Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Animals Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 17469

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Michelle Garcia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Technology, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
Interests: reproductive biology; vasculature; endocrinology; neuroendocrinology; energy homeostasis; fat tissue; angiogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Fang Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Paragon Genomics, Inc, Hayward, CA 94545, USA
Interests: reproductive physiology; oocyte maturation; early embryonic development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The special issue of Animals titled ‘Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants’ is a collection of original research articles, reviews, and case studies on reproductive tissues, systems, and processes in both male and female domestic and exotic ruminant species. Ruminants are geographically located in many diverse ecosystems throughout the world and play a vital role in plant productivity, biodiversity, nutrient recycling, and food security. Understanding reproduction and factors that influence this unique physiological system in these splendid species not only supports propagation of animals important for food but also conservation of healthy ecosystems. The issue aims to exchange viewpoints and encourage new perspectives that contribute to the comprehension and enhancement of reproductive processes and competency.

The scope of topics includes, but is not limited to the following:

Environmental impact on reproductive function, processes, and/or behaviors
Breeding management practices
Nutritional manipulation/influence on reproductive function, processes, and/or behaviors
Characterization, manipulation, or management of sexual maturation and/or reproductive cycles.
Gonadal function/dysfunction including endocrine processes and/or gamete development.
Neuroendocrine regulation of reproductive processes and behaviors

To promote and ensure the well-being of all animals utilized for research purposes, all animal research submissions must be directly cared for or managed by personnel that have compliance regulation oversight.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Michelle Garcia
Dr. Fang Xie
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

ruminant
reproduction
ovary
puberty
reproductive cycle
behavior
environment
testes
uterus
mammary/udder/lactation
hormone
infertility/fertility
gonadotropin
parturition
gestation
photoperiod
management
gamete
obesity

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (8 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 1101 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mitochonic Acid 5 Increases Ram Sperm Quality by Improving Mitochondrial Function during Storage at 4 °C

by Ruyuan Wang, Luwei Liu, Lingjiang Min, Adedeji O. Adetunji, Xin Kou, Kaifeng Zhou and Zhendong Zhu

Animals 2024, 14(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030368 - 23 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1273

Abstract

Semen preservation involves lengthening sperm’s fertile lifespan without any detrimental effects on its biochemical, functional, and ultrastructural properties. Liquid storage at 4 °C is a ram sperm preservation method. However, this method of storage causes irreversible damage due to cold shocks, osmotic stresses, oxidative stresses, and reductions in sperm metabolism. The present study aims to investigate whether the supplementation of mitochonic acid 5 (MA-5) in a sperm extender could improve chilled ram sperm quality and elucidate its mechanism of action. Ram sperm were diluted with a tris-citrate-glucose extender containing different concentrations of MA-5 (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nM) and stored at 4 °C for up to 48 h. Sperm motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, ATP content, and the expression of NADPH dehydrogenase subunits 1 (MT-ND1) and NADPH dehydrogenase subunits 6 (MT-ND6) were evaluated. It was observed that compared to the control, the 10 nM MA-5 treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased total motility (82 ± 3.5% vs. 76 ± 5.9%), progressive motility (67.6 ± 8.2% vs. 51 ± 8.3%), and other parameters (straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), and curvilinear velocity (VCL)). In addition, 10 nM MA-5 supplementation also improved ram sperm membrane integrity and acrosomal integrity as well increased mitochondrial membrane potential (51.1 ± 0.7% vs. 37.7 ± 1.3%), reduced ROS levels, and elevated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contents. Furthermore, a Western blot analysis demonstrated that the addition of MA-5 significantly (p < 0.05) increased the expression of MT-ND1 and MT-ND6 proteins in ram sperm, with the 10 nM MA-5 treatment resulting in the highest expression level. These results suggest that MA-5 improves ram sperm quality by maintaining high sperm mitochondrial function during liquid storage at 4 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influences of Supplementing Selective Members of the Interleukin-6 Cytokine Family on Bovine Oocyte Competency

by Endya McKinley, Savannah L. Speckhart, Jessica A. Keane, Mary A. Oliver, Michelle L. Rhoads, J. Lannett Edwards, Fernando H. Biase and Alan D. Ealy

