Evaluation of ovarian hemodynamics by color and spectral Doppler in cows stimulated with three sources of follicle-stimulating hormone

Histological and hemodynamic characterization of corpus luteum throughout the luteal phase in pregnant and non-pregnant buffalos in relation to nitric oxide levels based on its anatomical determination

This study aims to compare the complete growth and development of corpus luteum (CL) in domestic buffalos from day 5 until day 40 after ovulation either in pregnant or non-pregnant animals and whether luteal vascularity (LV) with progesterone (P4) and nitric oxide (NO) could determine luteal functionality or not. Pluriparous buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) were categorized as pregnant (n = 6) or non-pregnant (n = 9) after pregnancy check at day 25. Animals were subjected to ultrasound analysis to determine the CL area (cm²) and LV. Blood sampling was performed following the Doppler examination. Ovarian tissue samples from non-pregnant buffalo genitalia (n = 18) and early pregnant buffalo genitalia (n = 3) were collected from great abattoirs. Luteal Doppler indices were lower in the pregnant group, while peak systolic velocity (PSV) was increased (p < 0.05) in the same pregnant females. Both P4 and NOMs were elevated (p < 0.05) in the pregnant group. There was a positive correlation (p < 0.01) between P4 and CL PSV. Based on our macroscopical examination, the CL of non-pregnant buffalos was classified into four stages. Histologically, stage I showed that CL was covered by a highly vascularized connective tissue (CT) capsule. It consisted of small and large lutein cells, whereas stage II was similar to stage I except for the presence of numerous fibroblast cells and vacuolated cells. Stage III was characterized by increasing the number of collagen fibers and the thickness of the blood vessels. Stage IV revealed thickening of the CT capsule and septae, regressed capillaries and arterioles, in addition to shrunken degenerated lutein cells. CL of pregnant buffalos revealed the same structure as CL at stage II. CL area was increased in the pregnant group. The collective data suggested that evaluation of the luteal artery could be extremely helpful to determine the potential benefits of colored and pulsed Doppler in CL vascularization assessment in both luteal and early pregnancy phases.

Ovarian, uterine and luteal hemodynamic variations between pregnant and non-pregnant pluriparous Egyptian buffalos with special reference to their anatomical and histological features

This study determined the ovarian, uterine, and luteal hemodynamic variations using Doppler between pregnant and non-pregnant pluriparous buffalos in relation to their anatomical and histological basics during the first 31 days after natural mating. Adult healthy cyclic Egyptian buffalo (n = 10) were selected and categorized into two groups; group 1 (n = 5) was mated naturally by a fertile bull during the late estrus phase, and group 2 (n = 5) was not mated. Animals were subjected to Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate luteal, ovarian, and uterine blood flows from day 7 until day 31 post-mating. Besides, three pregnant (one month) and other non-pregnant uterus (n = 6) were obtained from a local abattoir to study the anatomical and histological features. Our results revealed that the luteal, ovarian, and uterine arteries cross-sectional diameters/mm increased (P < 0.05) from day 7 till day 31. Resistance (RI) and pulsatility indices (PI) decreased linearly (P < 0.05) in pregnant buffalos till day 31, but the peak systolic, end diastolic velocities and flow volume of those arteries were increased. Additionally, luteal colored areas away and toward CL were increased (P < 0.05) in the pregnant group compared to non-pregnant ones. There was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the lumen diameter of luteal, ovarian, and uterine artery sections in pregnant buffalos compared to those of non-pregnant ones. While the mean value of tunica media's thickness of both luteal and uterine artery was significantly higher in non-pregnant buffalos than pregnant ones, except for that of the ovarian artery. Additionally, the ovarian and uterine artery tunica muscularis relative area % was (P < 0.05) higher in pregnant buffalos than in non-pregnant ones, except for that of the luteal artery. It was concluded that in pregnant buffalos, ovarian, uterine, and luteal blood flows were improved from the first week until 31 days post-mating via a decline in both Doppler indices with an increase in Doppler velocities and blood flow volume in relation to their histological changes based on their anatomical architecture in comparison to non-pregnant one.

Assessment of the accuracy of testicular dysfunction detection in male donkey (Equus asinus) with the aid of colour-spectral Doppler in relation to plasma testosterone and serum nitric oxide levels

This study aimed to determine the usefulness of colour and pulsed Doppler modes for the accurate diagnosis of donkeys suffering from subfertility to determine whether testicular vascularity assessment could be an indicator for sperm functionality. The study sample was composed of 10 male donkeys with normospermia (control group) and 10 donkeys with hypospermia. Animals underwent scrotal circumference measurement, testicular Doppler examination, seminal evaluation, blood sampling and hormonal assay. Semen volume and concentration were significantly (p ≤ .05) lower in the subfertile group (30.25 ± 1.22 ml and 89.44 ± 2.55 × 10⁶ /ml) as compared with the control group (82.76 ± 1.65 ml and 452.78 ± 1.25 × 10⁶ /ml), and total sperm/ejaculation was significantly (p ≤ .05) higher in the normal donkeys (28.30 ± 2.32 × 10⁹ /total ejaculated) as compared with the subfertile group. Intratesticular coloured area showed a marked decline in the hypospermic males. There was no significant difference between the two groups in testosterone level, although the normal group showed an increase in nitric oxide metabolites. Both Doppler indices of the three branches of the testicular artery were elevated significantly (p ≤ .05) in abnormal donkeys, whereas Doppler peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities were increased in the normal group. Male donkeys with subfertility demonstrated lower arterial vascularity parameters in the form of intratesticular coloured area and blood flow rate; therefore, the most optimal parameters for differentiating subfertile hypospermic from normospermic donkeys were found to be the two Doppler indices, velocities parameters, testicular blood flow rate and nitric oxide levels.