Testicular biopsy in stallions: diagnostic potential and effects on prospective fertility.
Abstract: Testicular biopsy was performed as a standing procedure on fertile, mature stallions (n=7) under sedation and local anaesthesia. The 'Biopty' instrument was used to collect three samples from the left testis of each stallion. The oestradiol, testosterone and inhibin content in each testis were assessed by validated radioimmunoassay (RIA); protein concentrations were determined and the testes were prepared histologically for haematoxylin and eosin staining. The fertility status of each stallion was assessed before and after testicular biopsy by semen evaluation, changes in total scrotal width, pregnancy rate per oestrous cycle, serum and seminal plasma antisperm antibody concentrations, and determination of plasma LH, FSH, oestradiol, testosterone and inhibin concentrations once a week by validated RIA. Testicular testosterone (3.85 +/- 1.24 ng mg(-1) protein), oestradiol (3.01 +/- 0.95 ng mg(-1) protein) and inhibin (11.06 +/- 1.69 ng mg(-1) protein) content were measured successfully from tissue samples by RIA. Active spermatogenesis was evident in all histological samples. The mean numbers of progressively motile morphologically normal spermatozoa were not significantly different in the last three ejaculates of the 7 day periods of semen collection before (3.37 +/- 0.48 x 10(9) spermatozoa per ejaculate) and after (3.77 +/- 0.48 x 10(9) spermatozoa per ejaculate) testicular biopsy. Total scrotal width varied within normal ranges throughout the year (from 11.7 +/- 0.3 to 10.0 +/- 0.4 cm). Pregnancy rates per oestrous cycle before (50 +/- 6%) and after (63 +/- 9%) testicular biopsy were not significantly different. The concentration of antisperm antibodies in serum and seminal plasma samples did not vary significantly before and after testicular biopsy. Plasma LH, FSH, oestradiol, testosterone and inhibin concentrations fluctuated within normal ranges after biopsy in the expected seasonal pattern. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that using the 'Biopty' instrument to obtain testicular biopsy samples from stallions has no apparent detrimental effects on prospective stallion fertility and can be used to evaluate testicular factors and structure.
Publication Date: 2000-01-01 PubMed ID: 20681113
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigates the diagnostic potential and effects on prospective fertility of testicular biopsy in stallions. The research concludes that the procedure, performed with the ‘Biopty’ instrument, does not negatively affect the stallions’ fertility and can be used to assess testicular factors and structure.
Methodology
- The research involved testicular biopsy on fertile, mature stallions under sedation and local anesthesia.
- A total of seven stallions were included in the sample.
- Three samples were collected from the left testis of each stallion using the ‘Biopty’ instrument.
- The oestradiol, testosterone, and inhibin content in each testis were assessed using a validated radioimmunoassay (RIA).
- The protein concentrations of each testis were determined and the testes were prepared histologically for haematoxylin and eosin staining.
- The researchers checked the fertility status of each stallion before and after the biopsy through semen evaluation, checking changes in total scrotal width, pregnancy rate per oestrous cycle, levels of antisperm antibodies in the serum and seminal plasma, and through determining plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, oestradiol, testosterone, and inhibin once a week using validated RIA.
Results
- Testosterone, oestradiol, and inhibin were successfully measured from the tissue samples obtained from the procedure.
- All histological samples showed active spermatogenesis.
- There was no significant difference in the amount of motile, normal sperm before and after the biopsy.
- There were no significant changes in total scrotal width throughout the year.
- Pregnancy rates per oestrous cycle did not significantly differ between before and after the biopsy.
- No significant variations were found in the concentration of antisperm antibodies in serum and seminal plasma samples taken before and after the biopsy.
- Plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, oestradiol, testosterone, and inhibin fluctuated within normal ranges post-biopsy in the expected seasonal pattern.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that the ‘Biopty’ instrument can be used in performing testicular biopsies on stallions without causing deleterious effects on their fertility.
- This method can be utilized to evaluate testicular factors and structure effectively.
Cite This Article
APA
Faber NF, Roser JF.
(2000).
Testicular biopsy in stallions: diagnostic potential and effects on prospective fertility.
J Reprod Fertil Suppl(56), 31-42.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Autoantibodies / blood
- Biopsy / adverse effects
- Biopsy / instrumentation
- Biopsy / methods
- Biopsy / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin A / blood
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Infertility, Male / veterinary
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Rate
- Spermatogenesis
- Spermatozoa / immunology
- Spermatozoa / physiology
- Testicular Diseases / diagnosis
- Testicular Diseases / veterinary
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Waqas MS, Arroyo E, Tibary A. Diagnostic Approach to Equine Testicular Disorders. Vet Sci 2024 May 29;11(6).
- Cruz A, Sullivan DB, Doty KF, Hess RA, Canisso IF, Reddi PP. Acrosomal marker SP-10 (gene name Acrv1) for staging of the cycle of seminiferous epithelium in the stallion. Theriogenology 2020 Oct 15;156:214-221.
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