Induction of accessory corpus luteum in goats and sheep: From physiological basis to reproductive effects / Indução de corpo lúteo acessório em caprinos e ovinos: Das bases fisiológicas aos efeitos reprodutivos

A identificação das ondas foliculares ovarianas e de seu padrão hormonal revelou que os folículos ovarianos dominantes da onda ovulatória (FDOO) crescem em ambiente hormonal com predominância crescente de estradiol, diferentemente daqueles da primeira (FDPO) e das ondas foliculares intermediárias (FDOI), que crescem sob forte impacto da progesterona (P4). O hormônio luteinizante (LH) é considerado o hormônio gonadotrófico decisivo para direcionar se um folículo dominante ovulará (↑ LH) ou não (↓ LH). Estratégias foram desenvolvidas para aumentar o LH endógeno (administração de GnRH) ou fornecer LH exógeno de origem suína (pLH) ou, ainda, gonadotrofinas semelhantes ao LH, como gonadotrofina coriônica humana (hCG). Estas medidas são capazes de disponibilizar LH para maturação final, ovulação e/ou luteinização de FDPO ou FDOI, formando corpos lúteos acessórios (CLa). Como consequência, a P4 aumenta e favorece o estabelecimento da gestação, sobretudo em condições em que a P4 for o fator limitante para a implantação e manutenção embrionária. Em ovelhas e cabras, em diferentes estudos, a hCG foi administrada de cinco a sete dias após o início do estro e revelou que o FDPO responde positivamente à administração de hCG, formando CLa e/ou promovendo a hipertrofia do CL formado originalmente, aumentando a área luteal. O incremento da P4 normalmente acompanha o aumento de área do tecido luteal. Como efeito final e mais desejável, a gestação e o nascimento de cordeiros/cabritos também aumentam. Esses conceitos serão discutidos na presente revisão sobre indução de CLa em ovinos e caprinos.

The identification of ovarian follicular waves and associated hormonal milieux has revealed that dominant follicles of the ovulatory wave (OWDF) grow in a hormonal environment where there is an increasing predominance of estradiol, unlike first-wave dominant follicles (FWDF) and intermediatewave dominant follicles (IWDF), which grow under increasing progesterone (P4) concentrations. The luteinizing hormone (LH) is considered the decisive gonadotropic hormone to direct whether a dominant follicle will (↑ LH) or will not (↓ LH) ovulate. Based on this, strategies have been developed to either increase endogenous LH (GnRH administration) or provide exogenous LH of porcine origin (pLH) or LH-like gonadotropins, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Such strategies are able to provide LH for final maturation, ovulation, and/or luteinization of the FWDF or IWDF, forming accessory corpora lutea (aCL). As a consequence, P4 increases and favors the establishment of pregnancy, particularly when P4 is the limiting factor for the success of the conceptus implantation and maintenance. In sheep and goats, previous studies have administered hCG five to seven days after the onset of estrus and revealed that FWDF positively respond to hCG administration by either forming aCLs and/or promoting hypertrofia of the original CL which, in turn, increases its luteal tissue area. Normally, P4 synthesis increases along with the increase in luteal tissue area. As a final and most desirable outcome, pregnancy and the birth of lambs/kids also increase. These concepts will be discussed in this review, focusing on aCL induction in sheep and goats.

Mini-Percoll technique induces similar capacitation features in domestic ruminant frozen-thawed spermatozoa regardless of the presence of heparin

