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.
Holtan DW, Nett TM, Estergreen VL.Jugular vein plasma from 13 mares was extracted with diethyl ether and chromatographed on Sephadex LH-20 columns (.5 × 9 cm) after which progesterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (170HP) were quantified by a competitive protein binding radioassay. During pregnancy, progesterone increased (P < .05) from 1.1 ± .4 ng/ml (mean ± SE) on day 0 to 7.5 ± 1.2 ng/ml on day 8 followed by a transient (nonsignificant) decrease to 4.8 ± .4 ng/ml on day 28. From days 28 to 44 progesterone again increased (P < .05) attaining a maximum concentration of 15.2 ± 1.4 ng/ml on day 64. Thereafter progesterone ...
Pickett BW, Sullivan JJ, Byers WW, Pace MM, Remmenga EE.The effect of centrifugation of diluted and undiluted semen on equine and bovine spermatozoan motility and fertility was examined, as was the effect of seminal plasma and dilution on stallion spermatozoa during incubation before and after freezing. Centrifugation at 370 g or 829 g was not detrimental (P greater than 0.05) to prefreeze or postfreeze motility if a final concentration of 10% seminal plasma was present. A reduction of seminal plasma from 10% to 2% significantly (P smaller than 0.05) reduced motility. A centrifugal force of 956 g significantly reduced prefreeze but not postfreeze m...
Targowski SP.Treatment of ponies with a single dose of prednisolone markedly reduced the number of blood lymphocytes. A decrease of the number of eosinophils was also observed. In contrast, the number of neutrophils significantly increased. These profound changes were temporary and returned to the pretreatment level within 48 h. The number of monocytes did not show any of the significant changes post-prednisolone treatment. The reactivity of the blood lymphocytes of these ponies, in vitro, to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or streptokinase-strepto-dornase (SK-SD) was measured by incorporation of...
Engle CC, Foley CW.Uterine tubal fluids were collected twice a day from mares for 5 consecutive estrous cycles between March 15 and September 1. Follicular fluids were aspirated from the follicles of exteriorized ovaries of 3 mares between days 2 and 5 of estrus. Uterine tubal fluid and follicular fluid were analyzed for osmolarity, dry matter, total lipids, total free fatty acids, glucose, fructose, and lactic acid. Blood samples were collected (jugular venipuncture) throughout the estrous cycle, and the same physical and biochemical analyses were made on blood plasma. A difference (P less than 0.01) was found ...
Muir WW, Moore CA, Hamlin RL.The influence of various concentrations of CO2 and O2 in the inspired gases on minute volume (V), tidal volume (VT), and respiratory rate (breaths per min; BPM) was examined in nonanesthetized, nonsedated normal horses. The VT and BPM increased linearly in response to increases in inspired CO2 concentration and curvilinearly in response to decreases in inspired Os concentration. The V increased curvilinearly in response to both increases in inspired CO2 concentration and decreases in inspired O2 concentration.
Dworschack R, Tarr G, Plapp BV.A single amino group in horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase was modified with methyl(14C)acetimidate by a differential labeling procedure. Lysine residues outside the active site were modified with ethyl acetimidate while a lysine residue in the active site was protected by the formation of an enzyme-NAD+-pyrazole complex. After the protecting reagents were removed, the enzyme was treated with methyl(14C)acetimidate. Enzyme activity was enhanced 13-fold as 1.1 (14C)acetimidyl group was incorporated per active site. A labeled peptide was isolated from a tryptic-chymotryptic digest of the modified...
Bull TE, Lindman B, Einarsson R, Zeppezauer M.The binding of Au(CN)2- and Pt(CN)4-2- ions to the coenzyme binding site of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol : NAD+ oxidoreductase EC 1.1.1.1) has been studied by 35C1 nuclear magnetic relaxation. Longitudinal relaxation rates were analyzed in terms of a simple model and binding constants for Au(CN)2-, Pt(CN)4-2- and C1- were estimated. From a comparison between transverse and longitudinal relaxation rates the correlation time and the quadrupole coupling constant of bound chloride ion were obtained. The quadrupole coupling constant estimated from a simple electrostatic model for chlo...
