BACKGROUND Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of membrane channel proteins that facilitate bulk water transport. To date, 11 isoforms of AQPs have been reported to be expressed in the female and male reproductive systems. The purpose of our study was to determine the localization and quantitative changes in the expression of AQP1, 5 and 9 within the pig uterus during different stages of the estrous...

American Society of Animal Science members, publishing in Journal of Animal Science (JAS), completed research that resulted in understanding the estrous cycle of cattle, which led to the ability to inseminate cattle on a given day with pregnancy rates similar to those achieved by 21-d breeding by a fertile and sound bull. Research published in JAS led to understanding estrus, ovulation, the est...

The efficiency of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) sponges in combination with either pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) or cloprostenol (PGF2α) for inducing and synchronizing the estrous cycle in non-lactating Kivircik ewes was investigated during the natural non-breeding season. All ewes (n = 69) were treated with 60 mg MAP sponges for 12 days. In addition, each ewe received an intramu...

Since several years dynorphin, a member of the opioid peptide family, was suggested to play a regulatory role in numerous functional pathways of the brain. In line with its localization in hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus and striatum these functions resemble learning and memory, emotional control and stress response. Male prodynorphin-deficient (Dyn KO) mice display an anxiolytic phenotype ...

Inter-group encounters among baboons range from peaceful to aggressive.During 23 months we observed 110 inter-group interactions involving four groups of chacma baboons in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Results supported the hypothesis that male behavior functions to prevent extra-group males from gaining access to sexually receptive females. Males were more likely to chase females in their own ...

Reproductive efficiency is the most important factor impacting the economics of a cow calf operation. The economic value of reproduction for commercial beef producers was reported to be five times greater than calf growth (Trenkle and Willham, 1977). Maximizing reproductive efficiency depends upon the successful completion of the following events: a heifer must reach puberty before the start of...

Estradiol and progesterone induction of the LH surge in ovariectomized female rats requires concurrent activation of brain insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) receptors. The present study determined whether brain IGF1 receptor signaling is required for estrous cyclicity in gonadally intact female rats. A selective IGF1 receptor antagonist (JB-1) or vehicle was continuously administered into the...

The ultrastructure of neurosecretory cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the female rat in various stages of the estrous cycle was studied by electron microscopy. On account of the secretory cycle, the neurosecretory neurons were classified into four types, and the incidence of each type was counted throughout the estrous cycle. In proestrous afternoon, neurons at the phase of protein synth...

The objective of the experiment was to compare follicular dynamics, ovulatory response to GnRH, and synchrony of estrus and ovulation among estrous-cycling and prepubertal beef heifers synchronized with a controlled internal drug-release (CIDR)- based or GnRH-PGF(2alpha) (PG) protocol. Estrous-cycling beef heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments (C1, C2, C3, C4), and prepubertal bee...

MacDonald JK, Pyle WG, Reitz CJ, Howlett SE. Cardiac contraction, calcium transients, and myofilament calcium sensitivity fluctuate with the estrous cycle in young adult female mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 306: H938–H953, 2014. First published January 24, 2014; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00730.2013.—This study established conditions to induce regular estrous cycles in female C57BL/6J mice an...