Animals 2024, 14(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010044 - 21 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1135

Abstract

This work explored whether supplementing selective members of the interleukin-6 (IL6) cytokine family during in vitro bovine oocyte maturation affects maturation success, cumulus–oocyte complex (COC) gene expression, fertilization success, and embryo development potential. Human recombinant proteins for IL6, IL11, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were supplemented to COCs during the maturation period, then fertilization and embryo culture commenced without further cytokine supplementation. The first study determined that none of these cytokines influenced the rate that oocytes achieved arrest at meiosis II. The second study identified that LIF and IL11 supplementation increases AREG transcript abundance. Supplementation with IL6 supplementation did not affect AREG abundance but reduced HAS2 transcript abundance. Several other transcriptional markers of oocyte competency were not affected by any of the cytokines. The third study determined that supplementing these cytokines during maturation did not influence fertilization success, but either LIF or IL11 supplementation increased blastocyst development. No effect of IL6 supplementation on subsequent blastocyst development was detected. The fourth experiment explored whether each cytokine treatment affects the post-thaw survivability of cryopreserved IVP blastocysts. None of the cytokines supplemented during oocyte maturation produced any positive effects on post-thaw blastocyst re-expansion and hatching. In conclusion, these outcomes implicate IL11 and LIF as potentially useful supplements for improving bovine oocyte competency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Counteracting the Toxic Hidroarsenicism Effects upon Reproductive-Physiological Outcomes in Male Goats: The Selenium and Vitamin-E Mitigation Approach

by Natalia B. Ortega-Morales, Jose A. Cueto-Wong, Leonardo I. Velez-Monroy, Adan U. Chavez-Solis, Eutiquio Barrientos-Juarez, Jesús Jaime Duarte-Sustaita, Francisco G. Veliz-Deras, Guadalupe Calderon-Leyva and Javier Moran-Martinez

Animals 2023, 13(13), 2055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132055 - 21 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1453

Abstract

This study was to evaluate whether selenium and vitamin-E counteract the toxic effects of arsenic on reproductive aspects and physiological conditions of male goats. Male goats [Criollo, n = 20, 4–5 yr-old, 72 kg live weight (LW)] were distributed in homogeneous groups (n = 5), and received during 12 weeks: (1) Sodium arsenite 2 mg/kg of LW/day (AG, LW = 69 kg); (2) Sodium selenite 6 mg + vitamin-E 420 I.U. every 14 days during the 12 weeks (SG, LW = 68 kg); (3) Both AG and SG treatments (ASG, LW = 77 kg); and (4) 1 mL of physiological solution every 14 days during the 12 weeks (CG, LW = 72 kg). The animals had access to water from a well with a concentration of 35 μg/L of arsenic. The SG had the highest percentage of sperm viability (80.6%) followed by the CG, ASG (74.7; p > 0.05), and AG (64.3; p ≤ 0.05). The ASG and SG had a lower heart rate as compared to the CG and AG (58.8, 58 vs. 65.4, 63.5; respectively, p ≤ 0.05). The CG and SG showed a lower respiratory rate than the AG and ASG (19.2, 18.7 vs. 22.1, 21.0, respectively; p ≤ 0.05). Selenium and vitamin-E were efficient in reducing the damage caused by sodium arsenite in sperm quality and maintaining heart and respiratory rates and increases in odor in male goats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Acute Melatonin Injection on Metabolomic and Testicular Artery Hemodynamic Changes and Circulating Hormones in Shiba Goats under Sub-Tropical Environmental Conditions

by Haney Samir, Ahmed S. Mandour, Faten Radwan, Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed, Maha Abdullah Momenah, Nouf Arkan Aldawood, Tomihiko Yoshida, Gen Watanabe and Hossam R. El-Sherbiny

Animals 2023, 13(11), 1794; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111794 - 29 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1793

