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Topic:Physiology
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.
Chondrogenic expression and DNA methylation patterns in prolonged passages of chondrocyte cell lines of the horse. We investigated the activity of chondrogenic markers and variation of methylation patterns in equine cartilaginous cells cultivated in monolayer. The transcriptional and epigenetic effect of the long-term culture of chondrocytes has been evaluated using several passages of chondrocyte cell-lines derived from equine articular cartilage. Using 3 genes as endogenous control we tested the expression of 7 genes important for different stages of chondrocyte differentiation and maturation. CpG islands in RUNX3 locus were inspected for the evaluation of differential methylation state of passaged cell-...
Differences in trunk and upper extremity kinematics and segmental velocities during the offside forehand polo swing between male and female athletes. Although polo is a well-known equestrian sport, it is fundamentally misunderstood. The purpose of this study was to examine trunk and upper extremity kinematics and segmental velocities during the offside forehand polo swing between male and female athletes. Ten female and 17 male professional polo athletes volunteered. An electromagnetic tracking system collected kinematic data at 100 Hz while participants performed three offside forehand polo swings from a stationary wooden horse. One-way ANOVAs revealed statistically significant differences (<0.05) in all kinematic variables and segmenta...
Repeatability of the hyperglycaemic clamp for assessment of β-cell response and insulin sensitivity in horses. The hyperglycaemic clamp has been used for measurement of insulin sensitivity (IS) but not for measurement of β-cell response in the horse. However, the repeatability of this test has not been reported for horses. Objective: To determine the repeatability and reliability of measures for IS and β-cell response to glucose using the hyperglycaemic clamp in horses. Methods: Repeated measures, longitudinal study. Methods: Six healthy Standardbred mares underwent a 120-min hyperglycaemic clamp on two occasions with a 10-day washout period. Indices of repeatability and reliability were calculated f...
Equine fetal adrenal, gonadal and placental steroidogenesis. The authors apologize for errors in Figure 6 of their article published in the October 2017 issue of Reproduction (vol 154 iss 4 pp 445–454). The authors explain that the addition of data (Figure 6) on steroid concentrations in the chorioallantois to their manuscript on fetal adrenal and fetal gonadal steroids during development of the equine fetus was made in response to reviewer comments. However, in compiling, summarizing and graphing the data, the wrong units were used in the final figure. The manuscript as published represents the data in Figure 6 as “ng/g”, when in fact they are ...
Urinary bladder matrix does not improve tenogenesis in an in vitro equine model. Extracellular matrix (ECM) is responsible for tendon strength and elasticity. Healed tendon ECM lacks structural integrity, leading to reinjury. Porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) provides a scaffold and source of bioactive proteins to improve tissue healing, but has received limited attention for treating tendon injuries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of UBM to induce matrix organization and tenogenesis using a novel in vitro model. We hypothesized that addition of UBM to tendon ECM hydrogels would improve matrix organization and cell differentiation. Hydrogels see...
Is Electrical Nerve Stimulation the Answer for Management of Equine Headshaking? Horses with trigeminal mediated headshaking (TMHS) have a decreased activation threshold of the trigeminal nerve and clinical signs are suspected to be a manifestation of trigeminal neuralgia. Electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) is used for management of neuralgia in humans and appears to work via gate control theory. Use of an equine specific percutaneous ENS program in over 130 TMHS horses has resulted in approximately 50% success return to previous work. Electroacupuncture may also be useful in the management TMHS. Optimization of ENS procedures for TMHS is likely to require a greater unders...
Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction and Cultured Stromal Cells as Trophic Mediators for Tendon Healing. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is a heterogeneous population of cells that yields a homogeneous population of plastic-adherent adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASC) when culture-expanded. SVF and ASC have been used clinically to improve tendon healing, yet their mechanism of action is not fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential for ASC to act as trophic mediators for tendon healing. Flexor digitorum superficialis tendons and adipose tissue were harvested from adult horses to obtain SVF, ASC, and tenocytes. Growth factor gene expressi...
