Ultrasonographic characterisation of prenatal development in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus PALLAS, 1778): an evolutionary approach

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Roellig ◽  
Frank Goeritz ◽  
Thomas B. Hildebrandt
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Prenatal Development ◽  
Heart Beat ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
European Rabbit ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
Prenatal Growth ◽  
Evolutionary Characteristic

The European brown hare is one species in which reproduction appears to be particularly complex. Therefore, we studied the reproductive tract and prenatal development using high-resolution ultrasound of 159 pregnancies in 45 captive female hares. Consecutive examination of live hares was particularly useful in evaluating the very early stages of gestation. As such, it was possible to detect corpora lutea by Day 3 and embryonic vesicles, representing the earliest uterine embryonic stages, by Day 6. On Day 11, the heart beat of the embryo was detectable for the first time. We defined ultrasonographic milestones that were characteristic of the different stages of pregnancy. We also calculated growth models using eight different morphological parameters, including development of the corpus luteum. On the basis of these results, it is now possible to estimate the gestational age of a pregnant doe without knowing the date of conception. In contrast with the European rabbit, a distant relative, European hares give birth to precocial young. A comparison of the prenatal growth rate of both species suggests that the precocial state of the hare neonate is a more recently derived evolutionary characteristic, whereas the altricial condition of rabbits represents the ancestral mode.

scholarly journals Viral Disease in Lagomorphs: A Molecular Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin P. Dalton ◽  
Ana Podadera ◽  
José Manuel Martin Alonso ◽  
Inés Calonge Sanz ◽  
Ángel Luis Álvarez Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Disease ◽  
Myxoma Virus ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
European Rabbit ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare Syndrome ◽  
Molecular Aspects ◽  
Species Specific

Our understanding of molecular biology of the viruses that infect lagomorphs is largely limited to the leporipoxvirus myxoma virus (MYXV) and the lagoviruses rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV) that infect the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) respectively. Thanks to the great effort of historic surveillance studies and careful sample archiving, the molecular evolution of these viruses is being resolved. Although historically considered viruses that cause species specific diseases recent reports show that several lagomorphs may now face the threat of these maladies. The driving factors behind these changes has not been determined and the effect of these species jumps on lagomorph populations has yet to be seen. Lagomorphs are also affected by several other lesser studied viral diseases. In addition, recent metagenomic studies have led to the identification of novel lagomorph viruses the importance of these to lagomorph health remains to be fully determined. In this chapter we summarize molecular aspects of viruses that infect lagomorphs, paying particular attention to recent interspecies infections.

Free blastocyst and implantation stages in the European brown hare: correlation between ultrasound and histological data

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Drews ◽  
Jennifer Ringleb ◽  
Romy Waurich ◽  
Thomas Bernd Hildebrandt ◽  
Katharina Schröder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Maternal Blood ◽  
Yolk Sac ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
Histological Data ◽  
Peristaltic Movement ◽  
Chorioallantoic Placenta

The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is the only species with superconception, whereby the maternal reproductive tract hosts two sets of conceptuses at different developmental stages. The embryonic development of the hare has not yet been described. To understand the mechanism of superconception, we studied oviduct transport and implantation stages by embryo flushing and live high-resolution ultrasound. Ultrasound data of implantation stages is correlated with histology. In the oviduct, a mucin coat is deposited on the zona pellucida. The blastocysts enter the uterine horns on Day 5, 1 day later than in the rabbit, and directly expand approximately threefold. Spacing is accompanied by peristaltic movement of the endometrium. The mucin coat disappears and the conceptuses attach. The yolk-sac expands in the blastocoel and syncytial knobs invade the antimesometrial endometrium. Maternal blood lacunae appear in the mesometrial endometrial folds, which are subsequently invaded by the syncytiotrophoblast. The haemochorial chorioallantoic placenta forms. The yolk-sac cavity is gradually replaced by the allantois and finally by the exocoel. The different reproductive strategies of the precocial hare and the altricial rabbit are discussed. We assume that the lagomorph-specific mucin coat and the hare-specific delay of the oviduct–uterine transition are prerequisites for superconception.

scholarly journals A preliminary study on the detection of potential contaminants in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) by suspect and microplastics screening

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 100045
Author(s):  
Romana Hornek-Gausterer ◽  
Herbert Oberacher ◽  
Vera Reinstadler ◽  
Christina Hartmann ◽  
Bettina Liebmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
Preliminary Study

Seasonal reproduction in the highveld mole-rat, Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 810-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Janse van Rensburg ◽  
N C Bennett ◽  
M van der Merwe ◽  
A S Schoeman
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Plasma Testosterone ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Seasonal Breeding ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Ovarian Histology ◽  
Mole Rat ◽  
Reproductive Females

The highveld mole-rat, Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae, is a cooperatively breeding rodent that exhibits seasonal breeding and a reproductive division of labour. Body mass, reproductive-tract morphometrics, ovarian histology, and plasma oestrogen and progesterone concentrations were studied for both reproductive and non-reproductive females from 55 colonies, the main objective being to determine the inclination of this species towards seasonal breeding. Offspring are born from July through to November. However, qualitative analysis of ovarian histology revealed that reproductive females retain the potential for ovulation and subsequent production of corpora lutea during the late-summer nonbreeding period (December–March). Seasonal differences were found in ovarian morphometrics and hormone concentrations that are associated with enhanced follicular activation in April and May and subsequent conceptions from July through to November during the breeding period. The nonbreeding period coincides with maximal dispersal opportunities in the summer-rainfall areas inhabited by the highveld mole-rat. Body mass, reproductive-tract morphometrics, testicular histology, and plasma testosterone concentrations were determined for reproductive and non-reproductive males from 37 colonies. Available evidence suggests that there is a gradual increase in testicular mass for reproductive males as the breeding season approaches, but after September the testicular parameters fall. Seminiferous-tubule diameter was significantly greater in reproductive males but exhibited no seasonal variation. Testosterone concentrations were higher in reproductive males. Current data support a lack of gonadal regression in males during the nonbreeding season.

Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Hepatic Lesions Associated with European Brown Hare Syndrome

1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Gavier-Widén
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Degeneration ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Coagulation Necrosis ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare Syndrome ◽  
Hepatic Lesions ◽  
Living Adult

Liver lesions were studied in 40 free-living adult European brown hares ( Lepus europaeus) and varying hares ( Lepus timidus) of both sexes that had died in Sweden with the viral infection European brown hare syndrome (EBHS). The lesions were characterized by their histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic findings. Periportal to massive coagulation necrosis was a distinctive feature of EBHS. Lytic necrosis, inflammation, fatty degeneration, and cholangitis occurred variably. Accumulation of basophilic granules in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes was commonly observed; these lesions corresponded ultrastructurally to mitochondrial calcification. Viral antigen was revealed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of hepatocytes and in the cytoplasm of macrophages.

148 RISK OF TRANSMISSION OF BOVINE HERPESVIRUS (BHV-1) BY INFECTED SEMEN TO RECIPIENTS AND EMBRYOS

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bielanski ◽  
A. Lalonde ◽  
J. Algire
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Bovine Herpesvirus ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Bovine Herpesvirus 1 ◽  
Bull Semen ◽  
Stage Embryo ◽  
Morula Stage ◽  
Herpesvirus 1 ◽  
Isolation Test

Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) causes a variety of economically important respiratory and reproductive problems, the latter including vulvovaginitis, endometritis and infertility. For that reason, several countries have eradicated the disease and others have schemes in progress to achieve freedom. Although there is a considerable amount of information about the risk of BHV-1 transmission through contaminated semen used for artificial insemination, there is no available evidence to indicate whether the resulting embryos, when used for embryo transter (ET), can lead to the transmission of BHV-1 to recipients and offspring. For this experiment, bull semen contaminated in vitro with BHV-1 at 102 TCID50 mL–1 (Colorado strain) and then cryopreserved was used for insemination (2 times at estrus) of BHV-1 seronegative, superovulated heifers (N = 18). Embryos were collected postmortem 7 days post-insemination and were washed according to the IETS recommendations (however without trypsin treatment) or left unwashed. On 4 occasions, washed embryos were transferred to BHV-1 seronegative recipients. The remaining embryos and other samples collected from the reproductive tract were tested for BHV-1 presence using the standard virus isolation test. In total, out of 144 unfertilized oocytes and embryos collected, 9 were ET quality. Most of the embryos were degenerated (N = 79) or unfertilized (N = 56). The 4 heifers, which each received a single morula-stage embryo, maintained seronegative status, but did not become pregnant. BHV-1 was detected in 43% (23/53) unwashed and 0% (0/57) of washed embryos, 78% (14/18) of follicular fluid samples, 89% (16/18) of oviductal epithelial cells, 78% (14/18) of endometrium, and 89% (16/18) of corpora lutea tissues. Results herein suggest that BHV-1 can be transmitted by infected semen to embryo donors. The resulting unwashed embryos may remain infectious. However, whether BHV-1 uninfected offspring can be produced by ET of BHV-1 contaminated embryos that are washed according to the IETS guidelines, remains to be determined.

Behavioural cycles during Pseudopregnancy in confined populations of domestic rabbits and their relation to the histology of the female reproductive tract

1966 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
RL Hughes ◽  
K Myers
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sexual Attraction ◽  
Physiological Activity ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Dimensional Changes ◽  
Detectable Difference ◽  
Domestic Rabbits

Female domestic rabbits living with vasectomized males in large compounds (3/16 ac in area) exhibited periods of sexual attraction and mating, together with other behaviour such as aggression towards other females, digging, burrow interest, and nest building at intervals of about 6 days or multiples thereof. The behavioural cycles occurred during pseudopregnancy (of about 18 days) and were not a manifestation of an underlying inherent sequential cycle or a typical mammalian oestrous cycle. Behaviour with a strong sexual component culminating in mating and ovulation was observed at the beginning (or end) of each of 54 pseudopregnancies. Similar behaviour was also grouped about either the sixth or twelfth days of pseudopregnancy or both. This behaviour was extremely variable in both incidence and the number of components involved. Sexual components occurred less frequently and only once culminated in mating and ovulation. The behaviour observed on the sixth and twelfth days of pseudopregnancy was not reflected in measures of physiological activity such as numbers of graafian follicles, diameter of graafian follicles or corpora lutea, or weight changes in ovaries or uteri. The histology of the ovaries, uterus, and vagina and dimensional changes such as ovarian and uterine weights, number and diameter of graafian follicles, and diameter of sets of corpora lutea showed no detectable difference from those reported by other workers during pseudopregnancy for caged female rabbits isolated from males. The incidence of 6-day and 12-day behaviour was highest in the autumn-winter months when sub-optimal reproductiveconditions prevailed and lowest in spring-summer. Some possible causal mechanisms and the adaptive significance of the sixth-day and twelfth-day periods of sexual behaviour are discussed.

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