Topic:Biopsy
Biopsy in horses involves the collection of tissue samples for diagnostic purposes, often to identify the presence of disease, evaluate tissue abnormalities, or monitor treatment responses. This procedure can be performed on various tissues, including skin, muscle, liver, and other organs, depending on the clinical indications. Biopsies are typically obtained using specialized instruments and techniques to ensure minimal discomfort and accurate sample collection. The analysis of biopsy samples can provide detailed histological information that aids in diagnosing conditions such as neoplasia, inflammatory diseases, and infectious processes. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, applications, and outcomes of biopsy procedures in equine veterinary practice.
Effects of a blend of green tea and curcuma extract supplementation on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in horses and ponies. In horses and ponies numerous medical conditions are known to be linked with inflammation in different tissues, especially in the liver. Besides affecting other metabolic pathways such as the expression of certain interleukins (IL), inflammation is associated with stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In particular, ER stress leads to adaptive stress response and can be measured by several markers of inflammatory and stress signalling pathways, like nuclear factor κB (NF-kB). Objective: To investigate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory reactions and their modulation in horses a...
Cutaneous Leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania martiniquensis in a Horse in Florida. We report a new case of cutaneous leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in a horse in Florida, USA. A 10-year-old neutered male Quarter horse was presented with multifocal to coalescing, raised, ulcerated and oozing, non-healing wounds on both pinnae of several weeks' duration. After a few months, the lesions regressed spontaneously. Biopsies of the lesions were performed with microscopical findings of epidermal hyperplasia with multifocal ulceration and focally extensive, dermal pyogranulomatous inflammation with numerous intact and degenerate neutrophils being surround...
Impact of alpha-tocopherol deficiency and supplementation on sacrocaudalis and gluteal muscle fiber histopathology and morphology in horses. A subset of horses deficient in alpha-tocopherol (α-TP) develop muscle atrophy and vitamin E-responsive myopathy (VEM) characterized by mitochondrial alterations in the sacrocaudalis dorsalis medialis muscle (SC). Objective: To quantify muscle histopathologic abnormalities in subclinical α-TP deficient horses before and after α-TP supplementation and compare with retrospective (r)VEM cases. Methods: Prospective study; 16 healthy α-TP-deficient Quarter Horses. Retrospective study; 10 retrospective vitamin E-responsive myopathy (rVEM) cases . Methods: Blood, SC, and gluteus medius (GM) biops...
Application of embryo biopsy and sex determination via polymerase chain reaction in a commercial equine embryo transfer program in Argentina. Embryo biopsy for fetal sexing has clinical application, but few reports are available of its use within an active embryo transfer program. We evaluated results on biopsy of 459 embryos over one breeding season. There were no significant differences in pregnancy rate between biopsied and non-biopsied embryos (72% vs 73%) or for biopsied embryos recovered at the centre (73%) compared with those shipped overnight (72%). However, the pregnancy rate decreased significantly in shipped embryos biopsied ≥20h after collection. Overall, 86% of biopsies provided a sex diagnosis. The likelihood of a po...
Dietary tributyrin supplementation and submaximal exercise promote activation of equine satellite cells. Postexercise skeletal muscle repair is dependent on the actions of satellite cells (SCs). The signal(s) responsible for activation of these normally quiescent cells in the horse remain unknown. The objective of the experiment was to determine whether submaximal exercise or tributyrin (TB) supplementation is sufficient to stimulate SC activation. Adult geldings were fed a control diet (n = 6) or a diet containing 0.45% TB (n = 6). After 30 d, the geldings performed a single bout of submaximal exercise. Middle gluteal muscle biopsies and blood were collected on days -1, 1, 3, and 5 relative to e...
Multiple excisions of an equine sarcoid and the repercussions. A 13-year-old Morgan crossbred mare was presented in May 2018 with a 10-cm mass on the medial aspect of the left hind fetlock. In September and November 2018 and June 2019 the mass was incompletely excised and continued to grow. A diagnosis of spindle cell tumor, consistent with equine sarcoid, was made based on histopathology from the last excision. . Une jument Morgan croisée âgée de 13 ans a été présentée en mai 2018 avec une masse de 10 cm sur l’aspect médial du boulet arrière gauche. En septembre et novembre 2018 ainsi qu’en juin 2019, la masse avait été excisée de manièr...
Phaeohyphomycotic Rhinitis Caused by Bipolaris hawaiiensis in a Horse. This case represents the first reported case of Bipolaris hawaiiensis infection in an equid, and its aggressive clinical course. This case provides important descriptive and prognostic information for horses diagnosed with phaeohyphomycotic rhinitis. A 19-year-old American Quarter Horse mare was presented for second opinion of stertor and exercise intolerance of four-month duration. Endoscopy revealed generalized, proximal nasal edema, and computed tomography identified a soft tissue mass eroded through the rostral nasal bone. Biopsy of the mass was identified as a fungal granuloma caused by B...
