1,721,059 research outputs found
Ovine as animal model to monitoring environmental modifications in order to perform the conservative management of the natural grasslands respecting the animal welfare
No full textThe use of ovine in the study of climatic and seasonal environmental modifications, affecting the productivity of
natural/semi-natural grasslands used for zootechnic purposes, is presented. Integrate monitoring of summer rainfall, grassland productivity and anatomical modifications, regarding rumen epithelium keratinization degree and Surface Enlargement Factor during pasture vegetative cycles, has been approached. Body Condition Score (BCS) was validate as representative parameter of morpho-functional changes strictly correlated with ecologicalproductive
modifications of grassland systems. In addition, the threshold values for summer rainfall able to guaranty a sufficient
pasture productivity, keratinization degree able to permit a suitable rumen absorption and BCS able to demonstrate a good animal welfare, were defined. Rumen ventral sac keratinization and BCS were monitored also into two applied researches: the early, to evaluate the ovine effectiveness in the wood fire prevention setting the length of animal stay on Brachipodium rupestre high covered pasture, without negatively affects their wellbeing; the late, to
achieve an environmental and economic sustainable management of grassland productive ecosystems to face the increasing drought stress, linked to climate changes, affecting herbage features, carrying capacity and animal welfare, also representing a threat to biodiversity conservation and livestock rearing. The farm income is a key tool for the biodiversity conservation of grassland ecosystems, and the research must give the guidelines useful to
reconcile environmental and economic sustainability. The bottom up strategy involving the stakeholders is a fundamental tool for both the biodiversity conservation and the integration of farm income purposes. It also represents the driver for the territory development. As 3Rs regards, research respected the REPLACE
concept by the validation of BCS as representative of anatomic changes assessable on dead body or biopsy, the REDUCE one because only animals intended for human consumption were used, and as the REFINE regards, the experimental conditions corresponded to the naturalones
Immunohistochemical study of CB1 and CB2 in the pig mandibular gland: the influence on their expression of different physical forms of diet to growing pigs.
No full textPresence and distribution of leptin and its receptor in the minor salivary glands of the donkey
No full textLeptin is a hormone widely diffused in the mammalian body in which it plays functions that go far beyond control of appetite and energy metabolism. The finding that it is present in the major salivary glands of various animal species is of interest for the functional implications that it may imply.
Since there are no data on the presence of leptin and its receptor in the minor salivary glands, the aim of this study was to demonstrate their presence and distribution in such glands of donkeys. This latter was chosen as species of reference because the monogastric herbivore shows intense salivation during their masticatory activity.
Tissue samples were collected from four adult donkeys, of both sexes, following slaughter. Samples were fixed, embedded in paraffin, and processed for immunohistochemical analysis using primary antibodies directed against leptin and its receptor. Controls for non-specific staining were always included.
Leptin and its receptor were found in the minor salivary glands. Their distribution was similar to that described in the major salivary glands of animal species that have been investigated to date. We hypothesized that leptin can play a role in regulating gland function, via an autocrine/paracrine mechanism
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF GHRELIN, APELIN AND THEIR RECEPTORS IN THE DOG OVARIES
No full textRecent studies have shown that molecules, such as leptin, orexins and cannabinoids, are in general spread ubiquitously in the body very often involving anatomical structures not functionally related to appetite control [1, 2, 3]. The female genital tract is very often implicated, and this has led to the hypothesis that the same molecules are involved in its functional Control representing a point of contact between the animal's nutritional status and its functionality. In this context two proteic hormones, ghrelin and apelin, have been already highlighted in the ovary of some animal species [4, 5, 6] suggesting involvement in its functional control. The aim of the present work was to highlight the presence and the localization of ghrelin, apelin and their receptors in the ovary of non-pregnant bitches, with the purpose of providing data that may be useful in fully understanding the functionality of this organ. The experiment was conducted using six mixed-breed dogs, admitted to the day-hospital service at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Perugia and regularly subjected to the ovario-hysterectomy by spaying. The ovaries were removed and immediately fixed in 4% formaldehyde solution and subsequently processed for embedding in paraffin. The immunohistochemical reactions were visualized on 5 μm serial sections, using anti-Apelin (ab59469), anti-APJ receptor (ab140508), anti-Ghrelin (ab129383) and anti-Ghrelin receptor (ab188986) polyclonal antibodies, avidin-biotincomplex and DAB as the chromogen. All the sections were counter-stained with haematoxylin. Sections in which the primary antibodies were omitted, were used as