Abstract

The beneficial effects of melatonin were investigated to mitigate various detrimental effects and toxicity on reproductive performance. The present study aimed, for the first time, to explore the effect of intravenous melatonin injection on testicular artery hemodynamics (TH) and metabolomic changes, reproductive hormones in heat-stressed bucks. Ten bucks were randomly split into two groups (five each): (1) the melatonin group, treated with a single intravenous dose of melatonin solution containing 10 mg melatonin each, and (2) the control group, which was treated with 10 mL of the vehicle without melatonin. Changes in the TH at the level of the supra testicular artery (STA) were assessed by triplex ultrasonography just before (0 h) and at 0.5, 2, 7, 24, and 168 h after melatonin or vehicle administration. Doppler velocity parameters of peak systolic velocity (PSV; cm/s), end-diastolic velocity (EDV; cm/s), and time average maximum velocity (TAMAX; cm/s) were measured. Doppler indices (resistive index; RI and pulsatility index; PI), systole/diastole (S/D) ratio and total arterial blood flow volume (TABFV; ml/minute) were measured. Peripheral concentrations of FSH, LH, inhibin, melatonin, testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and cortisol were measured just before injection (0 h) and at 0.5, 2, 7, and 24 h and daily up to day 7 post administration in both groups. Results revealed reductions in the RI values and increases in the TABFV in the melatonin group compared to the control one, especially 2 h after administration. Significant increases in concentrations of FSH, T, E2, and melatonin and decreases in cortisol and inhibin in the melatonin group compared to the control one. Plasma metabolomic analysis at 2 h indicated the up-regulation of L-glutamine, L-arginine, sorbitol, D-glucose, ascorbic acid, and ornithine and the down-regulation of D-xylose, D-arabitol, ribitol, and oleic acid in the melatonin versus the control group. In conclusion, acute administration of melatonin (10 mg IV) enhanced testicular artery blood flow and plasma reproductive hormones in the Shiba goat under heat-stress circumstances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 9260 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Functional Assignment of Genes Implicated in Sperm Maturation of Tibetan Sheep

by Taotao Li, Huihui Wang, Ruirui Luo, Huibin Shi, Manchun Su, Yi Wu, Qiao Li, Keyan Ma, Yong Zhang and Youji Ma

Animals 2023, 13(9), 1553; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091553 - 6 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1770

Abstract

While traveling through the epididymis, immature sheep spermatozoa undergo a sequence of processes that ultimately give them the capacity to swim and fertilize an egg. Different gene expression patterns may be found in the epididymal caput, corpus, and cauda, conferring variant or unique biological roles during epididymis development and sperm maturation. To search for candidate genes associated with ovine sperm maturation and assess their possible modulating mechanisms, we characterized gene expression in each epididymal segment derived from pre- and post-pubertal Tibetan sheep by RNA sequencing. Compared with pre-puberty, 7730 (3724 upregulated and 4006 downregulated), 7516 (3909 upregulated and 3607 downregulated), and 7586 (4115 elevated and 3471 downregulated) genes were found to be differentially expressed in the post-pubertal caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis, respectively, and real-time quantitative PCR verified the validity of the gathered expression patterns. Based on their functional annotations, most differential genes were assigned to the biological processes and pathways associated with cellular proliferation, differentiation, immune response, or metabolic activities. As for the post-pubertal epididymis, 2801, 197, and 186 genes were specifically expressed in the caput, corpus, and cauda, respectively. Functional annotation revealed that they were mainly enriched to various distinct biological processes associated with reproduction (including the caput binding of sperm to the zona pellucida; fertilization in the caput and corpus; and meiosis in the caput and cauda) and development (such as cell differentiation and developmental maturation in the caput; cell proliferation and metabolism in the corpus; and regulation of tube size and cell division/cell cycle in the cauda). Additionally, we focused on the identification of genes implicated in immunity and sperm maturation, and subsequent functional enrichment analysis revealed that immune-related genes mainly participated in the biological processes or pathways associated with the immune barrier (such as JAM3 and ITGA4/6/9) and immunosuppression (such as TGFB2, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, and SMAD3), thus protecting auto-immunogenic spermatozoa. Additionally, sperm maturation was mostly controlled by genes linked with cellular processes, including cell growth, proliferation, division, migration, morphogenesis, and junction. Altogether, these results suggest that most genes were differentially expressed in developmental epididymal regions to contribute to microenvironment development and sperm maturation. These findings help us better understand the epididymal biology, including sperm maturation pathways and functional differences between the epididymal regions in Tibetan sheep and other sheep breeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 6373 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Expression of IkappaB Family in the Ovine Liver during Early Pregnancy

by Chunjiang Cai, Ying Ren, Jianhua Cao, Shengya Fang, Leying Zhang and Ling Yang

