Proteins and other nitrogenous substances such as polyamines, catecholamines, and nitric oxide require amino acids for synthesis. The purpose of this study was to see how adding dopamine to either maturation or fertilization medium affected the developmental competence of immature bovine oocytes. In this study, Ovaries from apparently normal reproductive organs of cattle were collected within 30 minutes from slaughter and evisceration of animals. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by aspiration of medium sized ovarian follicles (4-8 mm). COCs of acceptable quality were selected, washed and incubated in tissue culture media (TCM) 199 supplemented with 10% heat inactivated fetal calf serum, 5 μg/ml luteinizing hormone, 0.5 μg/ ml follicle stimulating hormone and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β for 20:22 hour at 38.5 C◦ under 5% CO2 in air with 90% humidity. different concentrations of dopamine (20,40 ng) were used. The results were consistent for both maturation and fertilization and There is non-significant increase in maturation and fertilization.   Show less

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of supplementation of the maturation media with glutamine and glycine onthe invitro maturation of immature oocytes. Different concentration of glutamine and glycine (0.5, 1, 2 mM) were used in the current study. The oocytes morphology, viability, cleavage, and blastocyst rates were the dependent variables in the present study (p<0.05). The highest morphology score was reported when using when1 mM glutamine and glycine compared to control (p<0.05). Addition of 0.5Mm glutamine and glycine not significantly differ from control group. Moreover, addition of 2Mm glutamine and glycine significantly decreased normal morphology % when compared to control group. The highest viability rate was reported when using 1mM of glutamine and glycine (p<0.05) which is significantly different than control and 0.5mM. Addition of 2mM significantly decreased viability when compared to control group. The highest cleavage rate was reported when using 1mM glutamine and glycine which was significantly increased when compared to control group (p<0.05). Addition of 0.5mM glutamine and glycine significantly increased cleavage rate when compared to control group (p<0.05). Addition of 2mMglutamine and glycine significantly decreased cleavage rate when compared to control group. The highest blastocyst rate was reported when using 1mM glutamine and glycine which significantly increased blastocyst formation rate when compared to control. Addition of 0.5mM glutamine and glycine significantly increased this parameter when compared to control group but addition of 2mM result didn’t differ from control (p>0.05). The highest morphology score, viability rate, cleavage rate and blastocyst formation rate were reported when using 1mM glutamine and glycine.   Show less

Dietary intake of inorganic phosphates is linked to various adverse health effects. Excessive intake of highly soluble inorganic phosphates, which are used as feed and food additives, have been found to impair parameters of kidney health. As chronic kidney disease represents one of the most frequently occurring terminal diseases especially in cats, extensive knowledge regarding the safety of these additives is important. Other minerals, such as calcium, can modulate their effects on the phosphate homeostasis and kidney health. Therefore, it is crucial to examine further factors, such as the dietary cation-anion balance (CAB), resulting from the concentrations of major minerals in a diet. In this study, eleven healthy cats were fed a control diet and two diets with added sodium monophosphate (NaH2PO4) with either a low (-10 mmol/kg dry matter) or high (+450 mmol/kg dry matter) CAB for 28 days each. The serum concentrations of phosphate and parameters of phosphate homeostasis were determined in the fasting and postprandial blood samples next to the apparent digestibility and retention of phosphate and calcium. The diet with positive CAB led to an increase of serum phosphate and the phosphatonin FGF23, apparently digested phosphate, and phosphate retention. This is further proof that source and amount of phosphates in a diet are not the only determinants of the extent of potential adverse health effects. Until the interactions between inorganic phosphates and other dietary compounds are fully understood, recommendations regarding the safe use of phosphate containing additives in pet food are precarious. Show less

L-Carnitine (Lc) acts as an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, especially superoxide anions and protects cells against oxidative damage-induced apoptosis, as following ovulation, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation increases in oocytes, Oocytes exhibit an intracellular defense mechanism against an oxidative attack. This outcome adversely affects fertilization and subsequent embryonic development, thereby increasing the risk of an early miscarriage and abnormal development of offspring. The purpose of this study was to see how adding LC to either maturation or fertilization medium affected the developmental competence of immature bovine oocytes. In this study, Ovaries from apparently normal reproductive organs of cattle were collected within 30 minutes from slaughter and evisceration of animals. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by aspiration of medium sized ovarian follicles (4-8 mm). COCs of acceptable quality were selected, washed and incubated in tissue culture media 199 (TCM199) supplemented with 10% heat inactivated fetal calf serum, 5 μg/ml luteinizing hormone (LH), 0.5 μg/ml follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β for 20:22 hour at 38.5 C◦ under 5% CO2 in air with 90% humidity. different concentrations of LC (1.25,2.5 and 5mM) were used. The results were consistent for both maturation and fertilization and there is a significant increase in maturation, fertilization., cleavage and blastocyst rate. In conclusion, LC has important role in IVEP through addition of LC to maturation media or culture media it improved nuclear maturation and blastocyst formation rates in bovine oocytes. Show less