Stress effects on the regulation of parturition in different domestic animal species. This review summarizes current knowledge on stress-like responses in parturient animals and their role for the onset and fine-tuning of parturition. The antepartum maternal cortisol increase is part of the endocrine changes that initiate parturition but a further increase in cortisol release during labor indicates a stress response. During the last minutes of delivery, sinus arrhythmias occur in 80% of foaling mares and 60% of calving cows. Expulsion of the neonate is thus characterized by parasympathetic dominance. In late-pregnant cows transported by road, cortisol concentrations increased b...
Accuracy Quantification of the Reverse Engineering and High-Order Finite Element Analysis of Equine MC3 Forelimb. Shape is a key factor in influencing mechanical responses of bones. Considered to be smart viscoelastic and inhomogeneous materials, bones are stimulated to change shape (model and remodel) when they experience changes in the compressive strain distribution. Using reverse engineering techniques via computer-aided design (CAD) is crucial to create a virtual environment to investigate the significance of shape in biomechanical engineering. Nonetheless, data are lacking to quantify the accuracy of generated models and to address errors in finite element analysis (FEA). In the present study, rever...
Altered morphokinetics in equine embryos from oocytes exposed to DEHP during IVM. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a commonly used plasticizer with endocrine-disrupting properties. In this study, we used an equine model to investigate DEHP concentrations in ovarian follicular fluid (FF), and to determine the effects of exposure of oocytes to potentially toxic concentrations of DEHP during in vitro maturation (IVM) on embryo development and quality. Embryo development was evaluated using time-lapse monitoring (TLM), a photomicroscopic tool that reveals abnormalities in cleavage kinetics unobservable by conventional morphology assessment. Blastocyst bioenergetic/oxidativ...
Effect of the Interval From Prostaglandin F2alpha Treatment to Ovulation on Reproductive Efficiency Rates in a Commercial Equine Embryo Transfer Program. In the present study, 2.228 cycles of 180 Polo Argentino donor mares from an embryo transfer program in Argentina were examined to evaluate the effects of: (1) Interval from Prostaglandin F2alpha analog treatment to ovulation (ITO) on embryo recovery rate (ERR); (2) ITO on number of embryos per flushing (EPF); (3) ITO on multiple ovulation (MO) rate; (4) ITO from donor mare on pregnancy rate (PR) in recipient mares. Mares were inseminated with fresh semen from 31 fertile stallions in the induced estrus. Embryo flushing was performed 7-8 days postovulation. Following embryo flushing, donor mar...
Optimization of the Protocol for Cryopreservation of Arabian Stallion Spermatozoa: Effects of Centrifugation, Semen Extenders and Cryoprotectants. Cryopreservation of Arabian stallion semen is important in order to improve the function and fertility of frozen/thawed semen in this breed. Objective: To investigate the effects of centrifugation, type of semen extenders, and type of cryoprotectants on the quality of frozen/thawed Arabian stallion spermatozoa. Methods: Semen samples collected from four adult Arabian stallions (one ejaculate per week for 10 consecutive weeks) were either processed directly without centrifugation (no centrifugation; NC) or subjected to centrifugation on the gel-free fraction. Centrifugation protocols were divid...
Selenium and Vitamin E Concentrations in a Healthy Donkey Population in Central Italy. Selenium and vitamin E protect the body against oxidative stress. Clinical manifestations of their deficiency in equids include neurologic and muscular symptoms. Despite the importance of donkeys as working and production animals, there is a dearth of scientific data on selenium and vitamin E normal values. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the plasma concentrations of selenium and vitamin E in healthy donkeys belonging to different ages, sexes, and productive phases. Animals were divided into five groups including foals (group A: n = 7, n = 4 males and n = 3 females), wea...
