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Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Ii And Its Receptor: Novel Regulators Of Semen Quality And Follicular Function In Swine, Caitlin Elizabeth Ross
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Ii And Its Receptor: Novel Regulators Of Semen Quality And Follicular Function In Swine, Caitlin Elizabeth Ross
Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–
Pigs are the only mammalian livestock species encoding functional proteins for the second form of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH-II) and its receptor (GnRHR-II). In the first study, GnRHR-II localized to developing germ cells and the connecting piece of ejaculated spermatozoa. Concurrently, GnRH-II was most abundantly produced in the testis compared with other reproductive tract organs and was present within seminal plasma. Moreover, treatment of extended semen with GnRHR-II analogues altered sperm motility, morphology, and kinematics. For remaining studies, we utilized a swine line with ubiquitous knockdown of GnRHR-II (GnRHR-II KD) developed in our laboratory. The second study demonstrated that circulating GnRH-II …
Assessing Reproductive Health In Zoo-Managed African Elephant Bulls (Loxodonta Africana), Kaitlyn Marie Campbell
Assessing Reproductive Health In Zoo-Managed African Elephant Bulls (Loxodonta Africana), Kaitlyn Marie Campbell
Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–
Populations of zoo-managed African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) exhibit substantial individual- and population-level variation in reproductive success, yet research has largely focused on females, leaving male fertility poorly understood. Subfertility in bulls, characterized by low libido and inconsistent semen quality, poses significant challenges to genetic management and long-term population sustainability. This study a) systematically evaluates semen quality, b) identifies physiological, behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of fertility, and c) advances ex situ conservation through the expansion of the African elephant sperm bank. Between January 2023 and July 2025, 209 semen collection events were conducted from 13 sexually mature bulls …