Top Reproduction Studies of 2012-’13

Two veterinarians describe recent equine reproduction studies they found interesting and influential.
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Veterinarians and researchers with interests in equine reproduction gathered Aug. 7-10 in Louisville, Ky., for the 2013 American College of Theriogenology (ACT) Symposia and Conference. On the last day of the event presenters Mary Beth Stanton, DVM, Dipl. ACT, of Equine Veterinary Reproduction Specialists, in Ocala, Fla., and Audrey Kelleman, DVM, Dipl. ACT, lecturer in large animal reproduction at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, reflected on recent research and advances in the field. They each presented a handful of studies from 2012-13 that they found interesting and influential.

Female Equine Embryo Survival Austrian researchers tested whether there might be sex-related differences in insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1, an important protein known to promote cell proliferation and development) expression during pregnancy. "We know that when the uterine environment has a higher nutrition plane, it tends to promote the survival of male embryos," Stanton explained. "There was a proposal that there might be a difference in IGF-1 expression between sexes that might utilize the survival of one or the other sexes."

After collecting 28 embryos from 15 mares and staining them for IGF-1, the research team determined that female embryos have a consistently higher IGF-1 expression. "The sex-related differences were likely due to the presence of two X chromosomes that were not activated at that time in gestation," Stanton said.

Because female embryos are believed to be more prone to spontaneous abortion than male embryos, Stanton said, "we think that IGF-1 expression might be a method to counteract embryonic death loss." For more, see TheHorse.com/31100

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Alexandra Beckstett, a native of Houston, Texas, is a lifelong horse owner who has shown successfully on the national hunter/jumper circuit and dabbled in hunter breeding. After graduating from Duke University, she joined Blood-Horse Publications as assistant editor of its book division, Eclipse Press, before joining The Horse. She was the managing editor of The Horse for nearly 14 years and is now editorial director of EquiManagement and My New Horse, sister publications of The Horse.

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