Evaluation of Biological Indicators of Fatigue and Muscle Damage in Arabian Horses After Race. The aim of this study was to assay changes in blood biochemical parameters that resulted from exercise-induced muscle fatigue in horses participating in the two races (1,250 and 1,400 meters). Six male Arabian horses (3 to 6 years old) were used in this study. Blood samples were collected at time intervals including 1 hour before the race, immediately after the race, 1 and 24 hours after the end of race. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, the blood level of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured, as w...
Glycan Profiling Analysis of Equine Amniotic Progenitor Mesenchymal Cells and Their Derived Extracellular Microvesicles. Equine amniotic mesenchymal cells (eAMCs) are involved in many mechanisms in tissue regenerative processes. Their secreted vesicles are important effectors in a wide array of biological processes, and contribute to in vivo healing of equine tendon lesions and endometrial inflammation. Glycoconjugates are involved in cellular recognition and in the efficient uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by recipient cells. In this study, we evaluated the surface glycosylation pattern of eAMCs and their EVs from the eAMCs released in conditioned medium. We used a microarray procedure in which eAMCs and...
The incorporation of cystine by the soluble carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) is a component of the redox regulatory mechanism in stallion spermatozoa†. Oxidative stress is considered a major mechanism causing sperm damage during cryopreservation and storage, and underlies male factor infertility. Currently, oxidative stress is no longer believed to be caused only by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, but rather by the deregulation of redox signaling and control mechanisms. With this concept in mind, here, we describe for the first time the presence of the soluble carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) antiporter, which exchanges extracellular cystine (Cyss) for intracellular glutamate, in stallion spermatozoa, as well as its impact ...
Probiotic potential of Weissella strains isolated from horse feces. In this study, we isolated four Weissella confusa strains from the healthy horse feces to test their potential as equine probiotics. The identification and characteristics of these isolates were determined as per standard methods. Resistance and susceptibility of the isolated strains were tested to low pHs, different heat treatments, commonly used antibiotics and against the pathogenic strains of Salmonella, Pasteurella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. After 3 h cultural in different pH medium, the 4 strains still had a certain amount of survival above pH 3.0. WH2 and WH4 were s...
Testing for Behavioral and Physiological Responses of Domestic Horses (Equus caballus) Across Different Contexts – Consistency Over Time and Effects of Context. In a number of species, consistent behavioral differences between individuals have been described in standardized tests, e.g., novel object, open field test. Different behavioral expressions are reflective of different coping strategies of individuals in stressful situations. A causal link between behavioral responses and the activation of the physiological stress response is assumed but not thoroughly studied. Also, most standard paradigms investigating individual behavioral differences are framed in a fearful context, therefore the present study aimed to add a test in a more positive context...
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 ...
Kinematics and electromyographic activity of horse riders during various cross-country jumps in equestrian. The objective of this study was to identify the key biomechanical patterns (functional muscles and kinematics) of amateur horse riders during various cross-country jumps in equestrian. Eleven riders first performed a control condition that corresponded to jumps over three different obstacles (log wall, brush and tree trunk) before jumping over the same three obstacles in a cross-country course. 3D Kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) activity was synchronously collected which included seven muscles of the riders back, lower and upper limbs. Maximum voluntary isometric strength of knee extens...
Coconut Water as an Extender Component for Cooled Equine Sperm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of coconut water as a component of extender in different formulations for cooling equine sperm. One ejaculate of fourteen stallions was collected. Sperm was diluted to 50 × 10 sperm/mL using five different extenders: ACP-105: powdered coconut water extender (ACP-105, ACP Biotecnologia, Brazil); ACP-Milk: ACP-105 + 20 g/L of skimmed milk; ACP-EY 2.5%: ACP-105 + 2.5% of egg yolk; ACP-EY 5%: ACP-105 + 5% of egg yolk; and BotuSêmen (Botupharma, Botucatu, Brazil) and cooled in passive cooling device (BotuFlex, Botupharma, Botucatu, Brazil) at 5...
