaHCO3和对屠宰场卵巢进行选择更能促进牛卵母细胞的体外成熟;无论是程序冷冻还是玻璃化冷冻,乙二醇(EG)与甘油(GLY)相比更能促进牛卵泡卵母细胞的冷冻效果;在程序冷冻中,冷冻液中添加0.1 mol/L蔗糖比添加0.3mol/L的蔗糖更能促进牛卵泡卵母细胞的冷冻;在玻璃化冷冻中,37℃和25℃的平衡温度比4℃更适合牛卵泡卵母细胞的冷冻;在10%、5%、1%的预平衡浓度之间,5%的预平衡浓度即可达到预平衡的效果;在解冻时,多步脱除保护剂更能保护冷冻的卵母细胞;比较了几种最小样本量(minimum size sample,MSS)玻璃化冷冻方法,解冻成熟培养后的成熟率,拉细毛细玻璃管冷冻法为(41.67±3.19)%,极显著高于未拉细毛细玻璃管冷冻法(glassmicropipette,GMP)的(30.19±1.93)%和固体表面冷冻法(solid surface vitrification,SSV)的(28.33±2.89)%(P<0.01)。     

牛卵母细胞体外受精和培养技术

本文综述了牛卵母细胞体外受精和体外成熟技术的研究进展,包括精子的体外获能、卵母细胞成熟培养和体外受精、体外受精早期胚胎的培养等,并且对影响该技术的主要原因进行了分析。     

羔羊期和性成熟期奶山羊下丘脑中催产素的表达

采用免疫组化链霉素抗生物素蛋白-过氧化物酶法(SP法),检测羔羊期和性成熟期雌性奶山羊下丘脑中催产素表达的变化规律.结果显示,催产素免疫反应阳性神经元在羔羊和性成熟羊的视上核、室旁核、乳头体内侧核等核团均有分布,在羔羊的室周核、视前内侧核等核团广泛分布,但在性成熟羊的这些核团却未见分布.在视上核、室旁核、乳头体内侧核等核团的催产素免疫阳性神经元数量,性成熟羊显著高于羔羊(P＜0.01);这些核团中催产素免疫阳性产物的平均灰度值,羔羊显著低于性成熟羊(P＜0.01),在其他核团则羔羊高于性成熟羊,且大部分差异明显(P＜0.01).结果提示,性成熟羊下丘脑中除室周核、视前内侧核等核团外,室旁核、视上核、乳头体内侧核、乳头体后核等核团,催产素的表达高于羔羊,说明这些核团对生殖系统的发育成熟可能有重要作用.     

Ultrastructural Morphology and Nuclear Maturation Rates of Immature Equine Oocytes Vitrified with Different Solutions and Exposure Times

Ultrastructural morphological injuries and maturation rates were investigated in equine oocytes exposed to vitrification solutions (VS) containing synthetic ice blockers (SIBs) during different exposure times. In experiment 1, compact cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs; n = 30) were randomly allocated to treatments: (1) fresh fixed (control); (2) VS-1 (1.4 M dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] + 1.8 M ethylene glycol [EG] + 1% SIB) for 3 minutes of equilibrium time and VS-2 (2.8 M DMSO + 3.6 M EG + 0.6 M sucrose + 1% SIB) for 1 minute (Eq-long); and (3) VS-1 for 1.5 minutes and VS-2 for 30 seconds (Eq-short). In experiment 2, compact (n = 248) and expanded (n = 264) COCs were evenly distributed to the following treatments: (1) immediate maturation in vitro (control); (2) vitrification using the Eq-short protocol as in experiment 1; and (3) vitrification using a stock solution containing 2.8 M formamide, 2.8 M DMSO, 2.7 M EG, 7% polyvinylpyrrolidone, and 1% SIB (Eq-short-mod). More (P < .02) oocytes with normal ultrastructural morphology were seen in fresh control and Eq-short groups than in Eq-long group. Metaphase-II (MII) rates were higher (P < .05) for oocytes with expanded cumulus than compact cumulus in the control group, and higher (P < .05) for oocytes with expanded cumulus than compact cumulus in Eq-short and Eq-short-mod groups. No difference in MII rates was detected among groups within each type of COC. In conclusion, reduction of exposure time to VS better preserved oocyte ultrastructural features, and MII rates were higher for vitrified oocytes with expanded cumulus. This study advances our knowledge on potential alternatives for vitrification of immature equine oocytes.     

