The physiology of horses encompasses the study of the biological functions and processes that occur within the equine body. This includes the examination of various systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, digestive, and nervous systems. Understanding equine physiology is essential for comprehending how horses adapt to different environmental conditions, perform physical activities, and respond to health challenges. Research in this field often focuses on the mechanisms of energy metabolism, thermoregulation, and muscle function during exercise, as well as the physiological responses to stress and disease. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine physiology, providing insights into the biological processes that support the health and performance of horses.
Silver M, Fowden AL.The production of uterine PGFM during different dietary states has been investigated in pregnant mares in late gestation. Arterial and uterine venous plasma concentrations of PGFM rose when food was withdrawn for 12-30 h and the V-A difference widened significantly. There was an inverse correlation between the rise in PGFM and the fall in plasma glucose during a fast, and a significant decrease in the A-V plasma glucose differences across the uterus. Plasma PGFM and free fatty acid concentrations before and during food withdrawal were also correlated but no uterine A-V difference in free fatty...
Rideout MI, Burns SJ, Simpson RB.Sterile filtrates were prepared from equine isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae (genitalium), Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Streptococcus equisimilis, Actinobacillus equuli, and Corynebacterium equi and mixed individually with extended stallion semen. When diluted in the extended semen the filtrates represented bacterial populations of 0.5 x 10(6), 1 x 10(6), 2 x 10(6) and 4 x 10(6) cells/ml. pH values were recorded for each filtrate. Specimens were monitored for percentage motile spermatozoa at 30-min intervals until they reached 10% o...
Woods GL, Ginther OJ.The ability of a pituitary extract to induce ovulation and the effect of multiple ovulations on pregnancy rate and incidence of multiple fetuses were studied in seasonally anovulatory mares. The extract induced ovulation in 95% of mares having a greater than or equal to 25 mm follicle at the onset of treatment and in 64% the ovulations were multiple. The extract was less effective when the largest initial follicle was less than 25 mm. Approximately 50% of the treated mares that ovulated did not become pregnant or enter prolonged dioestrus before returning to an anovulatory condition. In treate...
Melrose PA, Douglas RH.Scanning electron microscopy showed that cells in the infundibular recess of prepubertal female horses were devoid of cilia and sparsely covered with stubby microvilli and small blebs, whereas superior ventricular areas were covered with cilia. Ciliated ependymal cells in supraoptic-suprachiasmatic areas were associated with extensive blebbing, and folded tissue adjacent to the inferior borders of the mamillary body displayed distinct bands of cilia regularly interrupted by areas of sparsely ciliated cells which appeared to be undergoing ciliogenesis. Arcuate ependymal areas had well developed...
Yilma T, McGuire TC, Perryman LE.Equine dermal cells induced with poly I:C + DEAE-dextran produced low levels of interferon tentatively classified as equine interferon beta (EqIFN-beta). In contrast, dermal cells initially primed with EqIFN-beta and then superinduced with poly I:C + DEAE-dextran in the presence of cycloheximide and actinomycin D produced greater than 100-fold EqIFN-beta. Equine blood mononuclear cells induced with Newcastle disease virus and phytohemagglutinin produced high levels of interferons tentatively classified as equine interferon alpha (EqIFN-alpha) and equine interferon gamma (EqIFN-gamma), respecti...
Peters GJ, Oosterhof A, Veerkamp JH.1. Activities of ADA, PNP and AK were measured in splenocytes and thymocytes of newborn children, young horses, pigs, sheep, rats and mice and compared with the activities previously found in peripheral lymphocytes. 2. With all species, except horse, the activity of ADA (per 10(6) cells) was higher in thymocytes than in lymphocytes. Activity of ADA was highest in splenocytes of pig and sheep. Activity of ADA was lowest in all lymphoid cells of the horse and only about 10% of the activity in human splenocytes and lymphocytes. 3. With all species, except horse, the activity of PNP was lower in t...