Age related and seasonal changes of plasma concentrations of insulin-like peptide 3 and testosterone from birth to early-puberty in Thoroughbred male horses. The peripheral blood concentrations of insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) have been detected in many mammalian species, but the level of INSL3 in horse remains unknown. The objectives were to develop a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) to detect INSL3 concentrations from horse blood as well as to determine the age-related and seasonal changes of plasma concentrations of INSL3 and testosterone from birth to early-puberty in Thoroughbred male horse (n = 11). Monthly blood sample and measurement of body weight, height, chest and cannon bone size were done from birth until 16 mo. Th...
Exercise-induced changes in skin temperature and blood parameters in horses. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of training on haematological and biochemical blood parameters as well as on the changes in body surface temperature in horses. In order to identify the predictive value of surface temperature measurements as a marker of animal's performance, their correlations with blood parameters were investigated. The study was carried out on nine horses divided into two groups: routinely ridden and never ridden. Infrared thermography was used to assess surface temperature changes before (BT) and just after training (JAT) on a treadmill. Seven regions of int...
Pharmacokinetics and safety of repeated oral dosing of acetaminophen in adult horses. There are no published studies on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen at the dosage used clinically (20 mg/kg), nor has the safety of multiple doses in horses been investigated. Objective: Define the pharmacokinetic parameters of oral acetaminophen at 20 mg/kg in adult horses as a single dose, and twice daily for 14 days to assess the safety of multiple dosing. Methods: Pharmacokinetic study, multiple dose safety study. Methods: Eight healthy Thoroughbred geldings were given acetaminophen (20 mg/kg; 500 mg tablets) orally as a single dose followed by doses every 12 h for 14 days. Seri...
Double ovarian tumour in the mare: Case report. Ovarian tumours in mares represent 2.5% to 6% of the most frequent neoplasms found in the equine species, with a higher chance of benignity. This study aims to describe a case of two different tumours found in the same ovary of a mare that presented clinical signs of suppressed oestrous cycle during 5 years. After unilateral ovariectomy, the ovary was sent to the histopathology examination which determined a mixed tumour of granulosa cell and leiomyosarcoma. After treatment, the mare returned to oestrus and got pregnant in the next season.
Intestinal ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora) in Brazilian domestic horses (Equus caballus L.) and a review on the ciliate communities associated with horses around the world. The aims of this study were to identify and quantify the gastrointestinal ciliates from Brazilian domestic horses, to compare the data obtained with previous studies and to review data on ciliate communities associated with horses around the world. We used eight domestic horses, kept under extensive management. Fecal samples were obtained immediately after defecation of animals and fixed in 18.5% formaldehyde. We identify 24 species of endosymbiotic ciliates, distributed in two subclasses, two orders, five families and 13 genera. The ciliate composition was similar among the animals analyzed. ...
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...
Removal of adult cyathostomins alters faecal microbiota and promotes an inflammatory phenotype in horses. The interactions between parasitic helminths and gut microbiota are considered to be an important, although as yet incompletely understood, factor in the regulation of immunity, inflammation and a range of diseases. Infection with intestinal helminths is ubiquitous in grazing horses, with cyathostomins (about 50 species of which are recorded) predominating. Consequences of infection include both chronic effects, and an acute inflammatory syndrome, acute larval cyathostominosis, which sometimes follows removal of adult helminths by administration of anthelmintic drugs. The presence of cyathosto...
Continuous fluid infusion per rectum compared with intravenous and nasogastric fluid administration in horses. Rectal fluid administration may offer a simple, safe and inexpensive alternative to intravenous or nasogastric fluid therapy in equine clinical cases. Objective: To evaluate the tolerance and effects of rectally administered fluid and compare the measurements of haemodilution and intravascular volume with those during nasogastric and intravenous fluid administration. Methods: Randomised controlled experimental trial. Methods: Six clinically normal Standardbred geldings were used in a 4-way crossover study: each received three different fluid treatments (intravenous, nasogastric and rectal) at ...
