Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (Mapk) Blockade Of Bovine Preimplantation Embryogenesis Requires Inhibition Of Both P38 And Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (Erk) Pathways., Pavneesh Madan, Michele D Calder, Andrew J Watson

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

Blastocyst formation, as a critical period during development, is an effective indicator of embryonic health and reproductive efficiency. Out of a number of mechanisms underlying blastocyst formation, highly conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling has emerged as a major mechanism involved in regulating murine preimplantation embryo development. The objective of our study was to ascertain the role of MAPK signaling in regulating bovine development to the blastocyst stage. Using reverse transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemical staining procedures we have demonstrated that mRNA transcripts and polypeptides encoding p38 MAPK pathway constituents are detectable in preimplantation bovine embryos from the one-cell to the …

Manganese Distribution Across The Blood-Brain Barrier. Iv. Evidence For Brain Influx Through Store-Operated Calcium Channels, Janelle S. Crossgrove, Robert A. Yokel

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Manganese (Mn) is a required co-factor for many ubiquitous enzymes; however, chronic Mn overexposure can cause manganism, a parkinsonian-like syndrome. Previous studies showed Mn influx into brain is carrier-mediated, though the putative carrier(s) were not established. Studies conducted with cultured bovine brain microvascular endothelial cells (bBMECs), which comprise the blood–brain barrier, revealed ⁵⁴Mn (II) uptake positively correlated with pH, was temperature-dependent, and was sodium- and energy-independent. Brain ⁵⁴Mn uptake correlated inversely with calcium (Ca) concentration, but ⁴⁵Ca uptake was unaltered by high Mn concentration. Lanthanum (La), a non-selective inhibitor of several Ca channel types, as well as …

Effect Of Serum And Cumulus Cell Expansion On Marker Gene Transcripts In Bovine Cumulus-Oocyte Complexes During Maturation In Vitro., Michele D Calder, Anita N Caveney, Marc-Andre Sirard, Andrew J Watson

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of transcripts encoding the FSH receptor (FSHr), LH receptor (LHr), connexin 43 (Cx43), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E(2) receptors 2 and 3 (EP2 and EP3) within bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and denuded oocytes and investigate the influence of gonadotropins, serum, and cumulus cell expansion on the abundance of transcripts encoding these genes.

DESIGN: Prospective controlled animal study.

SETTING: University research laboratory.

PATIENT(S): Animal models for human studies.

INTERVENTION(S): Cumulus-oocyte complexes were treated in culture with serum and gonadotropin-supplemented media to examine the effects to mRNA transcript levels.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Variation in mRNA transcript levels. …

Experimental Transmission Of Chronic Wasting Disease Agent From Mule Deer To Cattle By The Intracerebral Route, Amir N. Hamir, Robert A. Kunkle, Randall C. Cutlip, Janice M. Miller, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Elizabeth S. Williams, Michael W. Miller, Mick J. Stack, Melanie J. Chaplin, Jügen A. Richt

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

This communication reports final observations on experimental transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from mule deer to cattle by the intracerebral route. Thirteen calves were inoculated intracerebrally with brain suspension from mule deer naturally affected with CWD. Three other calves were kept as uninoculated controls. The experiment was terminated 6 years after inoculation. During that time, abnormal prion protein (PrP^res) was demonstrated in the central nervous system (CNS) of 5 cattle by both immunohistochemistry and Western blot. However, microscopic lesions suggestive of spongiform encephalopathy (SE) in the brains of these PrP^res-positive animals were subtle in 3 …