Webb PD.The pituitary glands of 4 horse embryos (41-55 days of gestation) were examined by light microscopy, and the pars distalis from 10 fetal foals (75-300 days) was examined by electron microscopy. At Day 41 the development of Rathke's pouch and the saccus infundibuli was advanced; the former had almost lost its connection with the stomodaeum and the latter had started to differentiate into infundibular process and infundibular stalk. By Day 43 Rathke's pouch was completely dissociated from the stomodaeum and its walls were beginning to show uneven growth. The ventral wall of the pouch, the future...
Dixon JB, Jenkins P, Allan D.Culture of murine lymph node cells together with living protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus is described. The presence of the parasite induced potent blastic transformation in lymphocytes of unimmunized mice as indicated by tritiated thymidine incorporation. The response was markedly reduced by killing the parasite immediately prior to culture. No blastogenic activity was detectable in supernatants from living parasites cultured alone. Protoscolices from artificially infected syngeneic mice were effective stimuli, as were protoscolices from naturally infected horse and sheep. Stimulation ...
Driancourt MA, Mariana JC, Palmer E.In the middle of the breeding season, 16 pony mares (n = 4 per day) were slaughtered on four different days (days 6, 14, 17 and the preovulatory day) of the oestrous cycle, day 0 being the day of the last ovulation. All the ovaries were examined histologically; the number, size and atresia (defined by granulosa cell pyknosis) of all follicles larger than 1 mm in diameter were studied, using a Kryotome-video recorder-TV system. Follicular distribution of all the sizes studied (1-5 mm, 5-10 mm, greater than 10 mm in diameter) was very similar in the right and left ovaries. However, compared to t...
Sharp DC, Grubaugh W, Berglund LA, McDowell KJ, Kilmer DM, Peck LS, Seamans KW, Chen CL.The pituitary stalk was transected in 10 Pony mares by a surgical approach that involved dorsal reflection of the brain and micro-dissection from the ventro-lateral aspect of the pituitary. Diabetes insipidus was the most immediate and marked result, requiring extensive electrolyte and antidiuretic therapy for approximately 48 h after operation. Fluid stasis then developed and no further supportive measures were necessary. Endocrine challenge tests with GnRH and TRH before and after stalk transection indicated a loss of responsiveness (GnRH) or suppressed responsiveness (TRH) after the operati...
Setchell BP, Cox JE.In 3 testes of 2 adult Pony stallions under halothane anaesthesia, catheters were inserted into a vein and a lymphatic vessel in the spermatic cord and into a vein on the surface of the testis. Lymph and venous blood were collected from the catheters in the cord and p-aminohippurate (2% w/v, 0 . 1 ml/min) was infused into the vein on the testis to determine blood flow by dilution. After 1 h, 6000 i.u. hCG was injected i.v. and collections continued for 45 min. The testes weighed 126-176 g. Lymph flow was 20-150 microliter/min before hCG and 100-270 microliter/min after hCG; the range of blood ...
Potempa J.The proteolytic activity of the elastase-like proteinase from granules of horse blood leukocytes is retained on a column of Cibacron Blue-Sepharose and can be eluted with 0.5 M KSCN. During this procedure its mol. wt. is reduced from 49000 to 30000 and isoelectric point is shifted towards higher pH. The inactive protein not adsorbed on Cibacron Blue-Sepharose is strongly acidic and shows a mol. wt. of 20000. Upon mixing this protein with the modified enzyme the native proteinase is reconstituted as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.3 and isoelectric focusing in a sucrose grad...
Dixon PM, Nicholls JR, McPherson EA, Lawson GH, Thomson JR, Pirie HW, Breeze RG.An abattoir survey on horses diagnosed as suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on clinical grounds showed that the right ventricular wall thickness was not significantly different from that of normal horses. However, the weight ratio between the left and right ventricles was found to be significantly (P less than 0.001) different in COPD affected, compared with control, horses in a study of 17 physiologically and pathologically confirmed COPD cases, using ventricular weight measurements. No clinical evidence of right heart failure nor post mortem evidence of right heart ...