Wensing T, van Gent DM, Schotman AJ, Kroneman J.(I) The lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in sera of 4 healthy and 9 hyperlipaemic patients were determined. From the results of the analyses, it is suggested that three types of hyperlipoproteinaemia can be distinguished in ponies: (a) Type 1, characterised by a very pronounced increase in only the very low density lipoproteins (VLDL); (b) Type 2, in which there is a pronounced increase in the chylomicrons (Chylo) and the very low density lipoproteins (VLDL); (c) Type 3, which can be the result of fasting and is characterised by a moderate increase in the concentration of chylomicrons and ...
Toniolo C, Fontana A, Scoffone E.Ultraviolet absorption and circular dichroism studies have been carried out on horse heart apo-cytochrome c and heme-free peptide fragments obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage of the native protein. It was noted that the various peptides assume predominantly an unordered conformation in water solution. Increasing ionic strength and addition of 2-chloroethanol increase the right-handed helical content. Guanidinium hydrochloride favors the coil state. It was also demonstrated that two non-interacting helical regions of different stability are present in the apo-protein in 2-chloroethanol.
Goranov Kh, Ivanov V.Investigations were carried out on the alkaline phosphatase in the sera of cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens, the pH value of the buffer used being 9.0-9.8-10.0-10.2-10.6 and 11.0, and the method applied--that of Richterich. The pH value at which the serum alkaline phosphatase in the various farm animals and birds was most active was found to vary to a large extent. Optimal values for the enzyme's activity usually range as follows: cattle, 10.2; pigs and goats, 10.0; sheep,--10.2; horses,--9.8; chickens,--10.6.
Rawlings CA, Bisgard GE.Renal clearance and excretion of endogenous substances were studied in 13 small adult ponies (152 plus or minus 93 (standard deviation (SD)) kg). Normal data of serum and urinary concentrations, clearance, and excretion of creatinine, osmolality, free water, sodium, potassium, and chloride during a 12-hour period are presented. Significant linear regressions on body weight (BW) were obtained for creatinine clearance (Ccr (ml/hr) = 127.2 times BW (kg) - 1553), osmolar clearance (Cosm(ml/hr) = 1.81 times BW (kg) m0.3), and free water (CH2O(ml/hr) = - 1.43 BW (kg) - 25.0). Compared with renal exc...
Brook D.A case of what can be presumed to be secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism, due to high phosphorus diet, in a six year old pony is discussed. The findings are compared to those found when the disease occurs in young growing horses.
Osz E, Réthy L.The authors have compared the anaphylaxis due to active and passive sensitization of mice. In the case of active sensitizing, anti-mouse anti-thymocyte horse serum (ATS), and/or normal horse serum (NHS), whereas in the case of passive sensitizing, plasma, peripheral leukocytes, spleen cells and thymocytes of sensitized animals were used. Provocation of shock was carried out by intravenous administration of ATS or NHS. Irreversible anaphylaxis occurred in a significantly higher rate in the case of ATS than NHS sensitivity, produced either actively, or passively. Differences have been found also...
Blackmore DJ, Elton D.This paper records the concentrations of aspartate amino transferase (A.A.T.), creatine kinase (C.P.K.), sorbitol dehydrogenase (S.D.H.), alpha-hydroxybuturate dehydrogenase (alpha-H.B.D.) and alkaline phosphatase (A.P.) activity observed in the sera of Thoroughbred horses in the United Kingdom, at rest and during training. The methods of analysis have been selected to achieve the optimum precision when used for horse serum. During training A.A.T., C.P.K. and alpha-H.B.D. are related and demonstrate intermittent periods of increasing activity. S.D.H. remains unchanged but demonstrates increase...
Vigroux P, Candau M, Ruckebusch Y.Electrical spiking activity of the caecum is increased eight-fold and the rate of passage of digesta is increased four-fold when the volume of caecal contents is doubled. The role of caecal motility in regulating the volume of caecal contents is discussed.
