Amyloid Beta Peptide (Aβ) Reverses the Cholinergic Control of Monocytic IL-1β Release.

Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), the cleavage product of the evolutionary highly conserved amyloid precursor protein, presumably plays a pathogenic role in Alzheimer's disease. Aβ can induce the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine intereukin-1β (IL-1β) in immune cells within and out of the nervous system. Known interaction partners of Aβ are α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs).

Evaluation of frozen thawed cauda epididymal sperms and in vitro fertilizing potential of bovine sperm collected from the cauda epididymal.

In the present study, the fertilizing potential of semen recovered from slaughtered bulls epididymis was evaluated after cryopreservation, by conventional techniques and flow cytometry methods. The cauda epididymal was dissected and sperm were recovered and evaluated for volume, sperm concentration, and membrane and acrosome integrity using a flow cytometer. Sperm fertility potential was tested by in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Effects of α-tocopherol and freezing rates on the quality and heterologous in vitro fertilization capacity of stallion sperm after cryopreservation.

The effects of supplementation of α-tocopherol and different freezing rates (FRs) on the ability of stallion sperm to fertilize bovine oocytes with intact zona pellucida were investigated, in an attempt to develop a model to assess cryopreserved sperm function. Semen was obtained from four purebred Lusitano stallions (n = 4). Each ejaculate was subjected to cryopreservation with a commercial extender (Ghent, Minitub Iberia, Spain), without any supplementation (control) or supplemented with 2-mM α-tocopherol.

OPTIMISATION OF TOTAL RNA EXTRACTION FROM BOVINE OOCYTES AND EMBRYOS FOR GENE EXPRESSION STUDIES AND EFFECTS OF CRYOPROTECTANTS ON TOTAL RNA EXTRACTION.

Gene expression is required for understanding bovine oocytes meiotic maturation as well as the potential of embryonic development. In the present study a standardized reagent protocol for total RNA extraction was designed for bovine oocytes and embryos, which is considered specific and less expensive. For such purpose oocytes (n = 795) recovered from about 80 ovaries were divided in three groups: Group 1 modified Trizol (MTP, n = 355); Group 2 Guanidinium thiocyanate protocol (GNTC, n = 140) and Group 3 Commercial Kit protocol (CKP, n = 60).

Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid on Boar Semen Quality After Long-term Refrigeration at 17°C.

In this study, the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (10 trans, 12 cis) (CLA) on refrigerated boar sperm quality parameters up to 14 days at 17°C was assessed. Semen was extended in Androhep and divided into four treatments supplemented with CLA (25, 50, 100 and 200 μm) and control group, then kept for 2 h at 22°C. Afterwards an aliquot of each treatment was removed, and mitochondrial activity, viability, lipid membrane peroxidation (LPO) and stability of the sperm plasma membrane were assessed by flow cytometry.