The study of cells in horses encompasses the examination of various cell types and their functions within the equine body. Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life, and in horses, they contribute to numerous physiological processes, including growth, repair, and immune responses. Different cell types, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and muscle cells, each perform specific roles that are vital for maintaining the health and homeostasis of the horse. This topic includes research on cellular mechanisms, cellular responses to disease or injury, and the application of cellular biology in equine medicine. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the structure, function, and significance of cells in equine biology and health.
Arregui L, Rathi R, Zeng W, Honaramooz A, Gomendio M, Roldan ER, Dobrinski I.Xenografting of testis tissue from immature males from several mammalian species to immunodeficient mouse hosts results in production of fertilization-competent sperm. However, the efficiency of testis tissue xenografting from adult donors has not been critically evaluated. Testis tissue xenografting from sexually mature animals could provide an option to preserve the genetic material from valuable males when semen for cryopreservation cannot be collected. To assess the potential use of this technique for adult individuals, testes from adult animals of six species (pig, goat, cattle, donkey, h...
Walker HJ, Evans DL, Slocombe RF, Hodgson JL, Hodgson DR.Intrapulmonary blood causes an inflammatory response. Modifying this inflammatory response may be useful in the treatment of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of 3 treatments, an oral bronchodilator, inhaled steroid and oral steroid in modifying the cellular response to intrapulmonary blood inoculation. Methods: Experimental design was a randomised block divided into 4 experimental segments of 2 weeks. Eight normal horses were randomly assigned to pairs and treatments. Autologous blood was inoculated into the lungs on 4 occasions over an 8 week ...
Bertelsmann H, Sieme H, Behne D, Kyriakopoulos A.In the sperm nuclei, of mammalian species selenium has been found only in the form of sperm nuclei glutathione peroxidase (snGPx) where it is most likely bound to the chromatin of spermatozoa. Over 80% of selenium in sperm is bound to the selenoprotein phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) in the midpiece of rat sperm. Zinc in sperm is mainly contained in the outer dense fiber (ODF) proteins of the flagella of mammalian spermatozoa. In the sperm nuclei, zinc is predominately located in the chromatin to the protamine proteins. In order to investigate if the insertion of zinc...
Bakała A, Karlik W, Wiechetek M.The aim of the study was to establish the optimal methods for hypothermic storage of equine isolated hepatocytes. Viability of equine isolated hepatocytes after hypothermic storage was dependent on the type of storage medium as well as on the cell density in the storage suspension and the preservation period. Hepatocytes stored at 4 degrees C in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and Williams' Medium E (WE) for 24 h showed very low viability, numerous cell membrane blebs, very low attachment rate (11.9 +/- 6.5% and 34.8 +/- 19.1%, respectively) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte...
Nic An Ultaigh S, Ryan MF.Proteinases released during the in vitro maintenance of asynchronous cultures of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were characterized on the basis of subunit composition, fluorogenic substrate specificity, inhibitor sensitivity and pH optima. Cysteine proteinases are present in the excretory-secretory products (ESP) as indicated by the hydrolysis of cathepsin fluorogenic substrates and confirmed by immunoblotting. Serine proteinases were predominant as indicated by substrate gel analysis and inhibitor studies. The presence of metallo-proteinases was also indicated by inhibitor st...
Soffler C.Oxidative stress refers to the cellular injury and pathologic change that occurs when there is an imbalance favoring oxidants over antioxidants within a living organism. In human medicine, oxidative stress has been implicated in numerous disease processes, which has led to further research into the clinical benefits and efficacy of antioxidant therapy. The evaluation of oxidative stress in the horse has been limited primarily to ischemia-reperfusion injury of the gastrointestinal tract, recurrent airway obstruction, exercise, osteoarthritis, equine motor neuron disease, and pituitary pars inte...
Hejmej A, Kotula-Balak M, Sadowska J, Bilińska B.Connexin 43 (Cx43) is a ubiquitously distributed gap junction protein in testes and other reproductive tissues. Adjacent cells share ions and small metabolites through intercellular channels, which are present in gap junctions. Previously, Cx43 has not been reported in testes, epididymides and prostates either in healthy stallions or cryptorchid horses. Objective: To demonstrate the expression pattern of Cx43 in the reproductive tissues of stallions and examine whether naturally occurring bilateral cryptorchidism has any influence on distribution and expression of Cx43. Methods: The expression...
Künzle F, Gerber V, Van Der Haegen A, Wampfler B, Straub R, Marti E.Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a common condition in stabled horses characterized by small airway inflammation, airway neutrophilia and obstruction following exposure of susceptible horses to mouldy hay and straw and is thus regarded as a hypersensitivity reaction to mould spores. However, the role of immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) in the pathogenesis of RAO is unclear. We hypothesized that the number of cells with receptor-bound IgE in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and IgE levels in serum would be higher in RAO-affected than in healthy horses living in the same environment. Th...
Benson BM, Byron CR, Pondenis H, Stewart AA.To investigate, in vitro, the effects of radial shock waves on the release of nitric oxide (NO) and synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and liberation of GAG, from equine articular cartilage explants. Methods: Equine cartilage from normal metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints was exposed to radial shock waves at various impulse doses and then maintained as explants in culture for 48 h. Shock waves were delivered at 1,876 Torr pressure and a frequency of 10 Hz. Treatment groups consisted of a negative control group, or application of 500, 2,000, or 4,0...
Inoue OJ, Freeman DE, Wallig MA, Clarkson RB.To determine effects of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), with and without flunixin meglumine, on equine right ventral colon (RVC) in vitro. Methods: 18 healthy horses and ponies. Methods: In 3 groups of 6 animals each, short-circuit current and conductance were measured in RVC mucosa in Ussing chambers. The 3 groups received physiologic saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, IV, 10 minutes before euthanasia and tissue incubation in Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate (KRB) solution; flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg, IV) 10 minutes before euthanasia and tissue incubation in KRB solution; or physiologic saline solut...
Porter BF, Storts RW, Payne HR, Edwards JF.Ganglioneuromas are complex tumors that arise in peripheral ganglia and are composed of well-differentiated neurons, nerve processes, Schwann cells, and enteric glial cells. The term ganglioneuromatosis (GN) denotes a regional or segmental proliferation of ganglioneuromatous tissue. This report describes an 8-year-old mixed breed horse with GN in a 25-cm segment of small colon. Grossly, the lesion consisted of numerous sessile to pedunculated nodules extending from the serosal surface. Histologic examination revealed the nodules to consist of fascicles of spindle-shaped cells consistent with S...
Groot MT, Merkx M, Koper MT.The redox properties of horse and yeast cytochrome c electrostatically immobilized on carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been determined over a broad pH range (pH 3.5-8) in the absence and presence of nitric oxide. Below pH 6, both proteins exhibit comparable midpoint potentials, coverages, and electron-transfer rate constants, which suggests that they are adsorbed on the SAM in a similar fashion. Above pH 6, a sharp decrease in electron-transfer rate constants is observed for immobilized yeast cytochrome c, which is indicative of a change in the electron tunnelin...
Watts TJ, Handy RD.The haemolytic effect of verapamil on red blood cells (RBCs) exposed to varying osmolarity was investigated. The experimental approach used a modified red cell haemolysis assay with concentrations of verapamil ranging from 50-1500 microM compared to drug free controls. The time-course of haemolytic effects was also investigated. We also briefly determined the haemolytic effects of verapamil in Ca2+-free conditions (with added EGTA). In conditions representing decreasing osmolarity (dilution from 140-0 mM NaCl) there was a significant increase in erythrocyte haemolysis that was also dependent o...
Li H, Zou X, Springer M, Briest A, Lind M, Bünger C.Randomized and self-controlled study with anterior lumbar interbody fusion in a porcine model. Objective: To determine the osteoinductive potential of an equine bone protein extract in anterior interbody spinal fusion. Background: Interbody spinal fusion with bone graft transplantation is a common spine procedure. Complications related to bone graft harvesting are still a major concern. Equine demineralized bone matrix has been reported to be osteoinductive. However, the application of equine bone protein extract in spine fusion has not been documented. In this experiment, we evaluated equine ...
Milner PI, Wilkins RJ, Gibson JS.To examine the effect of O(2) and the role, and source, of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on pH regulation in articular chondrocytes. Methods: Cartilage from equine metacarpo/tarsophalangeal joints was digested (collagenase) to isolate chondrocytes and loaded with 2',7'-bis-2-(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxylfluorescein, a pH-sensitive fluorophore. O(2) tension was maintained using Eschweiler tonometers and a Wosthoff gas mixer. Cells were exposed to agents which alter ROS levels, mitochondrial inhibitors and/or inhibitors of protein phosphorylation. ROS levels were determined by dichlorofluorescein...
Jacks S, Giguère S, Prescott JF.Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes pneumonia in foals but does not induce disease in adult horses. Virulence of R. equi depends on the presence of a large plasmid, which encodes a family of seven virulence-associated proteins (VapA and VapC to VapH). Eradication of R. equi from the lungs depends on gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by T lymphocytes. The objectives of the present study were to determine the relative in vivo expression of the vap genes of R. equi in the lungs of infected foals, to determine the recall response of bronchial lymph node (BLN)...
Bryant CE, Ouellette A, Lohmann K, Vandenplas M, Moore JN, Maskell DJ, Farnfield BA.Sepsis and endotoxaemia are important causes of morbidity and mortality in humans. Research on sepsis focuses on rodent models most of which are poorly responsive to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and thus do not mimic very well the high sensitivity of humans. Therefore, there is a need to develop more clinically relevant models. Horses suffer from a similar endotoxaemic syndrome to humans with high morbidity and mortality. LPS analogues that act as antagonists at Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are being developed as novel treatments for endotoxaemia. Due to differences in recognition of ligands by TL...
Gorgoglione V, Laraspata D, La Piana G, Marzulli D, Lofrumento NE.The data reported are fully consistent with the well-known observation that exogenous cytochrome c (cyto-c) molecules do not permeate through the outer membrane of mitochondria (MOM) incubated in isotonic medium (250 mM sucrose). Cyto-c is unable to accept electrons from the sulfite/cyto-c oxido-reductase (Sox) present in the intermembrane space, unless mitochondria are solubilized. Mitochondria incubated in a very high hypotonic medium (25 mM sucrose), in contrast to any expectation, continue to be not permeable to added cyto-c even if Sox and adenylate kinase are released into the medium. Th...
Kölle S, Dubois CS, Caillaud M, Lahuec C, Sinowatz F, Goudet G.In the equine, the zona pellucida (ZP) is the major barrier to successful in vitro fertilization. Therefore the aim of our studies was to analyze species-specific features of the equine ZP in regard to structure and glycoprotein ZPB and ZPC expression sites during oocyte development and embryogenesis. The equine ZP revealed high immunological cross-reactivity to porcine ZPB and ZPC. In the ovary, the distribution of ZPB and ZPC was co-localized and correlated with the developmental stage of the follicle. ZPB and ZPC expression started in the oocyte of the late primordial and primary follicle. ...
Dykgraaf S, Dechant JE, Johns JL, Christopher MM, Bolt DM, Snyder JR.To determine the effect of intrathecal amikacin administration and repeated tenovaginocentesis on the total nucleated cell count (TNCC), total protein (TP) concentration and cytologic characteristics of synovial fluid of the equine digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS). Methods: Randomized, cross-over experimental design. Methods: Adult horses (n=8). Methods: Synovial fluid was aseptically collected from the DFTS and either 1 mL amikacin sulfate (250 mg/mL) or lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) was injected into the DFTS. Serial synovial fluid samples were obtained at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. ...
Bourges-Abella N, Raymond-Letron I, Diquelou A, Guillot E, Regnier A, Trumel C.To describe the cells observed in conjunctival brush cytology (CBC) from normal horses and compare these findings with conjunctival structural histology so as to understand which cells are recovered from CBC. Methods: This study was divided into three parts. (1) Conjunctival brush smears were collected from 20 healthy horses on both eyes and a differential count on 300 cells was carried out on May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) smears. (2) A similar protocol was used for whole eyes from five horses obtained rapidly after death from a slaughterhouse. The eyes were then assessed for conjunctival histolo...
Elce YA, Orsini JA, Blikslager AT.To assess expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 in naturally occurring squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and the analogous normal tissues in horses. Methods: Tissue samples collected from 3 conjunctival, 2 vulvar, 4 preputial, and 5 penile SCCs during surgical excision in 14 horses and from corresponding body regions (conjunctiva [n = 5 horses], vulva [2], prepuce [3], and penis [3]) in 5 horses euthanized for reasons unrelated to neoplasia. Methods: Tissue samples were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis. Protein was extracted from the frozen tissues,...
Norris JW, Pratt SM, Auh JH, Wilson SJ, Clutter D, Magdesian KG, Ferraro GL, Tablin F.Bleeding in racing horses associated with exercise appears to be multifactorial, and clinical investigation into severe cases rarely occurs. Previously, we reported a severe bleeding diathesis in a Thoroughbred mare. Herein, we describe the cellular physiology of this defect, provide a diagnostic tool for identifying it, and demonstrate that the dysfunction is heritable. Objective: The subject has a heritable defect in platelet secretion that reduces thrombin generation in the absence of additional plasma factors and delays the onset of thrombin production even in the presence of these factors...
Whalley JM, Ruitenberg KM, Sullivan K, Seshadri L, Hansen K, Birch D, Gilkerson JR, Wellington JE.Equine herpesviruses 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) cause equine respiratory disease worldwide. However, only EHV-1 is a cause of abortion and neurological disease, despite the two viruses having all 76 genes in common. In addition EHV-1 has a broader host range in cell culture than EHV-4, as exemplified by the rabbit kidney (RK) cell line that is permissive for EHV-1, but not for EHV-4. Here we describe that when EHV-4 produced in equine cells was inoculated onto RK cells expressing glycoprotein D of EHV-1 (RKgD1), infection developed as clusters of rounded cells, and this infectivity could be pas...
Murphy BA, Vick MM, Sessions DR, Cook RF, Fitzgerald BP.Peripheral clocks receive timing signals from the master mammalian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and function to adaptively anticipate daily changes that influence local physiology. Evidence suggests that peripheral immune activation may act as a resetting signal for circadian clocks in peripheral tissues. We wished to investigate whether acute systemic inflammation could synchronize clock gene expression in equine peripheral blood, a tissue that does not normally oscillate in this species. We report that in vivo administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in significan...
Manso Filho HC, McKeever KH, Gordon ME, Costa HE, Watford M.One of the hallmarks of insulin resistance is a reduction in glucose transporter-4 (Glut-4) expression in adipose tissue but not in skeletal muscle. However, while Glut-4 has been demonstrated in skeletal and cardiac muscles in horses it has not been demonstrated in adipose tissue. The initial objectives of the present study were: (1) to test the hypothesis that Glut-4 expression would vary between selected key skeletal muscles; (2) to test the hypothesis that it would also vary between representative adipose tissue depots, and (3) to see whether expression would be greater in adipose tissue c...
Ahmed YA, Tatarczuch L, Pagel CN, Davies HM, Mirams M, Mackie EJ.Post-proliferative chondrocytes in growth cartilage are present in two forms, light and dark cells. These cells undergo hypertrophy and die by a mechanism that is morphologically distinct from apoptosis, but has not been characterized. The aims of the current study were to document the ultrastructural appearance of dying hypertrophic chondrocytes, and to establish a culture system in which the mechanism of their death can be examined. Methods: Growth cartilage from fetal and growing postnatal horses was examined by electron microscopy. Chondrocytes were isolated from epiphyseal cartilage from ...
Deeg CA, Amann B, Hauck SM, Kaspers B.The major cell types in the mammalian retina are photoreceptors, amacrine, horizontal, bipolar, ganglion and Mueller glial cells. Most of the specific cell types are conserved, but cytochemical markers vary between species. The aim of our study was to characterize cytochemically distinctive markers for different cell types in the equine retina. We were able to define specific markers for equine Mueller glial cells and photoreceptor cells. Furthermore, we describe markers for large ganglion cells, horizontal and amacrine cells and a subpopulation of bipolar cells. Additionally, discrimination b...
Yates AC, Stewart AA, Byron CR, Pondenis HC, Kaufmann KM, Constable PD.To determine the effects of sodium hyaluronate (HA) in combination with methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) on interleukin-1 (IL-1)-induced inflammation in equine articular cartilage pellets. Methods: Chondrocytes collected from 7 horses euthanatized for problems unrelated to the musculoskeletal system. Methods: Chondrocyte pellets were treated with medium (negative control); medium containing IL-1 (positive control); or medium containing IL-1 with MPA only (0.05 or 0.5 mg/mL), HA only (0.2 or 2 mg/mL), or MPA (0.05 or 0.5 mg/mL) and HA (0.2 or 2 mg/mL) in combination. Proteoglycan (PG) synthesis...
Hu Z, Wu X, Ge J, Wang X.Type I interferons (IFNs) play important roles in the defense of host cells against viral infection by inducing the expression of a diverse range of antiviral factors. IFNs from different animals likely share similar features with human IFNs, and some of them have cross-species activities. Equine IFN-α was proved effective in both equine and human cells. However, the previous studies mostly focused on the inhibition of virus induced cytopathic effects. In this study, we used virus-specific assays to demonstrate the antiviral activities of equine IFN-α1 in both equine and human cells. Equine ...
Wong DM, Moore RM, Brockus CW.Oxygen is essential to aerobic life, but it is also associated with the production of highly reactive compounds that can pose danger to physiologic systems when the oxygen concentration is excessive. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are required for normal physiologic processes, but when produced in excess, they can overwhelm endogenous antioxidants, resulting in significant cellular damage and, eventually, cell death. Ischemic events can initiate numerous pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to increased production of ROS, loss of cellular energy production, and lipid peroxidation. Although reper...
Hostetter JM, Uzal FA.Evaluation of gastrointestinal (GI) biopsies is a multistep process that includes reviewing an appropriate history, determining sample quality, and evaluating histologic sections. Selected diagnostic parameters that, in combination with intestinal histopathology, can be useful to localize disease to the intestinal tract in the horse include hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia, ultrasound evidence of increased thickness of the small intestinal wall, and alterations in glucose or D-xylose absorption tests. Biopsies may be acquired either endoscopically, or via laparoscopy or standing flank incis...
Zinkl JG, Brown PD.Horse polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) isolated from horse blood by sedimentation and isotonic lysis and having about 25% accompanying lymphocytes were as effective at chemotaxis as nearly pure PMN isolated by density gradient techniques. N-Formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP), used as a representative of the formylmethionyl peptides (produced by prokaryocytic organisms), was effective as a chemoattractant only at the high concentration of 10(-4) M. When serum was preincubated with FMLP at concentrations as low as 10(-8) M, the serum attracted horse PMN. This activity was not g...
Raza F, Babasyan S, Larson EM, Freer HS, Schnabel CL, Wagner B.Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a key cytokine secreted by type 2 T helper (Th2) cells that orchestrates immune responses during allergic reactions. Human and mouse studies additionally suggest that basophils have a unique role in the regulation of allergic diseases by providing initial IL-4 to drive T cell development towards the Th2 phenotype. Equine Culicoides hypersensitivity (CH) is a seasonal immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic dermatitis in horses in response to salivary allergens from Culicoides (Cul) midges. Here, we analyzed IL-4 production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) o...
Henson FMD, Davies ME, Schofield PN, Jeffcott LB.The synthesis and expression of collagen types II, VI and X were investigated in growth cartilage selected from a group of 31 horses and ponies in the age range 157 days of gestation to 12 years. Collagen isolation, immunolocalisation and in situ hybridisation techniques were used in order to provide information on the pattern of synthesis of these 3 collagens during endochondral ossification in normal horses. Type II collagen immunoreactivity and mRNA expression was found in each of the 3 zones of growth cartilage chondrocytes in all samples studied, whereas the localisation of both collagen ...
Munsterman AS, Bertone AL, Zachos TA, Weisbrode SE.To determine the effects of pretreatment with alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on equine synovial explants challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: 8 mature mixed-breed horses (4 mares and 4 geldings). Methods: Synovial explants were assigned to receive 1 of 7 concentrations of alpha-linolenic acid, ranging from 0 to 300 microg/mL. At each concentration, half of the explants were controls and half were challenged with 0.003 microg of LPS as a model of synovial inflammation. Cell inflammatory response was evaluated by measurement of prostaglandin E2 product...
Johnson GC, Miller MA, Floss JL, Turk JR.The histologic and immunochemical characteristics of benign vascular tumors excised from the skin of seven young horses were evaluated. The patients were male horses of various breeds and were 16 months of age or younger at the time of presentation. Six tumors occurred on the extremities, and one was removed from the lip. Histologically, most tumors consisted of cellular nodules of varying compactness with few to many blood-filled lumina. Nodular growth separated preexisting adnexa and subcutaneous collagen. Some tumors contained or consisted predominantly of loosely packed arrays of ramifying...
Zhang YW, Davis EG, Blecha F, Wilkerson MJ.Innate immunity relies on a series of germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), to detect conserved microbial components. TLR9 is typically expressed intracellularly in immune cells such as dendritic cells and recognizes unmethylated bacterial or viral cytosine-phosphate-guanine DNA (CpG-DNA). To investigate innate immune responses through TLR9 signaling pathway in horses, we cloned and characterized equine TLR9. Protein sequence analysis shows that equine TLR9 has a typically conserved cytosolic Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain, three l...
Buechner-Maxwell V, Zhang C, Robertson J, Jain NC, Antczak DF, Feldman BF, Murray MJ.Leukemia is a neoplastic disease of one or more of the cell types of the hemopoietic system and is rarely diagnosed in the horse. This report describes a case of subleukemic acute myelomonocytic leukemia in an 11-year-old gelding. Preliminary cytological diagnosis was supported by two types of laboratory investigations. Cytochemical characterization of blood and bone marrow neoplastic cells was consistent with a myelomonocytic origin. Neoplastic blast cells in peripheral blood were labeled by monoclonal antibodies specific for cell surface molecules of horse granulocytes, but they were not lab...
Khan SH, Islam A, Hassan MI, Sharma S, Singh TP, Ahmad F.A sequence alignment of horse cytochrome c (cyt c) with all known cyts c shows that Leu at position 94 is conserved, except in 14 species which have either Val or Ile at this position. It is also known that Leu94 of the mammalian cyt c plays an important role in folding and stability. The important question here is as to what will happen in terms of folding and stability if Leu94 of the mammalian cyt c is substituted by Val or Ile. To answer this question, we introduced natural substitutes of Leu94 by Val and Ile in horse cyt c. The purified L94V and L94I mutants under native condition (pH 6.0...
Nobert KM.This article provides an overview of the US Food and Drug Administration's current and potential regulation of veterinary regenerative medicine and the various products used in the practice. This article also discusses several of the potential enforcement risks associated with the commercialization of such therapies and products and offers the reader strategies for mitigating those risks. Finally, the article concludes with a review of an important and ongoing court battle that focuses on the marketing and promotion of cellular-based therapies for humans that could have a significant impact on...
Byrne KM, Vierck J, Dodson MV.Equine satellite cells are responsible for muscle healing and regeneration in the mature horse. We describe the in vitro cell culture conditions required for clonal populations of equine satellite cells to undergo both proliferation and differentiation. Our hypothesis is that these in vitro conditions model regeneration of muscle and can be used to evaluate potential therapeutics. In this study, 2 areas of satellite cell response were tested: proliferation of clones induced by growth factors, and fusion induced by culture conditions. Equine satellite cell clones showed differences in their res...
Coleman MC, Whitfield-Cargile C, Cohen ND, Goldsby JL, Davidson L, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Ivanov I, Eades S, Ing N, Chapkin RS.Evaluating the health and function of the gastrointestinal tract can be challenging in all species, but is especially difficult in horses due to their size and length of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Isolation of mRNA of cells exfoliated from the GI mucosa into feces (i.e., the exfoliome) offers a novel means of non-invasively examining the gene expression profile of the GI mucosa. This approach has been utilized in people with colorectal cancer. Moreover, we have utilized this approach in a murine model of GI inflammation and demonstrated that the exfoliome reflects the tissue transcriptom...
Rose MT.The objective of this study was to determine the effect of platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) on the proliferation and migration of equine oral mucosa and leg skin fibroblast cell lines, using an in vitro scratch assay. Fibroblasts from the two sites were firstly grown to confluence and then an area of cells removed (cell void area). Cell migration alone (with the addition of the mitosis inhibitor mitomycin-C to the culture media) and prolif...