Transition to the ovulatory season in mares: An investigation of antral follicle receptor gene expression in vivo. The inability to obtain in vivo samples of antral follicle wall layers without removing the ovaries or sacrificing the animals has limited more in-depth studies on folliculogenesis. In this study, a novel ultrasound-guided follicle wall biopsy (FWB) technique was used to obtain in vivo follicle wall layers and follicular fluid samples of growing antral follicles. The expression of proliferative, hormonal, angiogenic, and pro-/antiapoptotic receptors and proteins in the follicular wall among three follicle classes were compared during the spring transitional anovulatory (SAN) and spring ovulato...
Equine fetal genotyping via aspiration of yolk-sac fluid at 22-28 days of gestation. Fetal genotyping has important applications in the horse, but currently necessitates embryo recovery and biopsy. We investigated whether fetal genotyping could be performed on yolk-sac fluid recovered from pregnant mares via transvaginal aspiration. Fluid was collected before Day 30 to provide results before establishment of the endometrial cups (Day 37). Genotyping and assessment of maternal DNA contamination was performed by analyzing histograms of PCR results for 19 loci. In Exp. 1, mares underwent yolk-sac aspiration on Days 22-28 of gestation. Fluid (0.56-1.02 mL) was recovered from fiv...
Endometrial Histomorphometry of Anestrous Mares Under the Influence of Different Embryo Transfer Hormonal Protocols. Aiming to investigate the effects of different hormonal protocols on the endometrium morphometry of anestrous mares, 26 animals were assigned to four different treatment groups: (1) EB2.5LAP4: single dose of 2.5 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB); (2) EB5LAP4: 5 mg of EB in 2 consecutive days; (3) EB10LAP4: 10 mg of EB in three consecutive days, considering that all EB-treated groups received a single dose of 1,500 mg of long-acting progesterone (LA P4) after the single/last EB dose; and (4) LAP4: only 1,500 mg of LA P4. Results were also compared with those found in cyclic mares (control grou...
An Equine Wound Model to Study Effects of Bacterial Aggregates on Wound Healing. Objective: Relevant animal models to study effects of bacterial aggregates on wound healing are lacking. We aimed at establishing an equine wound model with bacterial aggregates to investigate the impact of bacterial inoculation on normal (thorax) and impaired (limb) wound healing. Approach: Wounds were created on three limbs and both thorax sides of six horses. Twelve out of 20 wounds per horse were inoculated with 104 Staphylococcus aureus and 105 Pseudomonas aeruginosa on day 4. Healing was monitored until day 27 by clinical assessment, including wound scoring, surface pH measurements, and ...
Effects of acellular equine amniotic allografts on the healing of experimentally induced full-thickness distal limb wounds in horses. To characterize the growth factors contained in equine amniotic membrane allograft (eAM; StemWrap scaffold and StemWrap+ injection) and to evaluate the effect of eAM on equine distal limb wound healing. Methods: Prospective experimental controlled study. Methods: Eight adult horses. Methods: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) concentrations in StemWrap+ were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two full-thickness 6.25-cm2 skin wounds were created on...
Deficiency in proliferative, angiogenic, and LH receptors in the follicle wall: implications of season toward the anovulatory condition. This study aimed to gain insight on the effect of different seasons of the year on the expression pattern of growth factor and hormone receptors involved in follicle development. A novel follicle wall biopsy technique was used to collect in vivo follicle wall layers (ie, granulosa, theca interna, and theca externa) and follicular fluid samples from growing dominant follicles, simultaneously and repeatedly, using the same mares during the spring anovulatory (SAN), spring ovulatory (SOV), summer (SU), and fall ovulatory (FOV) seasons. The immunofluorescent expression patterns of epidermal growt...
Endometrial histopathology, bacteriology and cytology outcomes in mares with early embryonic death (EED): a field study. Early embryonic death (EED) is one of the causes of infertility in the mare. We compared endometrial environment in 9 mares with EED and 13 mares in diestrus phase. Cotton swab (CS), cytobrush (CB) and uterine biopsy (B) samples were obtained for the cytological, bacteriological and histopathological examinations. In the first step we compared CS and CB methods to biopsy as a reference method, as B revealed the highest number of positive results in cytological and bacteriological examinations in both groups. In turn, we also compared cytological, bacteriological and histopathological findings ...
Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Scoring System for Distinguishing Early Osteoarthritis Disease States: A Feasibility Study. Early detection of osteoarthritis (OA) remains a diagnostic challenge owing to insensitive diagnostic techniques currently available. Herein a new semiquantitative scoring system, based upon contrast-enhanced computed tomographic (CECT) imaging, is described for further refinement of early OA disease staging. Trochlear ridge cartilage defects were surgically created in the femoropatellar joint of an adult horse (ACUC approved protocols). Seven weeks post-surgery, CECT imaging was performed on a clinical scanner after intra-articular injection of a cationic iodinated contrast agent, CA4+, into ...
Lingual Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Two Horses. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms in horses, but lingual SCC has seldom been reported. On separate occasions, a 12-year-old American Quarter Horse mare and an 18-year-old American Saddlebred stallion were presented to the Auburn University Large Animal Teaching Hospital for evaluation of weight loss, dysphagia, and ptyalism. Evaluation of each horse included physical examination, skull radiographs, oral examination, complete blood count and serum biochemistry profile, endoscopic evaluation of the mouth, and biopsy of tissue from a lesion found on the t...
Plasticity of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells-A new approach towards the pathogenesis of equine endometrosis. Equine endometrosis, a frequent cause of subfertility, is characterized by periglandular fibrosis, and no treatment exists. Endometrial biopsies not only contain diseased glands, but also contain healthy glands and stroma. Myoepithelial (ME) and myofibroblastic (MF) markers are calponin, smooth muscle actin (SMA), desmin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Epithelial vimentin expression indicates epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). The aim of this immunohistochemical study was to investigate whether biopsies with endometrosis express MF and ME markers and vimentin. Compared to ...
Ultrastructural and histological characteristics of the equine endometrium at day 5 post ovulation. Rapid endometrial adaptations occur with the embryo entering the uterus to create a receptive uterine environment, which is essential for the conceptus' development. The aim of this study was to demonstrate ultrastructural and histological changes of the endometrium at day 5 after ovulation in cyclic and inseminated mares. Mares were daily examined by transrectal palpation and ultrasonographic examination of the reproductive tract until ovulation was detected. In the first cycle, endometrial biopsies from 10 cyclic mares (Cyclic group) were collected on day 5 post-ovulation. In the second cycl...
Effect of the duration of estradiol priming prior to progesterone administration on endometrial gene expression in anestrous mares. Field data indicate that a longer period of estrus prior to ovulation correlates positively with fertility. To test the hypothesis that the duration of exposure to estrogens prior to progesterone dominance influences endometrial function, we used anestrous mares to simulate varying durations of estrus (3 groups of 5 mares): long (LE), short (SE), and no estrus (NE), as determined by the duration of estradiol priming prior to progesterone treatment: 7, 2 and 0 days for the LE, SE and NE, respectively. Endometrial biopsies were recovered 4 days after progesterone administration in all groups for...
Expression of interleukins 6 and 10 and population of inflammatory cells in the equine endometrium: diagnostic implications. Endometritis consists of an acute or chronic inflammatory process involving the endometrium and together with endometrosis constitute the main causes of infertility in mares. The aim of this study was to associate the histopathological findings with the immunohistochemical markers interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10) to evaluate the inflammatory changes and progression of uterine tissue lesions of mares in the diestrus phase and their diagnostic implications. Twelve crossbred cyclic mares were used for endometrial biopsy collection. Samples were collected in the diestrus period (6 ± 1 da...
The role of embryo contact and focal adhesions during maternal recognition of pregnancy. Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) in the mare is an unknown process. In a non-pregnant mare on day 14 post-ovulation (PO), prostaglandin F2α (PGF) is secreted by the endometrium causing regression of the corpus luteum. Prior to day 14, MRP must occur in order to attenuate secretion of PGF. The embryo is mobile throughout the uterus due to uterine contractions from day of entry to day 14. It is unknown what signaling is occurring. Literature stated that infusing oil or placing a glass marble into the equine uterus prolongs luteal lifespan and that in non-pregnant mares, serum exosomes co...
An unusual case of giant cell tumor of soft parts in an American Warmblood horse. Fine needle aspiration and tissue biopsy samples were taken from a subcutaneous mass in the cranial stifle region of a 10-yr-old horse. Key cytologic features included numerous mildly to moderately pleomorphic histiocytic cells admixed with mononuclear inflammatory cells, occasional fibroblasts, multinucleated cells, and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Based on these features, cytologic differentials included granulomatous inflammation with reactive fibroplasia, histiocytic sarcoma, giant cell tumor of soft parts (GCTSPs), and giant cell tumor of bone. The tissue biopsy supported a diagnosis of...
