Carbonic anhydrase activity and sweat gland morphology in trained and untrained Standardbred trotters.

The study investigates the impact of physical training on the activity of carbonic anhydrase enzyme and sweat gland structure in Standardbred trotter horses.

Objective of the Study

• The primary aim of this research was to look at the variations in sweat gland structure and the distribution of carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme in horses, specifically trained and untrained Standardbred trotters, after undergoing a defined exercise regime.

Methodology

• Horses were divided into two groups, trained and untrained, consisting of three Standardbred trotters each.
• These horses were subjected to an exercise test, which entailed a 20-minute trot at 6 meters per second with a 5-minute walk at 1.8 m/s at the beginning and end of the treadmill exercise, performed at 35°C.
• Skin biopsies were taken from the horses before and after they performed the trot to observe changes.

Findings

• The research found that trained horses lost less fluid after exercise compared to the untrained horses.
• It was observed that the sweat glands of trained horses had a larger cell area after the exercise which suggests a possible increase in secretory capacity due to training.
• The part of the cell occupied by carbonic anhydrase (CA) was observed to be independent of whether the horse had been trained or not, but it was observed to increase with exercise in both groups.
• Untrained horses demonstrated higher carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity and this activity increased post exercise in horses from both groups.
• The research postulates that the change in CA post exercise could be due to an increasing need for HCO3- (bicarbonate) secretion during the formation of sweat.

Conclusion

• This study reveals that the structure of the sweat gland can undergo changes due to factors such as heat, exercise, and training, although there are evident variances between different species.
• The research suggests that training might have an influence on the morphology of the equine sweat gland. This is a novel conclusion as no prior studies have reportedly examined the effect of training on the sweat gland structure of horses.