Background: Sperm capacitation is a process consists of a series of functional, biochemical, and biophysical modificationsthat render the ejaculated sperm competent for oocyte fertilization. Secreted by the female reproductive tract epithelium,heparin promotes capacitation by binding to and removing seminal plasma proteins, which are adsorbed to the sperm PMand would inhibit capacitation. There is substantial evidence that cryopreservation promotes capacitation-like changes inbull, ram and buck sperm. Our general hypotheses were: (a) cryopreserved ram sperm suffer capacitation more quicklythan buck and bull sperm under the same conditions; (b) the capacitation status of ruminant cryopreserved sperm is similarwhether or not heparin is present after the mini-Percoll technique; and (c) ruminant frozen-thawed sperm selected by miniPercoll and incubated within media without heparin supplementation is not impaired in terms of capacitation status andsperm agglutination. This study aimed to compare sperm parameters of ovine, caprine, and bovine frozen-thawed spermafter mini-Percoll processing followed by incubation with or without heparin supplementation.Materials, Methods & Results: Commercial semen of all species were used. Sperm samples were selected by mini-Percolland supplemented (or not) with heparin within an incubation medium for 18 h. Sperm kinematics (CASA system analyzes),capacitation status (CTC staining) and sperm agglutination were evaluated after thawing, mini-Percoll, 1.5 h, 3 h, 6 h and18 h. In comparison with post-thawing analysis, ovine species demonstrated a reduction (P < 0.05) in most of the spermmotility parameters after mini-Percoll. Conversely, ovine samples presented...(AU)

Mini-Percoll technique induces similar capacitation features in domestic ruminant frozen-thawed spermatozoa regardless of the presence of heparin

Background: Sperm capacitation is a process consists of a series of functional, biochemical, and biophysical modificationsthat render the ejaculated sperm competent for oocyte fertilization. Secreted by the female reproductive tract epithelium,heparin promotes capacitation by binding to and removing seminal plasma proteins, which are adsorbed to the sperm PMand would inhibit capacitation. There is substantial evidence that cryopreservation promotes capacitation-like changes inbull, ram and buck sperm. Our general hypotheses were: (a) cryopreserved ram sperm suffer capacitation more quicklythan buck and bull sperm under the same conditions; (b) the capacitation status of ruminant cryopreserved sperm is similarwhether or not heparin is present after the mini-Percoll technique; and (c) ruminant frozen-thawed sperm selected by miniPercoll and incubated within media without heparin supplementation is not impaired in terms of capacitation status andsperm agglutination. This study aimed to compare sperm parameters of ovine, caprine, and bovine frozen-thawed spermafter mini-Percoll processing followed by incubation with or without heparin supplementation.Materials, Methods & Results: Commercial semen of all species were used. Sperm samples were selected by mini-Percolland supplemented (or not) with heparin within an incubation medium for 18 h. Sperm kinematics (CASA system analyzes),capacitation status (CTC staining) and sperm agglutination were evaluated after thawing, mini-Percoll, 1.5 h, 3 h, 6 h and18 h. In comparison with post-thawing analysis, ovine species demonstrated a reduction (P < 0.05) in most of the spermmotility parameters after mini-Percoll. Conversely, ovine samples presented...

Sincronização e indução do estro em caprinos leiteiros / Synchronization and induction of estrus in dairy goats

A estacionalidade reprodutiva em caprinos enfraquece a cadeia produtiva e torna inconstante a receitaobtida. Produtores procuram utilizar protocolos hormonais ou metodologias naturais visando obter melhoresíndices produtivos. As cabras apresentam padrão de estacionalidade distinto de acordo com a latitude que seencontram no Brasil e fatores como a nutrição, interações sociais e aspectos climáticos parecem ser componentesimportantes. Na estação reprodutiva, a sincronização do estro é obtida pelo uso de agentes luteolíticosintervalados por sete ou 11,5 dias. Na contra estação, a indução do estro sincronizado é obtida por meio dedispositivos intravaginais contendo progestágenos mantidos por seis dias em associação a diferentesgonadotropinas, aplicadas de 48 a 24 h antes da retirada do dispositivo. Hormônios indutores de ovulaçãotambém podem ser adotados. Igualmente, é importante considerar o estado fisiológico e a capacidadereprodutiva dos machos. No repouso sexual, os mesmos podem ser estimulados pelo uso da melatonina, manejodo fotoperíodo, o bioestímulo por cabras em estro e a aplicação de eCG. Dentre as estratégias naturais, destacaseo uso do efeito macho, efeito fêmea, controle artificial do fotoperíodo e a associação entre estes visando apromoção de sistemas orgânicos e sustentáveis a partir de métodos verdes, éticos e limpos.(AU)