Evidence for Increased Content of PGF2α, PGE2, and 6-keto-PGF1α in Endometrial Tissue Cultures From Heavy Draft Mares in Anestrus With Endometritis. Endometritis is one of the most important causes of infertility in mares. Mares may suffer from endometritis outside the breeding season; however, pathological condition is often undiagnosed in anestrus. The aim of this study was to examine whether the secretion profiles of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and a metabolite of prostacyclin I2 (6-keto-PGF1α) differ in endometrial tissue cultures of heavy draft mares in anestrus with endometritis compared to those without endometritis. The endometrial biopsies were collected from 51 heavy draft mares. Inclusion criteria for ...
Altered gene expression in embryos and endometrium collected on day 8 of induced aluteal cycles in mares. Aluteal cycles were induced in the mare to evaluate the effects of progesterone deprivation on the gene expression of embryos and endometrium collected eight days after ovulation. We hypothesized that the transcript expression would be altered during induced aluteal (AL) cycles (low progesterone <1 ng/mL) when compared with control cycles during diestrus (high progesterone; > 4 ng/mL) for 1) the embryonic expression of progesterone-mediated transcripts and those related to normal embryo growth and development and 2) the endometrial expression of progesterone-mediated transcripts and those ...
Squamous cell carcinoma with clear cell differentiation in an equine eyelid. A 15-y-old Miniature horse mare had a 6-mo history of an ulcerated mass on the right lower eyelid. An incisional biopsy and a subsequent excisional biopsy were submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for microscopic evaluation. Histologically, the incisional biopsy was composed of sheets of large neoplastic vacuolated polygonal cells. A few regions contained poorly differentiated neoplastic round-to-basaloid cells that rimmed the sheets of highly vacuolated polygonal cells. Both vacuolated and basaloid cells exhibited strong perimembranous and cytoplasmic im...
Effects of 2 preparation methods and long-term storage on structural integrity and bacterial loads of equine amnion. To determine the influence of tissue preparation and long-term storage methods on structural integrity and risk of bacterial contamination of equine amnion. Methods: Prospective experimental investigation SAMPLE POPULATION: Amniotic membranes from 8 healthy mares (n = 440 tested samples). Methods: Samples for baseline bacteriology and histology were taken after removal of debris. The remaining tissue was divided and processed with 0.05% chlorhexidine or 2% iodine/0.25% acetic acid. Processed amnion samples were assigned to 1 of 9 combinations of storage media (saline, chlorhexidine, acetic...
Mycotic Rhinitis and Sinusitis in Florida Horses. Rhinitis and sinusitis caused by fungal pathogens were studied in biopsy samples submitted from 52 horses distributed throughout subtropical and tropical regions of Florida. Methods included routine histopathology as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with panfungal/panoomycete primers and DNA sequencing on extracted DNA (DNA barcoding). Granulomatous, pyogranulomatous, and fibrinopurulent lesions in nasal and sinus mucosa were associated with signs of upper airway obstruction and noise as well as nasal discharge. Morphologic and histochemical assessment of cases identified 31 cases of zy...
Quantitative Evaluation of Equine Articular Cartilage Using Cationic Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography. To investigate the diffusion trajectory of a cationic contrast medium (CA4+) into equine articular cartilage, and to assess normal and degenerative equine articular cartilage using cationic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). In the first experiment (Exp1), equine osteochondral specimens were serially imaged with cationic CECT to establish the diffusion time constant and time to reach equilibrium in healthy articular cartilage. In a separate experiment (Exp2), articular cartilage defects were created on the femoral trochlea (defect joint) in a juvenile horse, while the opposite joint...
Use of next generation sequencing to investigate the microbiota of experimentally induced wounds and the effect of bandaging in horses. To use next generation sequencing to characterize the microbiota of horses during healing of skin wounds in two anatomical locations (body and limb) known to present different healing patterns; and to investigate the impact of bandaging on bacterial communities of skin wounds located on the limbs of horses. Full-thickness skin wounds were created on the distal extremity of both thoracic limbs and on one lateral mid-thoracic wall of four healthy horses. Limb wounds were randomly assigned to bandaging or not. A full-thickness sample was collected with a biopsy punch from intact thorax and limb s...
Cyclooxygenase-2 is inhibited in prolonged luteal maintenance induced by intrauterine devices in mares. Treatment with intrauterine devices (IUD) prolongs luteal phases in mares, but the mechanism for this has not been fully elucidated. The aims of the present study were to examine how IUDs affect the uterus to induce longer luteal phases, particularly the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the maintenance of the corpus luteum (CL). Twenty-seven reproductively normal mares were included: 12 were inseminated (AI), and 15 were fitted with IUDs. Blood samples for progesterone were obtained on Days 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, and 15 (relative to day of ovulation). The groups were further divided int...