Follicular fluid composition in relation to follicular size in pregnant and non pregnant dromedary camels (Camelus dromedaries)

ABSTRACT

aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the reproduct ive status of female dromedary camels ( pregnant vs. non - pregnant ) on the chemical composition, hormonal profile and antioxidant capacity of follicular fluid collected from different sized ovarian follicles during the breeding season . One hundred ovaries we re collected at slaughter house from fifty female dromedary camel s . The ovaries were collected in pairs from each animal and allocated into two groups according to the reproductive status of the females ; 25 pairs were obtained from pregnant females and 25 p airs were obtained from non - pregnant animals . The follicles on each ovary were categorized according to their diameter into three categories; small ( 1 - 3 mm), medium (4 - 9 mm) and large ( 10 - 20 mm). Follicular fluid (FF) aspirated from each follicle category from each pair of ovaries w as analyzed . The results showed that the average number of follicles per ovary was greater ( P < 0.05) in the ovaries obtained from non - pregnant females compared to those collected from pregnant ones ( 6.4 ± 1.2 vs . 3.6 ± 0.9, resp ectively). Progesterone concentrations were significantly higher in the follicular fluid collected from all follicle categories in pregnant animals than those obta ined from non - pregnant animals . Glucose concentration s were higher (P < 0.05) in the follicul ar fluid collected from large follicles in the non - pregnant group (64.9 ± 6.1 mg/d l ) than those obtained from the same follicle category in the pregnant ovaries (45.4 ± 4.0 mg/d l ). C oncentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) were higher (P < 0.05) in the FF co llected from small, medium and large follicles in pregnant ovaries than non - pregnant ones . In conclusion , these data indicate that FF composition differ s according to the reproductive status of the female . In pregnant camels, the p resence of the corpus lut eum on the ovar ies could play an important role not only in the process of follicle growth and development , but also in the concentrations of biochemical metabolites and hormonal profiles in the FF of dromedary camels.