Effects of Estradiol and Testosterone on the Expression of Growth‐related Genes in Female and Male Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

Nile tilapia exhibits strong sexual growth dimorphism. The potential role of sex steroid hormones in sexual growth dimorphism is not fully understood. We investigated the effects of estradiol (E₂) and testosterone (T) on growth rate, plasma sex hormones, and expression of growth hormone (GH)‐insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) axis genes and muscle regulatory factor (MRF) genes in female and male Nile tilapia. The results revealed that serum concentrations of E₂ and T were significantly higher after correlative injection (P < 0.05). Compared to male fish, female fish had lower growth rates. E₂ increased growth performance in females with no significant effects on males, whereas T significantly increased growth performance in males, with no significant effects on females. In females, E₂ significantly increased expression of ghr1, ghr2, igf1, and igf2, while T decreased igf2 and increased ghr1 and ghr2 expression. In males, T increased expression of igf1, igf2, ghr1, and ghr2, and E₂ decreased expression of igf1, ghr1, and ghr2. Additionally, E₂ and T enhanced the expression of MRF genes (myod1, myod2, myog, and myf5) in female and male fish, respectively. The results suggest that sex steroid hormones play a role in sexual growth dimorphism by regulating the expression of GH‐IGF axis and MRF genes.     

日本鳗鲡繁殖生物学研究概述

日本鳗鲡(Anguilla japonica)是中国和日本最广泛养殖的鱼类之一。其养殖基于对天然玻璃鳗的捕捞,从而导致天然玻璃鳗资源逐渐出现严重的匮乏。为解决此问题,众多研究者致力于玻璃鳗的人工繁殖。主要阐述了30年来日本鳗鲡繁殖生物学研究的相关成果:在亲鳗催熟前需进行强化培育,雌、雄鳗达到性成熟需要不同的催熟药物和催熟时间,17,20-β-二羟孕酮(DHP)的催产效果较好;温度、盐度、水体离子含量等环境因子对胚胎和仔鱼发育影响较大;自由氨基酸、卵黄脂蛋白和硝化甘油是受精卵及卵黄囊期仔鱼的主要能源物质,磷脂是辅助能源物质;用鲨鱼卵冷冻干燥粉末添加复合维生素、磷虾提取液等制成的浆状饵料是仔鱼较适宜的开口饵料;胚胎发育进程为初孵仔鱼体长3.5mm,仅分化出咽,从第7天开始,仔鱼具有消化和吸收食物的能力并出现大幅生长,到100d时,仔鱼已具有较强的免疫能力。     

南海区驯养条石鲷亲鱼的初次性成熟和产卵

2008年4月初在广东省饶平县对2006年5月人工孵化和培育的2龄条石鲷（ Oplegnathus fasciatus）成熟亲鱼进行激素诱导,研究和观察条石鲷亲鱼初次性成熟的繁殖生物学。结果显示,在南海区全人工养殖的条石鲷亲鱼初次性成熟年龄为2龄,成熟亲鱼的最小型为全长245 mm、体质量610 g,最大个体为全长300 mm、体质量1450 g;产卵季节为4月10日~7月15日,产卵盛期为4月中旬至6月下旬;为升温产卵型鱼类,产卵温度为20.0~28.8℃,适宜的产卵温度为20.7~27.6℃;雌、雄亲鱼发育同步,个体大小和成熟年龄差别不大;雌鱼属于一年一次分批产卵类型,产卵期超过3个月;24尾初次性成熟雌性亲鱼的总产卵量为3180.0×104粒,日最高产卵量为341.5×104粒;其产卵量和受精卵质量与水温的变化关系密切,受精卵的浮卵率随温度的变化而变化,在水温相对衡定时,浮卵率相对稳定并维持在80%~95%的较高水平;受精卵平均卵径为（0.860±0.023）mm,油球径为（0.191±0.009）mm。