Improving ovulation in gilts using anti-inhibin serum treatment combined with fixed-time artificial insemination.

For successful batch farrowing, porcine oestrus and ovulation must be synchronized using fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). However, exogenous gonadotropins, which are currently used in FTAI, negatively affect gilt ovulation. Here, we aimed to improve sexually mature gilt superovulation efficiency using passive immunization against inhibin during FTAI.

Isolation, characterization and germline chimera preparation of primordial germ cells from the Chinese Meiling chicken.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are precursors of germline cells that can generate sperm and eggs in adults, making them promising tools for transgenic animal preparation and germplasm preservation, especially in avians. In this study, we purified the PGCs from circulating embryonic blood of Chinese Meiling chickens using Nycodenz density centrifugation, and characterized them by alkaline phosphatase (AKP) staining, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) immunostaining and PGC-specific gene amplification. The purified PGCs were also labeled with PKH26 and transferred into donor chicken embryos at the Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stage 14 to 16, and cells with red fluorescence were observed in the gonads of 8-d-old embryos.

Effect of shRNA-mediated Xist knockdown on the quality of porcine parthenogenetic embryos.

Background: Parthenogenetically activated oocytes exhibit poor embryo development and lower total numbers of cells per blastocyst accompanied by abnormally increased expression of Xist, a long noncoding RNA that plays an important role in triggering X chromosome inactivation during embryogenesis.

Results: To investigate whether knockdown of Xist influences parthenogenetic development in pigs. We developed an anti-Xist short hairpin RNA (shRNA) vector, which can significantly inhibit Xist expression for at least seven days when injected at 12-13 hr after parthenogenetic activation.

Non-invasive assessment of culture media from goat cloned embryos associated with subjective morphology by gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy-based metabolomic analysis.

Pre-implantation embryo metabolism demonstrates distinctive characteristics associated with the development potential of embryos. We aim to determine if metabolic differences correlate with embryo morphology. In this study, gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy (GC-MS)-based metabolomics was used to assess the culture media of goat cloned embryos collected from high-quality (HQ) and low-quality (LQ) groups based on morphology.

MBD1 and MeCP2 expression in embryos and placentas from transgenic cloned goats.

DNA methylation is an important form of epigenetic regulation in mammalian development. Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 1 (MBD1) and methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2 (MeCP2) are two members of the MBD subfamily of proteins that bind methylated CpG to maintain the silencing effect of DNA methylation. Given their important roles in linking DNA methylation with gene silencing, this study characterized the coordinated mRNA expression and protein localization of MBD1 and MeCP2 in embryos and placentas and aimed to analysis the effects of MBD1 and MeCP2 on transgenic cloned goats.

Age-associated and tissue-specific expression of osteopontin in male Hu sheep reproductive tract.

Osteopontin (OPN) is indispensable in mammalian reproduction, but the role of OPN in male reproductive tract and fertility remains unclear. The objective of this study is to elucidate the function of OPN by unveiling the localization and expression of OPN in the reproductive tract (testis, epididymis, and ductus deferens) of male Hu sheep in different ages (10-days, 4-months, and 8-months). To accomplish this, the localization, mRNA and protein expression patterns of OPN in all samples were investigated.

Generation and evaluation of Myostatin knock-out rabbits and goats using CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Myostatin (Mstn) is a conserved negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass in mammals. However, whether precise disruption of Mstn in livestock can be achieved and safely used to improve meat productivity has not been proven. We applied CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate Mstn knock-out (KO) rabbits and goats and then analyzed the changes in their phenotypes to answer this question.

Using cysteine/cystine to overcome oxidative stress in goat oocytes and embryos cultured in vitro.

Assisted reproductive techniques expose gametes to excessive concentrations of reactive oxygen species. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress on apoptosis in goat oocytes and embryonic development. The results demonstrated that the addition of 100 µM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into media produces an oxidative environment during oocyte maturation.

Transgenesis of humanized fat1 promotes n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis and expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in goat cells.

The n-3 fatty acid desaturase gene fat1 codes for the n-3 desaturase enzyme, which can convert n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to n-3 PUFAs. The n-3 PUFAs are essential components required for normal cellular function and have preventive and therapeutic effects on many diseases. Goat is an important domestic animal for human consumption of meat and milk.

Scd1 mammary-specific vector constructed and overexpressed in goat fibroblast cells resulting in an increase of palmitoleic acid and oleic acid.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (Scd1) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids. Overexpression of Scd1 in transgenic animals would modify the nutritional value of ruminant-derived foods by increasing the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and decreasing the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content. The aim of this study was to develop an effective Scd1 vector that is specifically expressed in dairy goat mammary glands.

Growth regulation, imprinting, and epigenetic transcription-related gene expression differs in lung of deceased transgenic cloned and normal goats.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a promising technique to produce mammalian transgenic clones. Only a small proportion of manipulated embryos, however, can develop into viable offspring. The abnormal growth and development of cloned animals, furthermore, are accompanied by aberrant lung development.

Age-associated changes in gene expression of goat oocytes.

Oocyte aging severely decreases the quality of oocytes, which hampers fertilization and subsequent embryo development. In the present study, age-dependent molecular changes in goat oocytes were investigated. First, the quality of goat oocytes with various in vitro culture times (24, 30, 36, 48, and 60 hours) was evaluated on the basis of developmental rates of parthenogenetically activated embryos and apoptosis of cumulus cells (CCs).

Production of myostatin-targeted goat by nuclear transfer from cultured adult somatic cells.

Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor-β family, acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. In this study, myostatin-targeted caprine fibroblasts were obtained and subjected to SCNT to determine whether myostatin-knockout goats could be created. Fibroblasts from a 2-mo-old goat were transfected with a myostatin-targeted vector to prepare transgenic donor cells for nuclear transfer.

Efficiency of donor cell preparation and recipient oocyte source for production of transgenic cloned dairy goats harboring human lactoferrin.

The objective was to investigate the effects of the transgenic donor cell synchronization method, oocyte sources, and other factors, on production of hLF-gene nucleus transfer dairy goats. Three transfected cell lines from ear biopsies from three 3-mo-old Saanen dairy goats (designated Number 1, Number 2, and Number 3, respectively) were selected as karyoplast donors for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) after detailed identification (including PCR and sequencing of PCR products). In donor cell cycle synchronization studies, the apoptosis rate of hLF transgenic fibroblasts was not different (P > 0.

Effect of different levels of short-term feed intake on folliculogenesis and follicular fluid and plasma concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and hormones in Hu sheep during the luteal phase.

This study investigated the effects of short-term food restriction or supplementation on folliculogenesis and plasma and intrafollicular metabolite and hormone concentrations. Ewes were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group received a maintenance diet (M) while the supplemented group and restricted group received 1.5×M and 0.