Thesis
Studies on the physiology of early pregnancy in alpacas
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
12/2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100880
Abstract
Camelids are economically important production animals in many areas of the world. Early pregnancy loss is a major cause of reproductive inefficiency. Pregnancy maintenance depends on a timely signaling mechanism called maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP). This mechanism is not well characterized in camelids. The work presented in this thesis is part of a larger research program to study early embryo development and MRP, as well as factors involved in early pregnancy loss. In a first study, the incidence and outcome of twin pregnancy in double-ovulating alpacas was evaluated by retrospective and prospective analysis. Our finding indicated that twinning is not rare and may be a cause of early pregnancy loss. The incidence of multiple ovulation approached 30%. There were more twins from bilateral ovulations than from unilateral ovulations. A high rate of spontaneous reduction of twin pregnancies (62.5% of cases within the study) to a singleton occurs early, however a significant proportion of twin pregnancies may result in loss of both embryos (37.5% of cases within the study). The objective of the second and third study was to compare uterine histology in the left and right uterine horn in non-pregnant and early pregnant alpacas. Uterine tissue samples from pregnant and open females (n=5 per group) taken at 9 and 14 days post-ovulation were evaluated for differences in endometrial and myometrial layer thickness, glandular density and tortuosity, vascularity, and infiltration of inflammatory cells between the left and right uterine horns in pregnant and non-pregnant animals. All groups under progesterone influence showed similar histological features. There were no histological differences between the left and right uterine horns in all groups. Expressions of estrogen receptor alpha and progesterone receptor were identified within the endometrium using immunohistochemistry. Quantification of these receptors is being conducted. These studies showed that establishment of pregnancy in the left uterine horn in camelids cannot be explained by histologic differences. A genomic and proteomic study is planned to further investigate the MRP in this species.
Metrics
4 File views/ downloads
34 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Studies on the physiology of early pregnancy in alpacas
- Creators
- Alexis Jean Campbell
- Contributors
- Ahmed Tibary (Chair)JAMES K PRU (Committee Member)William Scott Dernell (Committee Member) - Washington State University, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Department of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Veterinary Medicine, College of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Number of pages
- 116
- Identifiers
- 99900525289101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis