Topic:Microtubules
Microtubules are dynamic structures composed of tubulin proteins that form part of the cytoskeleton in horse cells. They are involved in various cellular processes, including maintaining cell shape, enabling intracellular transport, and facilitating cell division. In equine biology, microtubules play a role in muscle function, nerve cell activity, and cellular responses to external stimuli. Research in horses explores the organization, dynamics, and regulatory mechanisms of microtubules, as well as their involvement in conditions such as laminitis and other musculoskeletal disorders. This page brings together peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the structure, function, and significance of microtubules in equine cellular and physiological contexts.
The Autophagy Marker LC3 Is Processed during the Sperm Capacitation and the Acrosome Reaction and Translocates to the Acrosome Where It Colocalizes with the Acrosomal Membranes in Horse Spermatozoa. Despite its importance in somatic cells and during spermatogenesis, little is known about the role that autophagy may play in ejaculated spermatozoa. Our aim was to investigate whether the molecular components of autophagy, such as microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), are activated in stallion spermatozoa during the capacitation and acrosome reaction and if this activation could modulate these biological processes. To analyze the autophagy turnover, LC3I and LC3II proteins were assessed by western blotting, and the ratio between both proteins (LC3II/LC3I) was calculated. In so...
Morphometric, subcellular, in vitro fertilisation and embryonic developmental assessment of mouse oocytes produced by anti-inhibin serum or pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin superovulation. This study compared the morphometric, subcellular characteristics, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryonic developmental potential of metaphase II (MII) mouse oocytes obtained from females superovulated with either anti-inhibin serum-human chorionic gonadotrophin (AIS-hCG) or pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG)-hCG. The oocyte's quantity, quality, zona pellucida (ZP) thickness, perivitelline space (PVS), diameter, microtubules, F-actin, cortical granules (CGs) and mitochondrial distribution were determined. Superovulation using AIS-hCG resulted in a higher numbers of oocyte/donor compa...
Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Gag Assembly and Export Are Directed by Matrix Protein through trans-Golgi Networks and Cellular Vesicles. Gag intracellular assembly and export are very important processes for lentiviruses replication. Previous studies have demonstrated that equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) matrix (MA) possesses distinct phosphoinositide affinity compared with HIV-1 MA and that phosphoinositide-mediated targeting to peripheral and internal membranes is a critical factor in EIAV assembly and release. In this study, we compared the cellular assembly sites of EIAV and HIV-1. We observed that the assembly of EIAV particles occurred on interior cellular membranes, while HIV-1 was targeted to the plasma membrane (...
Nuclear configuration, spindle morphology and cytoskeletal organization of in vivo maturing horse oocytes. Horse oocytes (n = 37) were recovered in vivo from pre-ovulatory follicles 30 h after an ovulation-inducing hCG injection and were examined by fluorescent staining and confocal microscopy. Percentages of metaphase-I (MI), metaphase-II (MII) and atypical oocytes were 11%, 78% and 11% respectively. Microtubules were concentrated in the meiotic spindle in both MI and MII oocytes. Chromosomes in the metaphase plate were anchored at the equatorial region of the spindle. Spindle orientation was perpendicular to the oolema in all MI oocytes, whereas in MII oocytes, 66% were parallel and 34% were perp...
Organisation of the cytoskeleton during in vitro maturation of horse oocytes. Meiotic maturation of mammalian oocytes is a complex process during which microfilaments and microtubules provide the framework for chromosomal reorganisation and cell division. The aim of this study was to use fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy to examine changes in the distribution of these important cytoskeletal elements and their relationship to chromatin configuration during the maturation of horse oocytes in vitro. Oocytes were cultured in M199 supplemented with pFSH and eLH and, at 0, 12, 24, and 36 hr after the onset of culture, they were fixed for immunocytochemistry ...
Evidence that halothane anaesthesia induces intracellular translocation of surface coat and Golgi response in equine pulmonary intravascular macrophages. The pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) of horse contain a unique electron-dense globular surface-coat which is arranged in a linear fashion in conformity with the contours of the cell membrane. The coat is sensitive to heparin treatment and to the digestive effect of lipolytic lipase, suggesting that the coat is predominantly composed of lipoproteins. During the present study, ultrastructural features of PIMs were analysed after exposing horses to halothane inhalation which was chosen as the model agent of lipid-soluble anaesthetic. The surface-coat showed acute sensitivity to halothan...
Atypical cilia in the tracheal epithelium of healthy horses. Specimens of the tracheal epithelium were obtained from two sites in nine healthy horses by a fibre optic endoscope. Electron microscopic examination of 53,550 cilia revealed that 5.2 per cent of cilia were atypical. Nine hundred and seventeen (1.7 per cent) were compound, 78 (0.15 per cent) were swollen, 27 (0.05 per cent) were intracytoplasmic and 171 (3.35 per cent) had microtubular defects. These microtubular defects (159 peripheral and 12 central) were found in 5103 cross-sectioned cilia.
Disposition of the manchette in the normal equine spermatid. Bielanski and Kaczmarski (1979) reported the presence of microtubules in the neck region of mature stallion spermatozoa. It was hypothesized that these microtubules are derived from the manchette (a microtubular organelle present during spermiogenesis). In order to test this hypothesis, testes from 15 mature stallions were collected, perfused with 2% phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde, and prepared for transmission electron microscopy. Spermatozoa from the caudae epididymides of each stallion were prepared in a similar manner. Spermiogenesis was observed in general, and the presence of a microt...