Walter S, Bollenbach A, Doerrbecker J, Pfaender S, Brown RJP, Vieyres G, Scott C, Foster R, Kumar A, Zitzmann N, Griffin S, Penin F, Pietschmann T....Nonprimate hepacivirus (NPHV), the closest homolog of hepatitis C virus (HCV) described to date, has recently been discovered in horses. Even though the two viruses share a similar genomic organization, conservation of the encoded hepaciviral proteins remains undetermined. The HCV p7 protein is localized within endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes and is important for the production of infectious particles. In this study, we analyzed the structural and functional features of NPHV p7 in addition to its role during virus assembly. Three-dimensional homology models for NPHV p7 using various nucle...
Thomas PG, Ignotz GG, Ball BA, Brinsko SP, Currie WB.Adhesion of equine spermatozoa to homologous oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) in vitro results in specific changes in spermatozoa and OEC function. To test the hypothesis that adhesion of spermatozoa affects protein synthesis and secretion by OEC, the following treatment groups were established in culture: OEC with culture medium only; control spermatozoa in culture medium only; OEC in coculture with spermatozoa; and OEC and spermatozoa in coculture, but physically separated by a microporous membrane. The experiment was replicated within each of 4 ejaculates from 3 stallions. De novo protein sec...
Gómez-Torres F, Ballesteros-Acuña L, Ruíz-Sauri A.Atrioventricular node is responsible for delaying the passage of the electrical impulse to ventricles in order to protect them from fast depolarizations coming from the atria. The importance of this study is to identify the morphological variations of the components of atrioventricular zone that affect the conduction system and its clinical relationship in different species of mammals. We analyzed ten human hearts, nine from horses, eight from pigs, and five from dogs without a clinical history of cardiac pathologies. Histological section thickness of 5 μm were obtained with a microtome and ...
Malone ED, Brown DR, Trent AM, Turner TA.To characterize the response of equine jejunal smooth muscle to adrenergic and cholinergic mediators. Methods: Evaluation of myogenic responses, using an in vitro model. Methods: Intestinal tissues were obtained from horses without gastrointestinal tract disorders or systemic disease. Methods: Baseline myogenic tone and amplitude and frequency of contraction were determined for suspended jejunal muscle strips. The level of adrenergic and cholinergic regulation was assessed, using atropine and adrenoceptor antagonists. The response of the muscles to norepinephrine was characterized, using adren...
Choi YH, Love LB, Varner DD, Hinrichs K.This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro development of equine oocytes with compact cumuli that had been subjected to a period of meiotic suppression with roscovitine before in vitro maturation. In experiment 1, oocytes were recovered from slaughterhouse-derived ovaries and held in M199 + 10% fetal bovine serum containing 66 microM roscovitine with or without an overlay of mineral oil in 5% CO2 in air at 38.2 degrees C for 16-18 or 24 h. No oocytes treated with roscovitine in the absence of an oil overlay for 16-18 h were maturing, compared with 2-4% of oocytes in other treatments. In...
The Journal of protozoologyAugust 1, 1980
Volume 27, Issue 3 288-292 doi: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1980.tb04259.x
Simpson CF, Mayhew IG.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) was diagnosed in 10 horses. By electron microscopy, schizonts were found in intact host cells of the spinal cords or, more frequently, free in the extracellular spaces. Developmental stages of schizonts differed morphologically, and the late stage of schizogony was characterized by endopolygeny. These findings permitted tentative identification of the protozoon as a Sarcocystis sp. Free merozoites were present in the extracellular spaces or in cells of the spinal cord. Pericytes of capillaries were most frequently parasitized by merozoites were present ...
Willis P, Caudle AB, Fayrer-Hosken RA.Objectives of the present research were to determine the influences of types of media, sera, time and hormones on equine oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM). The following types of media and sera were evaluated: Menezo's B2 medium (B2), modified Tissue Culture Medium 199 (TCM), Defined Medium (DM), fetal calf serum (FCS), mare serum collected on the first day of estrus (MS), and mare serum collected on the day of ovulation (MSO). Resultant oocyte maturation was compared with the control: DM with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Effect of culture time (0, 15, and 32 hr) and the following hormones on oo...
Agmon N, Doster W, Post F.Heme proteins react inhomogeneously with ligands at cryogenic temperatures and homogeneously at room temperature. We have identified and characterized a transition from inhomogeneous to homogeneous behavior at intermediate temperatures in the time dependence of CO binding to horse myoglobin. The turnover is attributed to a functionally important tertiary protein relaxation process during which the barrier increases dynamically. This is verified by a combination of theory and multipulse measurements. A likely biological significance of this effect is in the autocatalysis of the ligand release p...
Podstawski P, Ropka-Molik K, Semik-Gurgul E, Samiec M, Skrzyszowska M, Podstawski Z, Szmatoła T, Witkowski M, Pawlina-Tyszko K.Matrix metalloproteinases (s) represent a family of enzymes capable of biocatalytically breaking down the structural and functional proteins responsible for extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity. This capability is widely used in physiological processes; however, imbalanced MMP activity can trigger the onset and progression of various pathological changes, including the neoplasmic transformation of different cell types. We sought to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying alterations in transcriptional profiles of genes coding for s, which were comprehensively identified in equine adult dermal ...
Pereira GR, Lorenzo PL, Carneiro GF, Ball BA, Pegoraro LM, Pimentel CA, Liu IK.In horses, successful in vitro fertilization procedures are limited by our inability to consistently mature equine oocytes by in vitro methods. Growth hormone (GH) is an important regulator of female reproduction in mammals, playing an important role in ovarian function, follicular growth and steroidogenesis. The objectives of this research were to investigate: the effects of equine growth hormone (eGH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on the in vitro maturation (IVM) of equine oocytes, and the effects of eGH in addition to estradiol (E2), gonadotropins (FSH and LH) and fetal calf seru...
Lu Z, Sarkar S, Zhang J, Balasuriya UB.Equine arteritis virus (EAV), the causative agent of equine viral arteritis, has relatively broad cell tropism in vitro. In horses, EAV primarily replicates in macrophages and endothelial cells of small blood vessels. Until now, neither the cellular receptor(s) nor the mechanism(s) of virus attachment and entry have been determined for this virus. In this study, we investigated the effect of heparin on EAV infection in equine endothelial cells (EECs). Heparin, but not other glycosaminoglycans, could reduce EAV infection up to 93 %. Sequence analysis of the EAV E minor envelope protein reveale...
Kendall A, Nyström S, Ekman S, Hultén LM, Lindahl A, Hansson E, Skiöldebrand E.Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin with many functions. In humans, it is involved in inflammation, nerve growth, apoptosis and pain signalling. Increased concentrations of NGF in synovial fluid has been shown in humans and dogs with osteoarthritis. Despite osteoarthritis being a common problem in horses, no studies have previously been published on NGF in the equine joint. The aim of this study was to quantify NGF in equine synovial fluid from healthy joints, acutely inflamed septic joints and joints with structural changes associated with osteoarthritis. A secondary aim was to identi...
Li QC, Mabrouk PA.This paper reports the first report of rapid, reversible direct electron transfer between a redox protein, specifically, horse myoglobin, and a solid electrode substrate in nonaqueous media and the spectroscopic (UV-vis, fluorescence, and resonance Raman) characterization of the relevant redox forms of myoglobin (Mb) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In DMSO, the heme active site of metmyoglobin (metMb) appears to remain six-coordinate high-spin, binding water weakly. Changes in the UV-fluorescence spectra for metMb in DMSO indicate that the protein secondary structure has been perturbed and sugge...
Roser JF, McCue PM, Hoye E.An overnight double antibody RIA, employing a rabbit antiserum raised to bovine 31 kDa inhibin (rAs-#1989, NICHD) and purified bovine 31 kDa inhibin (bINH-I-90/1, NICHD) as trace and standard, was validated to measure immunoreactive inhibin (iINH) concentrations in equine peripheral plasma, follicular fluid (FF), ovarian vein (OV) plasma, testicular tissue extracts (TTE) and testicular vein (TV) plasma. The dynamic relationship of iINH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was investigated during the estrous cycle of the mare and the annual reproductive cycle of the stallion. In the RIA, para...
Glade MJ.Low molecular weight polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) stimulated net collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis by normal and arthritic equine fetlock cartilage tissues in organ culture. Arthritic tissues were more sensitive to PSGAG stimulation. The rates of cartilage-specific type-II collagen and chondroitin sulfate-rich glycosaminoglycan synthesis by confluent chondrocyte cell cultures obtained from normal and arthritic equine cartilage tissues were increased by 25 and 50 mg of PSGAG/ml. Cells from arthritic cartilage were also more sensitive to the presence of PSGAG. In addition, conce...