The reproductive seasonality in goats weakens the productive chain and makes inconstant the income obtained.In this way, farmers usually apply hormonal protocols or natural techniques in order to improve productiveindexes. Goats present a distinct seasonal pattern according to the latitude found in Brazil and factors asnutrition, social interactions and climate appear to be important components. In the reproductive season, estrussynchronization is achieved by the use of luteolytic agents as prostaglandin analogs at intervals of seven or 11.5days. The induction of synchronized estrus is obtained through intravaginal devices containing natural orsynthetic progestogens for six days in association with gonadotropins applied 48 to 24 hours before deviceremoval. Ovulation-inducing hormones can also be adopted. Similarly, it is important to consider thephysiological status and reproductive capacity of males. At the nonbreeding season, bucks can be stimulated bythe use of melatonin, photoperiod management, by does in estrus and the administration of eCG. Among thenatural strategies, it is important to highlight the male and female effect, artificial control of photoperiod andtheir association, aiming to promote organic and sustainable systems applying green, ethical and clean methods.(AU)

Sincronização e indução do estro em caprinos leiteiros / Synchronization and induction of estrus in dairy goats

A estacionalidade reprodutiva em caprinos enfraquece a cadeia produtiva e torna inconstante a receitaobtida. Produtores procuram utilizar protocolos hormonais ou metodologias naturais visando obter melhoresíndices produtivos. As cabras apresentam padrão de estacionalidade distinto de acordo com a latitude que seencontram no Brasil e fatores como a nutrição, interações sociais e aspectos climáticos parecem ser componentesimportantes. Na estação reprodutiva, a sincronização do estro é obtida pelo uso de agentes luteolíticosintervalados por sete ou 11,5 dias. Na contra estação, a indução do estro sincronizado é obtida por meio dedispositivos intravaginais contendo progestágenos mantidos por seis dias em associação a diferentesgonadotropinas, aplicadas de 48 a 24 h antes da retirada do dispositivo. Hormônios indutores de ovulaçãotambém podem ser adotados. Igualmente, é importante considerar o estado fisiológico e a capacidadereprodutiva dos machos. No repouso sexual, os mesmos podem ser estimulados pelo uso da melatonina, manejodo fotoperíodo, o bioestímulo por cabras em estro e a aplicação de eCG. Dentre as estratégias naturais, destacaseo uso do efeito macho, efeito fêmea, controle artificial do fotoperíodo e a associação entre estes visando apromoção de sistemas orgânicos e sustentáveis a partir de métodos verdes, éticos e limpos.

The reproductive seasonality in goats weakens the productive chain and makes inconstant the income obtained.In this way, farmers usually apply hormonal protocols or natural techniques in order to improve productiveindexes. Goats present a distinct seasonal pattern according to the latitude found in Brazil and factors asnutrition, social interactions and climate appear to be important components. In the reproductive season, estrussynchronization is achieved by the use of luteolytic agents as prostaglandin analogs at intervals of seven or 11.5days. The induction of synchronized estrus is obtained through intravaginal devices containing natural orsynthetic progestogens for six days in association with gonadotropins applied 48 to 24 hours before deviceremoval. Ovulation-inducing hormones can also be adopted. Similarly, it is important to consider thephysiological status and reproductive capacity of males. At the nonbreeding season, bucks can be stimulated bythe use of melatonin, photoperiod management, by does in estrus and the administration of eCG. Among thenatural strategies, it is important to highlight the male and female effect, artificial control of photoperiod andtheir association, aiming to promote organic and sustainable systems applying green, ethical and clean methods.