ABSTRACT
Folliculogenesis is a process of development and maturation of the ovarian follicles, being essential for the maintenance of fertility. In in vivo conditions, 99.9% of the follicles of an ovary do not ovulate and undergo atresia. In order to minimize this loss and to clarify the existing mechanisms, a technique was developed that allows for the in vitro follicular development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations on the in vitro culturing of equine preantral follicles. Ovaries (n = 10) were collected from a local slaughterhouse of mares in seasonal anestrus, washed with 70% alcohol and PBS, and transported. The inner portion of the ovary was divided into 11 fragments of approximately 3 × 3 × 1 mm. A fragment of each ovary was immediately fixed in Bouin (control group). The remaining 10 fragments were individually cultured for 2 and 6 d. The medium was supplemented with different concentrations of EGF (0, 10, 50, 100, and 200 ng/mL). After cultivation, the fragments were processed and classified according to the developmental stage and morphology. In total, 1065 slides containing 6105 tissue sections were evaluated. Within 2 d of culture, there was a higher proportion of intact follicles at the EGF concentrations of 0 and 100 ng/mL (p > 0.05). After 6 d of culture, only the EGF concentration of 100 ng/mL demonstrated a difference when compared to the other treatments (0, 10, 50 and 200 ng/mL of EGF, p > 0.05). There was follicular development after 2 d at all EGF concentrations. Thus, we suggest that EGF promotes follicular survival in equines at a concentration of 100 ng/mL in in vitro cultures of ovarian fragments for 2 d. In addition, we suggest that EGF promotes follicular survival in equines at a concentration of 100 ng/mL in situ cultivation.
Subject(s)
Culture Media/pharmacology , Epidermal Growth Factor/pharmacology , Ovarian Follicle/cytology , Animals , Cell Shape/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Cells, Cultured , Female , HorsesABSTRACT
A pitiose equina é uma infecção micótica proliferativa, invasiva e ulcerativa, causada por um pseudofungo aquático denominado Pythium insidiosum pertencente ao reino Stramenopila, filo Oomycota, família Pythiaceae, gênero Pythium e espécie P. insidiosum, que atinge pele e subcutâneo, sendo responsável por formar feridas com massas granulomatosas ulcerativas acompanhada por secreções serossanguinolentas e massas necróticas denominadas kunkers. A pitiose pode atingir outras espécies além dos equinos como caninos, bovinos, ovinos, felinos e humanos, porém os equinos são os mamíferos mais atingidos. Vários protocolos para o tratamento têm sido utilizados, como métodos químicos, cirúrgico e mais recentemente imunoterápico. O presente artigo relata um caso de pitiose equina no norte do Paraná, submetido ao tratamento com imunoterapia (Pitium-vac)®, apresentando resultados positivos.
Equine Pythiosis is a fungal proliferative, invasive and ulcerative infection caused by a water pseudofungus known as Pythium insidiosum belonging to the Stramenopila kingdom, phylum Oomycota, Pythiaceae family, Pythium insidiosum genus and species, which affects the skin and subcutaneous layer, responsible for the formation of wounds with ulcerative granulomatous masses accompanied by serum-bloody secretions and necrotic masses referred to as kunkers. Pythiosis can affect species other than horses, such as dogs, cattle, sheep, cats and humans, but horses are the most widely affected mammals. Several treatment protocols have been used, such as chemical, surgical methods and more recently immunotherapy. This article reports a case of equine Pythiosis in northern Parana undergoing immunotherapy (Pitium-vac)®, with positive results.
La pitiosis equina es una infección proliferativa fúngica, invasiva y ulcerosa causada por un pseudofungo acuático llamado Pythium insidiosum perteneciente al reino Stramenopila, phylum Oomycota, familia Pythiaceae, género Pythium y especie P. insidiosum, que afecta la piel y subcutáneo, siendo responsable por formar heridas con masas granulomatosas ulcerosas acompañados de secreciones serosangrientas y masas necróticas llamadas kunkers. La pitiosis puede ocurrir en otras especies además de los equinos, como perros, ganados, ovejas, gatos y seres humanos, pero los equinos son los mamíferos más afectados. Varios protocolos para el tratamiento ya se han utilizado como métodos químicos, quirúrgicos y más recientemente la inmunoterapia. En este artículo se reporta un caso de pitiosis equina en el norte de Paraná, sometido al tratamiento con inmunoterapia (Pitium-vac) ®, con resultados positivos.