Terpstra AH, Sanchez-Muniz FJ, West CE, Woodward CJ.1. By means of density gradient ultracentrifugation, the density profile of the serum lipoproteins was studied in 14 species of domestic and laboratory animals: the pig, chicken, rhesus monkey, rabbit, dog, horse, sheep, cat, mouse, goat, cow, guinea-pig, trout and rat. 2. The concentration of cholesterol in whole serum and the lipoprotein fractions of these animal species was also determined. 3. There were large differences in the density profile of the serum lipoproteins among the various animals studied and the results indicate that the density limits employed for human serum lipoproteins a...
Shivers CA, Liu IK.Sera and follicular fluid from mares previously determined as having antibodies to the zona pellucida were exposed to porcine ovarian oocytes before insemination with boar spermatozoa in vitro. There was a dramatic decline in the number of spermatozoa bound to zonae compared to treatments with sera and follicular fluid from mares negative for zona antibodies. These data suggest that antibodies reactive with the zona pellucida may be responsible for reduced or even complete infertility in some mares. In a group of 50 randomly selected mares tested for antizona antibodies, 2 pregnant mares were ...
Reglero A, Hueso P, Rodrigo M, García-Alonso J, Llanillo M, Cabezas JA.The ganglioside patterns of the forebrain, cerebellum and brain stem from horse, donkey, mule and goat have been determined by thin-layer chromatography. GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b are the four major brain gangliosides. N-acetylneuraminic acid as the predominant sialic acid (congruent to 97%) and traces of N-glycolyneuraminic acid were found. The four above mentioned major gangliosides were also found in the forebrain, cerebellum and brain stem of adult rats. This pattern is not modified in rats under stress situation (at 4 degrees C for 3 months). In other extraneural organs from rats such as l...
Palmieri G, Asole A, Panu R, Farina V, Sanna L.A vegetative innervation is described for the first time in this district. On the contrary, the finding of Pacini and pacini-like corpuscles, of Golgi Mazzoni's receptors, of muscle spindles and Golgi's tendon-organs testifies the existence of a sensitive innervation in this anatomical territory. According to Karamanlidis free nervous endings are not present. All the above recorded receptors show the typical structure and can be found isolated, grouped to constitute flower-sprays, organized to form opposito-polar corpuscles or associated to originate pecilomorphic fibers. These two last findin...
Aref S.A study of the migration of fourth stage larvae of the parasite Strongylus vulgaris in the intestinal arteries of the horse is presented. It is established, that the larvae migrate along the arteries in almost straight lines. It is suggested that this is primarily due to their ability to sense the curvature of the vessel wall, and not, as might have been expected, because of an ability to sense the direction of blood flow. A larva will sometimes alter its direction of motion when encountering a small off-branching artery. This behaviour suggests, that the migration of S. vulgaris larvae can be...
Rathelot J, Canioni P, Bosc-Bierne I, Sarda L, Kamoun A, Kaptein R, Cozzone PJ.Porcine and equine colipases have been submitted to mild tryptic digestion. Proteolysis occurs at the Arg5-Gly6 bond with the loss of the N-terminal pentapeptide. Studies of native and trypsin-treated colipases by circular dichroism and laser chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization indicate that proteolysis induces conformational changes in the region of the tyrosine cluster. Experiments in the presence of phospholipid provide further evidence showing that these residues are in or close to the region of the protein interacting with aggregated lipids. Kinetic studies of the reaction of ...
Osawa Y, Higashiyama T, Nakamura T.NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductases from human placental aromatase II and from horse placental microsomes were solubilized and purified to show a single band of 83,000 daltons in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Rabbits were immunized with purified human placental aromatase II NADPHcytochrome c (P-450) reductase. The resulting antibodies (Reduc-Ab) were used to examine the species specificity of estrogen biosynthesis and the reductase activity in humans, baboons, horses and rats. Rcduc-Ab suppressed androstenedione aromatase activity in human, baboon and horse placental microsomes wit...
