• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.168-173
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• 2015

This study estimated the degree of uterine inflammation and resumption of ovarian cyclicity in postpartum dairy cows. In addition, the prevalence of health problems during calving and the postpartum period was investigated. A total of 224 Holstein dairy cows from four dairy farms in Chungcheong Province were used for the study. Uterine discharge was scored on a 0 to 5 rank scale (metricheck score) using a metricheck instrument from 1 to 8 weeks postpartum and uterine cytology (neutrophil level) was examined at 4, 6 and 8 weeks postpartum to evaluate uterine inflammation. Resumption of ovarian cyclicity was evaluated based on progesterone analysis (${\geq}1ng/mL$) at 4, 6 and 8 weeks postpartum. Postpartum disorders were diagnosed by veterinarians in the research team. The metricheck score decreased linearly (p < 0.0001) from weeks 1 ($3.4{\pm}0.1$) to 4 ($2.0{\pm}0.1$) postpartum, and then remained at that level through week 8 postpartum ($1.6{\pm}0.1$, p > 0.05). The neutrophil levels determined by uterine cytology assays also decreased (p < 0.0001) from week 4 ($22.3{\pm}1.8%$) to 6 ($12.1{\pm}1.4%$) postpartum, and then remained at that level through week 8 postpartum ($9.2{\pm}1.4%$, p > 0.05). The proportion of cows exhibiting the ovarian cyclicity increased linearly (p < 0.0001) from weeks 2 (12.1%) to 8 (74.3%) postpartum. The prevalence of dystocia and retained placenta were 20.5% and 30.4%, respectively. The prevalence of ketosis, milk fever, abomasal displacement, septicemic metritis, endometritis, subclinical endometritis, pyometra, and ovarian cysts were 18.8%, 3.6%, 4.0%, 36.2%, 29.5%, 17.0%, 4.5%, and 14.7%, respectively. The prevalence of digestive problems and mastitis were 5.4% and 9.6%, respectively. The prevalence of culling and death were 4.0% and 3.6%, respectively. The prevalence of dystocia, retained placenta, septicemic metritis, endometritis, ovarian cysts, digestive problems, mastitis, and culling differed among farms (p < 0.05 to 0.01). In conclusion, proper examinations for uterine inflammation and ovarian cyclicity during 4 to 8 weeks postpartum are useful clinical tools to maintain herd reproductive health. Dystocia, retained placenta, septicemic metritis, and endometritis were predominant disorders in dairy cows of the survey area.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.303-313
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• 1982

The study was conducted to find out the concentrations of sex hormones and the contents of metabolites in serum, and the changes of weights and tissues on ovary, thyroid gland and adrenal gland according to gestation period in rabbit. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The ovary weights were increased significantly with the time e lapse after gestation and recovered normally at 5 days after parturition. In the histological changes of ovary, the lutein cells were hypertrophied and the secretory granules were increased actively until 3 weeks after gestation, and then a trophied thereafter. 2. The thyroid gland weights at all observation times were higher than those in control group, and the significance was recognized at 1, 3 and 4 weeks after gestation. The histological features of the secretory epithelium were the hyper trophic and columnar condition stimulating the functional state from 1 week after gestation. 3. The adrenal gland weights in experimental group were recognized significantly at 4 weeks after gestation, but showed higher than those in control group at all observation times. The zona fasciculata and zona reticularis of the gland showed the slight hypertrophic condition, but the zona glomeerulosa and adrenal medulla did not find out any particular changes. 4. The serum concentrations of progesterone and LH reached a peak level at 2 weeks and 1 week after geestation respectively, and rapidly began to decline thereafter. 5. The serum concentrations of estradiol-$17{\beta}$ and FSH were not detected below 20.0 pg/ml and 1.3 mIU/ml respectively. 6. The contents of total protein and non-protein nitrogen nitrogen were decreased gradually with the time elapse after gestation, but the significant differences were recognized from 3 weeks. 7. The total lipids were not changed markedly until 3 weeks, but increased significantly at 4 weeks after gestation and at 5 days after parturition. 8. The serum cholesterol tended to be decreased until 3 weeks, but increased at 4 weeks after gestation and at 5 days after parturition. 9. The serum calcium showed a continuous decrease during the gestation period, but the significant differences were recognized at 3 and 4 weeks. The serum phosphorus also had a significant decrease at 4 weeks after gestation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.37-60
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• 1983

The uterus receives adrenergic terminals from the mesenteric ganglia and considerably large amount of catecholamines have been shown to be contained in this organ. On the other hand, the activities of epinephrine, norepinephrine or adrenergic nerve on uterine motility is so complicated that many controversial results have been reporter. Recently, a large number of reports concerning the changes of uterine catecholamines content have appeared, but little is known about the role of uterine catecholamines in their activities on uterine motility. The present experiments were undertaken to determine the significance of the intrinsic uterine catecholamines in the physiology of uterus. Female albino rabbits weighing approximately 2 kg were employed in this experiment. uterine strip3 were prepared and suspended in a constant temperature $bath(38^{\circ}C)$ containing 100 ml of Locke's solution aerated with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide. Spontaneous motility was recorded on a smoked drum with an isotonic lever. The catecholamines concentration of the uterus was determined according to the Procedure described of Shore and Olin (1958). Human uterus obtained from patients was also used to determine the catecholam ines content of myometrium. Followings are summarized results. 1) On the non-pregnant rabbit uterine strips, epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly elevated the tonus and stimulated the spontaneous motility. Pretreatment with dichloroisoproterenol(DCI), an adrenergic beta-receptor blocker, enhanced the stimulatory activity of epinephrine or norepinephrine. On the other hand, pretreatment with dibenamine, an adrenergic alpha-receptor blocker, rendered the uterine muscle to exhibit inhibition after the administration of epinephrine or norepinephrine. Following the treatment with both DCI and dibenamine, epinephrine or norepinephrine produced no appreciable effects on the spontaneous motility of the uterus. These results suggest there exist both alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors in the uterine muscle and the response to epinephrine of the former is predominant over that of latter in the non-pregnant uterus of rabbits. The total catecholamines concentration of the non-pregnant uterus was $351\;m{\mu}g/g$ and the fractional concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were $125\;m{\mu}g/g(35.7%)$ and $226\;m{\mu}g/g$ respectively. It is interesting to note that the catecholamines content of uterus was characterized by a high fractional corcentration of epinephrine relative to norepinephrine. 2) On the pregnant rabbit uterine strips, the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine varied according to the period of pregnancy. The response to epinephrine of adrenergic beta receptor of uterus increased during pregnancy, and the effect of catecholamine was inhibitory in the early pregnancy but became stimulatory as the pregnancy progressed. This stimulating action on the uterine motility was found to occur through the action of norepinephrine. The uterine catecholamines concentration was markedly reduced during pregnancy. The catecholamines concentration was started to decrease in the early pregnancy, reached the lowest level in the mid-pregnancy and then started to increaae again in the late pregnancy when the total catecholamines content became the highest level of all. This increase of catefholamines in late pregnancy was chiefly due to the increase of norepinephrine. These results suggest that the uterine motility may be related to the catecholamines content, especially norepinephrine content in the uterus. 3) Bilateral oophorectomy of rabbits results in a marked shrink of the uterus in size. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment of these animals was very weak and irregular. Norepinephrine produced inhibitory effect, whereas epinephrine was stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The total catecholamines tontent in whole uterus was markedly reduced. The injection of estrogen into the oophorectornized rabbit increased the weight of uterus to approximately three times of that of oophorectornized animal. The apontaneous motility and the response to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterine segment were greatly enhanced. Both epinephrine and norepinephrine produced a marked stimulatory effects of the uterine motility. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly epinephrine, was markedly increased. The injection of progesterone into the oophorectornized rabbit increaeed the weight of uterus to approximately 2.5 times of that of eophorectornized animal. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment was weak and irregular. Epinephrine produced stimulatory effect at high concentrations but norepinephrine always prcdnced inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of norepinephrine, was markedly reduced. These results suggested that ovarian hormones play an important role not only on the growth and spontaneous norepinephrine of uterus but also on the catecholamines content and responee to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterus. 4) The intraperitoneal injection of reserpine(3 mg/kg) into the non-pregnant, pregnant and oophorectornieed rabbits markedly decreased the uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of the norepinephrine. The stimulatory response to epinephrine and. norepinephrine of the uterine segment of these reserpinized ratbits was markedly reduced whereas the inhibitory response to these catecholamines was enhanced. This finding further support the close relationship between the uterine catecholamines content and uterine response to epineptrire and norepinephrine. 5) In the human uterus, the concentration of epinephrine was actrally greater than that of norepinephrine and it was significantly greater during the proliferative phase of the menstrtal cycle. In the human pregnant uterus, the concentrations of toth epinephrine and ncrefinephrine were markedly reduced and showed about 45 percent rednction after 6-8 weeks of ectopic Pregnancy. At full term ana during labor, the concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine at placental sites were less than those found in the non-pregnant group. Of interest was the finding that the norepinephrine concentration of uterus from toxemic patients was two and half times higher than that of lower uterine segment of the nontoxemic pregnant individuals. Also the epinephrine concentraticn was slightly increaeed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.487-499
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• 2016

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of testosterone (T) and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) on the production of progesterone ($P_4$) by granulosa cells, and of the $E_2$ on the production of $P_4$ and T by theca internal cells. In the first experiment, granulosa cells isolated from the largest ($F_1$) and third largest ($F_3$) preovulatory follicle were incubated for 4 h in short-term culture system, $P_4$ production by granulosa cells of both $F_1$ and $F_3$ was increased in a dose-dependent manner by ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH), but not T or $E_2$. In the second experiment, $F_1$ and $F_3$ granulosa cells cultured for 48 h in the developed monolayer culture system were recultured for an additional 48 h with increasing doses of various physiological active substances existing in the ovary, including T and $E_2$. Basal $P_4$ production for 48 h during 48 to 96 h of the cultured was about nine fold greater by $F_1$ granulosa cells than by $F_3$ granulosa cells. In substances examined oLH, chicken vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (cVIP) and T, but not $E_2$, stimulated in a dose-dependent manner $P_4$ production in both $F_1$ and $F_3$ granulosa cells. In addition, when the time course of $P_4$ production by $F_1$ granulosa cells in response to oLH, cVIP, T and $E_2$ was examined for 48 h during 48 to 96 h of culture, although $E_2$ had no effect on $P_4$ production by granulosa cells of $F_1$ during the period from 48 to 96 h of culture, $P_4$ production with oLH was found to be increased at 4 h of the culture, with a maximal 9.14 fold level at 6 h. By contrast, $P_4$ production with cVIP and T increased significantly (p<0.05) from 8 and 12 h of the culture, respectively, with maximal 6.50 fold response at 12 h and 6, 48 fold responses at 36 h. Furthermore, when $F_1$ granulosa cells were precultured with $E_2$ for various times before 4 h culture with oLH at 96 h of culture, the increase in $P_4$ production in response to oLH with a dose-related manner was only found at a pretreatment time of more than 12 h. In the third experiment, theca internal cells of $F_1$, $F_2$ and the largest third to fifth preovulatory follicles ($F_{3-5}$) were incubated for 4 h in short-term culture system with increasing doses of $E_2$. The production of $P_4$ and T by theca internal cells were increased with the addition of $E_2$ of $10^{-6}M$. These increases were greater in smaller follicles. These results indicate that, in granulosa cells of the hen, T may have a direct stimulatory action in the long term on $P_4$ production, and on $E_2$ in long-term action which may enhance the sensitivity to LH for $P_4$ production, and thus, in theca internal cells, $E_2$ in short term action may stimulate the production of $P_4$ and T.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2006

To evaluate the functional status of ovarian cyst in Korean native cows, progesterone ($P_4$) and estrogen ($E_2$) level of cystic follicular fluid, ultrasonography for measuring the cystic diameter and thickness of cystic wall, and histological findings were investigated in cystic ovaries from slaughtered Korean native cows. Ovarian cysts were classified as single follicular cyst 51 cows (59.3%), multiple follicular cysts 19 cows (22.1%), single luteal cyst 13 cows (15.1%) and multiple luteal cysts 3 cows (3.5 %) by anatomical and ultrasonography. Ovarian cysts were classified as follicular cysts (54 cows), luteal cyst (16 cows) and non-functional ovarian cyst (16 cows) by hormone analysis, anatomical finding and ultasonography The luteal cyst was accurately diagnosed by cystic wall thickness, but follicular cysts was misdiagnosed 16 cows of 70 cystic cows The cystic fluid $P_4$ concentration was 3.3 ng/ml in follicular cysts and 30.1 ng/ml luteal cysts. There was significantly positive correlations between cystic wall thickness and serum $P_4$ concentration in follicular ($r^2=0.59$, p<0.001) and luteal cysts ($r^2=0.65$, p<0.001). These results indicated that ovarian cysts had various stages of degeneration and luteal cyst was accurately diagnosed measurement of cystic wall thickness by ultrasonography, but follicular cysts were not diagnosed only cystic diameter and cystic wall thickness.