Pregnancy and placental development in horses: an update.
Abstract: Horses have been domesticated by man and historical information mostly associates horses with men. Nowadays, however, horse riding is essentially by women. Women are also very much involved in equine sciences, with a large contribution to the understanding of fetoplacental development. While highlighting the work of female scientists, this review describes the recent advances in equine fetoplacental studies, focusing on data obtained by new generation sequencing and progress on the understanding of the role of placental progesterone metabolites throughout gestation. A second emphasis is made on fetal programming, a currently very active field, where the importance of maternal nutrition, mare management or the use of embryo technologies has been shown to induce long term effects in the offspring that might affect progeny's performance. Finally, new perspectives for the study of equine pregnancy are drawn, that will rely on new methodologies applied to molecular explorations and imaging.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-10-29 PubMed ID: 34823139DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2021.106692Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research focuses on the progress made in equine fetoplacental studies, primarily examining the role of placental progesterone metabolites during gestation and the long-term effects of maternal nutrition and management on the offspring.
Advances in Equine Fetoplacental Studies
- This research paper highlights the recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the fetoplacental development in horses. Significant focus is placed on discoveries revealed through new generation sequencing, a highly advanced form of prenatal diagnostic testing.
- The role of placental progesterone metabolites throughout gestation is examined. Progesterone is a hormone that plays a crucial role in maintaining pregnancy. The researchers have sought to understand how the placenta metabolizes progesterone throughout pregnancy, which is an essential aspect of maintaining a healthy pregnancy in horses.
Importance of Maternal Nutrition and Management
- The paper also dives into the realm of fetal programming, a burgeoning field of study in equine sciences. The researchers have focused on how maternal nutrition, mare management, and even the use of advanced embryo technologies can have profound and long-lasting effects on the offspring.
- This aspect of the research suggests that good maternal nutrition and mare management may significantly increase the chances of successful pregnancies and healthy offspring. In contrast, poor nutrition or inadequate care could lead to adverse outcomes.
New Perspectives for Study of Equine Pregnancy
- The authors provide a glimpse into future avenues for research in the study of equine pregnancy. Molecular explorations and imaging technologies are identified as vital tools for providing more precise and accurate data for these studies.
- The study indicates that these methodologies could unlock new areas of potential research and offer better ways to understand complex processes during pregnancy, which is expected to impact the future of equine reproduction studies.
Cite This Article
APA
Chavatte-Palmer P, Derisoud E, Robles M.
(2021).
Pregnancy and placental development in horses: an update.
Domest Anim Endocrinol, 79, 106692.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2021.106692 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France; Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort 94700, France. Electronic address: pascale.chavatte-palmer@inrae.fr.
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France; Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort 94700, France.
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas 78350, France; Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, Maisons-Alfort 94700, France; INRS Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec H7V1B7, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Fetal Development
- Horses
- Humans
- Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Placenta
- Placentation
- Pregnancy
- Progesterone
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Satué K, La Fauci D, Medica P, Damiá Gímenez E, Cravana C, Fazio E. Shifts between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory profiles in pregnant mares: a review of physiological functions. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1660759.
- Veronesi MC, Cotticelli A, Pividori I, Giombolini M, Corazzin M, Ellero L, Peric T. From Pre-Foaling to Late Pregnancy: Cortisol, DHEA(S), Progesterone, 17-β-Estradiol, and Allopregnanolone Hair Concentration Profiles in Standardbred Mares. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 23;15(3).
- Robles M, Rousseau-Ralliard D, Dubois C, Josse T, Nouveau É, Dahirel M, Wimel L, Couturier-Tarrade A, Chavatte-Palmer P. Obesity during Pregnancy in the Horse: Effect on Term Placental Structure and Gene Expression, as Well as Colostrum and Milk Fatty Acid Concentration. Vet Sci 2023 Dec 4;10(12).
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