Larson VL, Stowe CM.Oxytetracycline (OTC) was administered IV to 3 clinically normal horses at a dosage of 10 mg of OTC/kg of body weight. Plasma OTC concentrations were determined at 30-minute intervals until postinjection minute (PIM) 240. At PIM 240, the mean OTC concentration in pulmonary tissue was 3.96 microgram/g of tissue (wet weight) and in renal tissue was 25.47 micrograms/g. diluted bronchial fluid had a mean concentration of 0.288 microgram of OTC/ml at PIM 240. The data demonstrated that OTC has adequate tissue distribution in horses.
Kreider JL, Ogg WL, Turner JW.Six mature stallions were used to test the effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha ) on sperm production and seminal characteristics. Semen was collected from each stallion twice weekly 1 hr following a 10 mg intramuscular injection of PGF2 alpha or a sham injection. A switchback design was used so that three stallions received PGF2 alpha and three served as controls during the first 9 weeks (period 1). Treatment regimens were reversed during the second 9 weeks (period 2). Treatment of stallions with PGF2 alpha resulted in an increase (P less than .05) in gel free seminal volume and a dec...
Littlejohn A, Bowles F.The haemoglobin concentration, the partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide, the oxygen content and the pH were determined in the arterial and mixed venous blood of 5 normal and 3 horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at 3 stages of an exercise distance of 1200 m. Arterial and mixed venous samples were collected simultaneously by means of an automatic technique during the walk, trot and gallop at 0-100 m, at 500-600 m and at 1100-1200 m. The standard bicarbonate and the lactic and pyruvic acid concentrations were also determined in arterial and mixed venous blood. High...
Greene CE, Tsang VC, Prestwood AK, Meriwether EA.Optimal reaction conditions for the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), 1-stage prothrombin time (PT), and Russell's viper venom time were studied for pooled plasmas of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, dogs, cats, and persons. Changes in CaCl2 and NaCl concentrations had significant effects on the APTT and PT reactions. The APTT was more sensitive than the PT to changes in CaCl2 concentration. The CaCl2 concentration recommended by the manufacturer for the APTT was suboptimal for some of plasmas of domesticated animals in ths study. Infusorial earth (Celite, activator) concentrat...
Barasa A, Dazia S, Canavese B, Modica R.The dental pulp of 34 horses aged between 4 months and 20 years has been studied on India ink injected and on paraffin embedded specimens. The pulp dimensions of the first and especially of the second dentition decrease with age. This reduction is accompanied by pronounced changes of structure; the mucous connective tissue becomes a dense, irregular connective tissue. The vessels are numerous and make a network particularly rich at the margins of the pulp; they diminish with advancing age. The reduction of the pulp volume and the regression of its vascular network are particularly pronounced a...
Burns PJ, Kumaresan P, Douglas RH.An experiment was conducted to measure plasma oxytocin concentrations at 4 different stages of the estrous cycle in 11 pony mares. Plasma oxytocin concentrations (muU/ml +/- SE) were found to be higher (P<.01) on day 2 of estrous (39.8 +/- 12.5) and day 5 post-ovulation (33.1 +/- 12.0) than on day 10 (2.3 +/- 1.6) and day 15 post-ovulation (6.8 +/- 4.1). A second experiment was conducted to measure jugular plasma oxytocin concentrations before and after sexual arousal in six pony stallions. Oxytocin concentrations (muU/ml +/- SE) were higher (P<0.06) after sexual arousal (50.5 +/- 8.9) than be...
Crenon I, Granon S, Chapus C, Kerfelec B.Pancreatic colipase plays an essential role in the intestinal fat digestion by anchoring lipase on lipid/water interfaces in the presence of bile salts. In contrast to other species, two molecular forms of colipase, A and B, have been found in horse. The two corresponding cDNAs were isolated from a horse pancreatic library and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Moreover, for the first time, active colipase has been obtained after transfection of COS cells by either colipase A or B cDNA.
