Reproduction Abstracts

Background: Turner syndrome in human arises from the loss of genetic material from a sex chromosome, resulting in the 45,XO genotype, with the remaining X chromosome being maternally-inherited (Xm) or paternally-inherited (Xp). As the gene dosage and expressions of Xp and Xm chromosomes are epigenetically different, this study aims to investigate the different influences of Xm and Xp on placental phenotype, using a mouse model.Methods: 14 placentas from ...

Introduction: Both obesity and mood disorders associate with altered glucocorticoid (GC) secretion and action. During pregnancy placenta regulates foetal exposure to maternal GC through enzymatic clearance (HSD-2) and retrograde transfer (ABC transporters). We and others have shown that maternal obesity and/or mood disorders alter placental HSD-2 mRNA level. We therefore hypothesised that placental ABC transporter gene expression is also altered, and investigated this using sa...

Mating is a source of signals to the female reproductive tract to ensure reproductive success. Previously, we reported that mating induces the expression of carbohydrate sulfotransferase 10 (CHST10) in the rat endosalpynx. This enzyme participates in the sulfation of the carbohydrate motif named human natural killer 1 (HNK1), synthesized over membrane proteins and lipids. Both molecules, CHST10 and HNK1, are involved in cell-to-cell interactions. Herein, we determined the effe...

Introduction: Early developmental events in the testis set the scene for future spermatogenesis. After birth, gonocytes, the precursors to type-A spermatogonia reproliferate and become transiently motile in a poorly understood process. Aberrations are associated with altered fertility or pre-malignant states. Gonocytes exist as overlapping subpopulations at varying developmental stages, which makes them difficult to study.Materials and methods: Transgeni...

Early pregnancy loss (EPL) affecting between 6 and 15% of equine pregnancies remains a significant issue for the £3.5 billion Thoroughbred breeding and equestrian industries. Very little is known about the causes of pregnancy failure in the horse, although it is likely to involve a multitude of failed physiological processes and/or environmental insults. Our laboratory aims to identify key mechanisms that regulate the differentiation and function of trophoblast cells in b...

Hyperandrogenism and dysregulated follicle development both characterise polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), however little is known about how androgens affect early preantral follicle development. Recent evidence suggests that androgens may act, in part, through non-classical modulation of growth factor signalling pathways. Members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family play a role in promoting preantral follicle development in the mouse, with receptor subtypes EGFR, ErbB2...

In a previous study, following IVF, oocytes from gilts fed a high fibre diet for the first 19 days of their third oestrous cycle, produced blastocysts with more cells than oocytes from control-fed gilts. We hypothesise that FF protein composition is altered by the diet and that this confers the reproductive benefits.The current study compared the protein composition of pooled Day 19 FF from 12 high fibre-fed pigs and 12 control-fed pigs in search of biom...

Each egg, when ovulated from a follicle, is surrounded by cumulus cells. Prior to ovulation, these cumulus cells secrete cumulus extracellular matrix (cECM) molecules, resulting in cumulus expansion. Cumulus expansion has been linked to the developmental quality of the oocyte. Hyaluronan (HA), the major constituent of the cECM, is stabilised by molecules such as heavy chains (HCs), pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and tumour necrosis factor-stimulated gene 6 (TSG6) during expansion. All of ...

Background: Waddlia chondrophila (W. chondrophila) is an emerging abortifacient pathogen which has been identified in the placentae of humans and cattle. The organism is a member of the order Chlamydiales, and shares many similarities at the genome level, and in growth studies, with other well-characterised zoonotic chlamydial abortifacients, such as Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus). We have previously observed significant responses i...

Introduction: It is understood that active agents in seminal fluid are key to initiating and coordinating mating-induced immunomodulation. This study aimed to characterise the structure of a network of cytokines whose interactions are thought to underpin this process in rats and mice.Methods: Seminal fluid, collected from isolated seminal glands, and serum, collected by cardiac puncture, were obtained from sexually mature Wistar rats (n=20) and ...