The testes in horses are reproductive organs responsible for the production of sperm and the secretion of hormones such as testosterone. Located in the scrotum, the testes play a vital role in male fertility and reproductive behavior. They consist of seminiferous tubules where spermatogenesis occurs, and interstitial cells, also known as Leydig cells, which produce testosterone. The function and health of equine testes can be influenced by factors such as age, season, and overall health status. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the testes in horses, providing insights into their role in equine reproduction and breeding management.
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of equine cryptorchidism, is detectable in intact and cryptorchid stallions but not in geldings because it is secreted from Sertoli cells. A 4-year-old uncastrated Thoroughbred racehorse had no visible testes; therefore, the horse was considered a bilateral cryptorchidism. However, the serum AMH was undetectable (<0.08 ng/ml). Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulating test result indicated that the horse was a gelding. The results of sex chromosomal analysis and sequence analysis of SRY gene suggested that the horse was a genetically-intac...
Yang X, Wen L, Wen M, Yao X, Meng J, Zeng Y, Ren W.Equus caballus is a species of considerable economic and cultural significance. However, the regulatory networks involved in equine sexual maturation remain unclear and eventually limit its reproduction and utilization. In this study, testicular tissues from eight Kazakh horses at two developmental stages (2 years, representing pre-maturation, and 3 years, representing post-maturation) were analyzed using whole transcriptome sequencing, data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics, and untargeted metabolomics. An integrated regulatory network was constructed encompassing ceRNA, mRNA, prot...
Huang Q, Wen M, Wen L, Li Q, Zeng Y, Wang J, Meng J, Ren W, Yao X.This study aims to elucidate the miRNA regulatory mechanisms during the developmental process of Kazakh horse testes at 1 and 3 years of age. Through miRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of testicular tissues from 1-year-old and 3-year-old horses, a developmentally stage-specific miRNA expression profile was constructed. A total of 1640 miRNAs were identified, among which 437 (380 up-regulated and 57 down-regulated) exhibited significant differential expression between the two age groups, including eca-miR-16, eca-miR-17, eca-miR-103, and eca-miR-199a-5p. Functional enrichment analysis...