controls for unspecific staining. The immunohistochemical study showed a strong positivity for apelin, ghrelin and their receptors in some of the ovarian structures. In particular, a positive immuno-reaction for apelin and its receptor and for the ghrelin receptor seemed to be evident in the corpora lutea with a peculiar localization in some of the luteal cells. On the contrary, regarding ghrelin, a positive reaction for this molecule was evident within the wall of small arteries localized both inside the corpora lutea and in the connectival tissue. In general, the immuno-positive reaction seemed to affect only the cellular cytoplasm and was not observed in other ovarian structures or in the sections utilized as negative controls. Due to the presence of these molecules and their receptors in some of the luteal cells and within the wall of small arteries in corpora lutea and in connectival tissue, we can hypothesize that apelin and ghrelin might influence the functionality of ovarian structures where they are localized, suggesting the existence of autocrine/paracrine mechanisms of regulation. 1) Balogh et al., Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 8, 1-12, 2015 2) Liguori et al., Anat. Histol. Embryol. 43, 42-47, 2014 3) Hutch et al., Neuroscience. 300, 539-553, 2015 4) Du et al., Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 36, 89-98, 2009
5) Ueberberg et al., Horm. Metab. Res. 41, 814-821, 2009 6) Shirasuna et al., Reproduction. 135, 519-525, 2008
LOCALIZATION OF LEPTIN RECEPTOR (OB‐R) IN THE SKIN OF RUMINANTS: AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY
No full textImmunohistochemical distribution of leptin receptor in the major salivary glands of horses
No full textThe presence of the leptin receptor (ObR) has already been highlighted in the human major salivary glands and it has been hypothesized that leptin may act by regulating the gland’s growth. No data are reported on domestic animals so, considering the important role that these glands play, not only related to food ingestion and digestion, and the important functional role hypothesized to explain the presence of ObR in humans salivary glands, the aim of the present work was to investigate the presence and the distribution of the leptin receptor in horse parotid and mandibular glands, by immunohistochemical techniques. The presence of ObR was evidenced in parotid and mandibular glands, exclusively localized in duct epithelial cells; their positivity was localized in the cytoplasm and was most evident near its apical portion. Immuno-positivity not only affects the intralobular ducts (intercalated and striated) but also the interlobular ones. Our results indicate that horse major salivary glands, like those of humans, are likely targets of leptin actions, suggesting a functional role of leptin on these glands
Biometrical approach to evaluate the relationship between roe deer body parameters and winter feeding resources
Full text linkIntroduction: The study is aimed to analyze the biometrical data referred to animals pertaining to class age 0 (0-11 months), in roe deer population of central Italy Apennine, in order to evaluate the relationship between size/shape of body structure/parameters and feeding resources available during the autumn-winter period.
Materials and Methods: The analysis of the size was performed on 56 roe deer obtained by selective shooting. For the mandible shape analysis 27 samples were treated with the GeoGebra’s program. To evaluate the relationship between size/shape of body structure/parameters and the feeding resources, an environmental category, derived from the carrying capacity of forest ecosystems relative to the hunting zone, was attributed to each animal. Statistical analysis of size was performed by ANOVA. Shape variables were generated using a Generalized Procustes Analysis program.
Results: The analysis of the size showed no significant differences for analyzed parameters between sex, while five parameters showed significant differences among environmental categories. As mandible concerns, it showed an increasing size trend linked to the available feeding resources. This is also supported by the fact that the shape analysis showed a more open mandibular angle (for the mandibular dorsal view) in those animals living in the hunting zone characterized by highest feeding resources, in particular in subjects pertaining to the sub-class 0-8 months.
Conclusion: Data analysis suggests that the mandible seems to be the element whose development is mainly affected by the winter feeding resource availability. In the roe deer, the mandible reaches the definitive size during the first living year. So, the food availability during the first winter season could represent a critical factor for the development of this bone. This approach applied to a wider database could be useful to define body marker parameters related to environmental carrying capacity to planning the roe deer selective shooting
Localizzazione immunoistochimica della leptina e del suo recettore nel pancreas di cavallo
No full textIdentification of orexins and cognate receptors in the lacrimal gland of sheep.
No full textThe aim of the present work was to study, by means of immunohistochemical and RT-PCR techniques, the presence and distribution of immunopositivity for orexin A and B (OXA and OXB) and orexin type 1 and 2 receptors (OX1R and OX2R) in the lacrimal gland of sheep as well as the gene expressions for prepro-orexin (PPOX) and cognate receptors. In serial sections, positive staining for OXA and OXB were localized in the same nervous fibers within the connective tissue septa. Positive staining for OX1R was evidenced in the wall of small arteries while that for OX2R was observed in the secretory portion of the acinar gland cells with a characteristic localization in the apical cytoplasm. RT-PCR analysis showed the presence of transcripts for PPOX, OX1R and OX2R in the sheep lacrimal gland; the gene expression of OX1R was two-fold greater (p < 0.01) than that of OX2R. Taken together the present findings raise intriguing questions on the potential role of the orexinergic system in the regulation of lacrimal gland functions that require further investigations
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