In-vitro Permeability of the Human Nail and of a Keratin Membrane from Bovine Hooves: Prediction of the Penetration Rate of Antimycotics through the Nail Plate and their Efficacy

In vitro permeation studies using nail clippings or nail plates are commonly used in the development of transungual formulations. However, there are ethical, safety and cost issues associated with sourcing such tissues. Herein, we describe a preliminary approach is described for the design and manufacture of a human nail model surrogate based on 3D printing. To evaluate these 3D printed constructs, nails were mounted in conventional glass Franz cells and a commercial antifungal lacquer formulation containing ciclopirox olamine was applied daily to the surrogate printed surfaces for a period of 14 days. On days 8 and 14, the surfaces of the 3D printed nails were washed with ethanol to remove excess formulation. Confocal Raman spectroscopy (CRS) was used to profile the drug in the 3D printed nail. At the end of the Franz cell studies, no drug was observed in the receptor phase. CRS studies confirmed penetration of the active into the model nails with reproducible depth profiles. Our ongoing work is focused on synthesising commercial and non-commercial printable resins that can replicate the physical and chemical characteristics of the human nail. This will allow further evaluation of actives for ungual therapy and advance the development of the surrogate nail tissue model.

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Replacement of Albumin by Preovulatory Oviductal Fluid in Swim-Up Sperm Preparation Method Modifies Boar Sperm Parameters and Improves In Vitro Penetration of Oocytes

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11051202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1202

Author(s):

Sergio Navarro-Serna ◽

Evelyne París-Oller ◽

Ondrej Simonik ◽

Raquel Romar ◽

Joaquín Gadea

Keyword(s):

Calcium Concentration ◽

Preparation Method ◽

Culture Media ◽

Penetration Rate ◽

Sperm Parameters ◽

High Concentration ◽

Sperm Preparation ◽

Boar Sperm ◽

Oviductal Fluid

More suitable and efficient methods to protect gametes from external harmful effects during in vitro handling can be achieved by adding preovulatory porcine oviductal fluid (pOF) to in vitro culture media. The objective of this study was to assess the swim-up procedure’s suitability as a sperm selection method using a medium supplemented with 1mg/mL BSA, 1% preovulatory pOF (v/v), 1% v/v pOF plus 1mg/mL BSA, and 5mg/mL BSA. After selection, various sperm parameters were studied, such as sperm recovery rate, sperm morphology, motility (by CASA), vitality, acrosome status and intracellular calcium (by flow cytometry) and ability to penetrate oocytes in vitro. Around 2% of sperm were recovered after swim-up, and the replacement of BSA by pOF showed a beneficial reduction of motility parameters calcium concentration, resulting in an increased penetration rate. The combination of albumin and oviductal fluid in the medium did not improve the sperm parameters results, whereas a high concentration of BSA increased sperm morphological abnormalities, motility, and acrosome damage, with a reduction of calcium concentration and penetration rate. In conclusion, the replacement of albumin by preovulatory oviductal fluid in the swim-up sperm preparation method modifies boar sperm parameters and improves the in vitro penetration of oocytes.

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P262 drug permeability of bovine hoof membranes and human nail plates in vitro

European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.1016/0928-0987(94)90436-7 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 2 (1-2) ◽

pp. 184

Author(s):

D. Merlin ◽

B.C. Lippold

Keyword(s):

Drug Permeability ◽

Human Nail ◽

Bovine Hoof

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Contribution of boars to reproductive performance and paternity after homospermic and heterospermic artificial insemination

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rd13418 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (7) ◽

pp. 1012 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

C. E. R. Ferreira ◽

D. B. Sávio ◽

A. C. Guarise ◽

M. J. Flach ◽

G. D. A. Gastal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Performance ◽

Artificial Insemination ◽

Penetration Rate ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Precise Evaluation ◽

Umbilical Cords ◽

Farrowing Rate

Heterospermic AI is commonly used in swine despite preventing precise evaluation of individual boar fertility. The present study compared the contribution of four boars (A, B, C and D) for reproductive performance and for paternity using homospermic and heterospermic (AB, AC, AD, BC, BD and CD) AI (n = 204 for homospermic AI; n = 307 for heterospermic AI). Blood samples from the four boars, from all sows inseminated with heterospermic doses and from the umbilical cords of their piglets, as well as tissue smears from mummified fetuses, were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Differences among boars were detected for the in vitro oocyte penetration rate and for the number of spermatozoa per oocyte (P < 0.05), but not for sperm motility, mitochondrial functionality and integrity of the membrane, acrosome and DNA (P > 0.05). Homospermic and heterospermic AI resulted in similar (P > 0.05) farrowing rates (90.5% and 89.9%, respectively) and total litter size (12.4 ± 0.4 and 12.7 ± 0.7, respectively). Farrowing rate was lower for Boar B than for Boar C (P < 0.05), but no other differences in reproductive performance among boars were observed with homospermic AI. The SNPs determined the paternity of 94.2% of the piglets sired by heterospermic AI. In the AC pool, paternity contribution per boar was similar (P > 0.05), but differences between boars occurred in all other pools (P < 0.05). Boar D achieved the greatest paternity contribution in all pools and parity categories (nearly 60%), whereas Boar B sired the fewest piglets (at most 40%). Reproductive performance was similar with homospermic and heterospermic AI, but differences in performance among boars undetected with homospermic AI were only evident after genotyping the piglets sired through heterospermic AI.

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