Nanda BS, Getty R.The consistent presence of the caroticobasilar artery was observed and discussed in view of the anatomical normalities in the horse. The persistence of the above vessel was correlated with the developmental changes in the cranial and cerebral arteries.
Ostlund C, Pero RW, Johnson DB.This study compares the relationship between N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (NA-AAF) and u.v. induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) and their respective relationships to age and blood pressure in horse mononuclear leukocytes with earlier, similar investigations on human leukocytes. U.v. induced UDS was found to proceed more rapidly than NA-AAF induced UDS. A pronounced lag period associated with the rapid demand for 3H-dThd into DNA after u.v. damage was observed. NA-AAF induced UDS correlated significantly with NA-AAF binding, age and the blood pressure of male horses. UDS values, induced ...
Doyle A, Owen LN.Sixteen cytotoxic drugs used in cancer chemotherapy in man were studied for cytopathic effect on equine fibrosarcoma, melanoma and normal equine lung cells in vitro. Three drugs, vincristine, melphalan and methotrexate, produced cytopathic effect
Katano Y, Imai S.The effects of dipyridamole on thromboxane A2 formation by horse platelet microsomes were studied in comparison with those of imidazole, a prototype inhibitor of TXA2 synthetase and nifedipine, a calcium antagonistic vasodilator. Thromboxane A2 was synthesized by incubating PGH2 with horse platelet microsomes and was assayed on the superfused rabbit aorta. Dipyridamole induced as strong an inhibition of TXA2 synthesis as imidazole, while nifedipine was without effects. The possible beneficial clinical outcomes of this effect of dipyridamole are discussed.
Cuervo-Arango J.Prostaglandins (PGs) are essential to trigger the cascade of events that degrade the extracellular matrix of follicles leading to follicular rupture and ovulation. In mares, systemic administration of flunixin meglumine (FM), a PG synthetase inhibitor, blocks ovulation by inducing luteinized unruptured follicles (LUF). In the rat, the administration of PGF(2α) (PGF) and PGE restored ovulation in indomethacin treated animals. The mares were treated with FM 0, 12, 24 and 36 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) administration to induce experimentally LUF (n = 15) or were left untreated (c...
Perkins NR, Threlfall WR, Ottobre JS.Existence of ultradian variation in serum progesterone concentration and the relation between progesterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretory patterns were investigated in nonpregnant and pregnant mares. Blood samples were taken every 15 minutes for a 24-hour period on day 8 of the estrous cycle and day 18 of pregnancy, respectively. Progesterone and LH concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Progesterone was secreted in pulsatile manner in nonpregnant and pregnant mares. Luteinizing hormone also was secreted in a pulsatile manner in both groups of mares. There was little tempo...
Bailey SR, Andrews MJ, Elliott J, Cunningham F.Platelets are thought to play a role in equine diseases such as acute laminitis and verminous arteritis and may be involved in allergic disease. Mediators implicated in the pathophysiology of these conditions activate platelets and responses may be enhanced by interactions between mediators. The present study compared platelet aggregation, thromboxane production and release of radiolabelled [(3)H]5- HT in response to 5- HT, histamine, ADP and PAF alone and in combination in vitro.PAF caused concentration-related aggregation, [(3)H]5- HT release and thromboxane production. In contrast, ADP caus...
Giguère S, Prescott JF.The remarkable ability of the horse and other animals to prevent infection by most bacterial pathogens encountered is the result of a complex set of distinct but overlapping defense mechanisms. This article summarizes the current state of knowledge on innate and adaptive immunity to bacterial pathogens and reviews various ways in which some bacteria have evolved in order to evade components of the host response.
Richardson LM, Gordon J, Davila C, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Zdyrski C, Whitfield-Cargile CM.Gastrointestinal (GI) disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in horses, with disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier playing a central role in disease pathogenesis. A deeper understanding of the molecular and functional properties of the equine intestinal barrier is essential to improve diagnostics and therapeutics. While intestinal organoids have emerged as a promising tool for modeling GI physiology and disease, equine-specific data remain limited. Existing studies vary in methodology and often lack functional characterization, particularly across different intestinal re...