Dixon PM, McPherson EA, Muir A.A trotter mare with a history of poor performance was found to have methaemoglobinaemia and haemolytic anaemia associated with decreased erythrocyte glutathione reductase and glutathione levels. The mare's dam, which also had a history of poor performance, was subsequently found to be similarly affected.
Furuoka H, Yamada M, Miyazawa K, Taniyama H, Matsui T.Here were report eosinophilic globular bodies referred to as dense microspheres (DMS), in the brains of normal horse in relation to the ageing process. The characteristic structures of DMS found in the horse were in similar to those previously reported in the human. The DMS were found predominantly in the neuropil of the cerebral cortex, and were shown histochemically to have a proteinaceous content. Electron microscopy showed that the DMS consisted of homogeneous electron-dense material bound by a single membrane and that they were found within the neuronal processes. In addition, immature or...
Ozawa A, Inokuma H, Johke T.The relationship between plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) level and body weight was studied in six breeds of horse. The correlation coefficients between plasma IGF-I and body weight in males and females of 1 year old heavy horses (Percheron and Breton breeds) were 0.62 and 0.12 respectively. The mean plasma IGF-I of males was higher than that of females (p < 0.01). However, the plasma IGF-I levels of heavy horses did not exceed those of light horses (Thoroughbred) or ponies (Shetland and Falabella). These data suggest that IGF-I is at least related to the difference of body weights ...
Lacombe VA, Hinchcliff KW, Kohn CW, Reed SM, Taylor LE.Exercise depletes muscle glycogen stores, which could subsequently impair performance. Muscle glycogen replenishment is determined by substrate availability. Objective: To study the effects of feeding meals of varying glycaemic responses on blood concentrations of substrates used for glycogenesis in horses with exercise-induced glycogen depletion. Methods: In a 3-way crossover study, 7 horses received each of 3 isocaloric diets for 72 h after undergoing glycogen-depleting exercise: 1) a high soluble-carbohydrate diet, which induced a high-glycaemic (HGI) response; 2 and 3) a low soluble-carboh...
Livesey JH, Carne A, Irvine CH, Ellis J, Evans MJ, Smith R, Donald RA.A 41 amino acid peptide, probably identical in structure to human corticotropin releasing factor, was isolated from 70 equine hypothalami by methanol extraction, immunoaffinity chromatography and single step of reverse phase HPLC. The amino acid sequence was determined by gas phase sequence analysis. Probable carboxyl terminal amidation was demonstrated by similar retention times for equine and human corticotropin releasing factor on reverse phase HPLC at pH 8. The likely structure of equine corticotropin releasing factor is: Ser-Glu-Glu-Pro-Pro- Ile-Ser-Leu-Asp-Leu-Thr-Phe-His-Leu-Leu-Arg-Glu...
King SS, Evans JW.Follicular growth, circulating estradiol concentrations and endometrial prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) production were measured to determine whether there is an interrelationship among these factors associated with luteolysis. Follicular growth was monitored by rectal palpation every other day during diestrus in 16 mares. Plasma estradiol was determined for daily samples during all estrous cycles. Endometrial tissue was removed for PGF2 alpha analysis by radioimmunoassay on d 10, 12, 14 or 16 during several normal cycles and after d 30 during spontaneously prolonged cycles. Circulating es...
Bischofberger AS, Hadidane I, Wereszka MM, Perkins NR, Jeffcott LB, Dart AJ.To determine the effect of horse age and laryngeal prosthesis location on rima glottidis area in cadaveric larynges. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Cadaveric equine larynges (n = 40). Methods: Specimens were grouped by age: group 1, ≤5 years (n = 18); group 2, >5 to ≤10 years (n = 12); group 3, >10 years (n = 10). A cranial prosthesis was placed through the dorsal cricoid spine at 70% of the distance of the total cricoid length measured from the caudal rim. A dorsal prosthesis was placed through the caudal rim of the cricoid on the dorsal midline. A lateral prosthesis was plac...