Animals 2023, 13(6), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061057 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1600

Abstract

During normal pregnancy, there is a dynamic regulation of the maternal immune system, including the liver, to accommodate the presence of the allogeneic foetus in the uterus. However, it was unclear that the expression of the IkappaB (IκB) family was regulated in the ovine maternal liver during early pregnancy. In this study, sheep livers were collected at day 16 of the oestrous cycle (NP16), and days 13, 16 and 25 of gestation (DP13, DP16 and DP25), and RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis were used to analyse the expression of the IκB family, including B cell leukemia-3 (BCL-3), IκBα, IκBβ, IκBε, IKKγ, IκBNS and IκBζ. The results revealed that expression of BCL-3, IκBβ, IκBε and IKKγ peaked at DP16, and the expression of IκBα was increased during early pregnancy. In addition, the expression of IκBζ peaked at DP13 and DP16, and IκBNS peaked at DP13. IκBβ and IKKγ proteins were located in the endothelial cells of the proper hepatic arteries and portal veins, and hepatocytes. In conclusion, early pregnancy changed the expression of the IκB family, suggesting that the modulation of the IκB family may be related to the regulation of maternal hepatic functions, which may be favourable for pregnancy establishment in sheep. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 2938 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

An Overview of Reactive Oxygen Species Damage Occurring during In Vitro Bovine Oocyte and Embryo Development and the Efficacy of Antioxidant Use to Limit These Adverse Effects

by Jessica A. Keane and Alan D. Ealy

Animals 2024, 14(2), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020330 - 21 Jan 2024

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3392

Abstract

The in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos has gained popularity worldwide and in recent years and its use for producing embryos from genetically elite heifers and cows has surpassed the use of conventional superovulation-based embryo production schemes. There are, however, several issues with the IVP of embryos that remain unresolved. One limitation of special concern is the low efficiency of the IVP of embryos. Exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one reason why the production of embryos with IVP is diminished. These highly reactive molecules are generated in small amounts through normal cellular metabolism, but their abundances increase in embryo culture because of oocyte and embryo exposure to temperature fluctuations, light exposure, pH changes, atmospheric oxygen tension, suboptimal culture media formulations, and cryopreservation. When uncontrolled, ROS produce detrimental effects on the structure and function of genomic and mitochondrial DNA, alter DNA methylation, increase lipid membrane damage, and modify protein activity. Several intrinsic enzymatic pathways control ROS abundance and damage, and antioxidants react with and reduce the reactive potential of ROS. This review will focus on exploring the efficiency of supplementing several of these antioxidant molecules on oocyte maturation, sperm viability, fertilization, and embryo culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3852 KiB

Open AccessReview

Dual-Purpose Cattle Raised in Tropical Conditions: What Are Their Shortcomings in Sound Productive and Reproductive Function?

by Carlos Salvador Galina and Mariana Geffroy

Animals 2023, 13(13), 2224; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132224 - 6 Jul 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3624

Abstract

Dual-purpose husbandry might well be the most commonly employed cattle management system in tropical regions worldwide. The advantages of producing both meat and milk, although in reduced quantities, gives an edge to the farmer in coping with the volatile economic conditions that prevail in the region. Herein, we discuss the different methods of cattle management under tropical conditions based on the financial and social structure of this system. An account of the sanitary and nutritional conditions available to the farmers and how these factors affect the profitability of the enterprise will also be given. Finally, we will discuss how these systems can take advantage of several biotechnological procedures, and how these tools (such as controlled natural mating, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer) affect reproductive outcomes. The present review will mainly concentrate on production systems located less than 1000 m above sea level, as the problems and shortcomings of cattle raised above this arbitrary landmark are quite different. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Reproductive Physiology of Ruminants

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (8 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI