Proteome changes of porcine follicular fluid during follicle development.

Background: Ovarian follicular fluid influences follicle and oocyte growth, but the fluctuation of its protein content during folliculogenesis has not been comprehensively analyzed. Here we used a shotgun approach and bioinformatics analyses to investigate and compare the proteomes of porcine follicular fluid (pFF) obtained from small (< 4 mm), medium (4-6 mm) and large (> 6-12 mm) follicles.

Results: Follicular fluid samples containing highest estrogen levels were selected as non-atretic from small (SNA: 26.

Uncovering sperm metabolome to discover biomarkers for bull fertility.

Background: Subfertility decreases the efficiency of the cattle industry because artificial insemination employs spermatozoa from a single bull to inseminate thousands of cows. Variation in bull fertility has been demonstrated even among those animals exhibiting normal sperm numbers, motility, and morphology. Despite advances in research, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the causes of low fertility in some bulls have not been fully elucidated.

Seasonal variation in equine follicular fluid proteome.

Background: Proteomic studies of follicular fluid (FF) exist for several species, including the horse; however, the seasonal influence on FF proteome has not been explored in livestock. The application of high-throughput proteomics of FF in horse has the potential to identify seasonal variations of proteins involved in follicle and oocyte growth.

Methods: This study (i) profiles the proteomes of equine FF collected from dominant growing follicles during the spring anovulatory season (SAN), and spring (SOV), summer (SUM), and fall (FOV) ovulatory seasons; and (ii) identifies season-dependent regulatory networks and associated key proteins.

Molecular morphology and function of bull spermatozoa linked to histones and associated with fertility.

Sub-par fertility in bulls is influenced by alterations in sperm chromatin, and it might not be solved with increased sperm concentration in artificial insemination. Appropriate histone retention during sperm chromatin condensation plays critical roles in male fertility. The objective of this study was to determine failures of sperm chromatin condensation associated with abnormal persistence or accessibility of histones by aniline blue (ANBL) test, expression levels, and cellular localizations of one variant and two core histones (H3.

In vitro effects of relaxin on gene expression in porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes and developing embryos.

Background: Relaxin hormone peptide is found in porcine follicular and utero-tubal fluids, but its possible actions during early embryo development are still undetermined. Here, we investigated the effects of porcine relaxin during oocyte maturation and embryo development, and gene expression in the pig.

Methods: Immature cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were obtained from ovarian follicles of sows.

Examination of relaxin and its receptors expression in pig gametes and embryos.

Background: Relaxin is a small peptide also known as pregnancy hormone in many mammals. It is synthesized by both male and female tissues, and its secretions are found in various body fluids such as plasma serum, ovarian follicular fluid, utero-oviduct secretions, and seminal plasma of many mammals, including pigs. However, the presence and effects of relaxin in porcine gametes and embryos are still not well-known.

Effects of supplemental progesterone on the development, metabolism and blastocyst cell number of bovine embryos produced in vitro.

The objectives of the present experiment were to determine whether supplementation with progesterone (LO, 1 ng mL(-1) or HI, 100 ng mL(-1)) during either the first (Culture-1, Day 1 to 3) or second (Culture-2, Day 4 to 7) phase of culture of in vitro-produced embryos alters embryo development, embryo metabolism or blastocyst cell number. The percentage of oocytes that cleaved, the percentage of cleaved embryos that developed to the morula stage or greater, the blastocyst stage or greater or the hatched blastocyst stage were similar among treatments. Quantities of glucose metabolised per blastocyst per hour were similar, but when metabolic data was normalised for numbers of cells in each blastocyst, the LO treatment during Culture-2 metabolised more glucose (P=0.

Developmental and molecular correlates of bovine preimplantation embryos.

Expression of embryonic genes is altered in different culture conditions, which influence developmental potential both during preimplantation and fetal development. The objective of this study was to define the effects of culture conditions on: bovine embryonic development to blastocyst stage, blastocyst cell number, apoptosis and expression patterns of a panel of developmentally important genes. Bovine embryos were cultured in vitro in three culture media containing amino acids, namely potassium simplex optimization medium (KSOMaa), Charles Rosenkrans 1 (CR1aa) and synthetic oviductal fluid (SOFaa).