Serum hormone, stereology and immunohistochemistry evaluation of the term chorioallontoic membrane of mares: influence on the development and clinical and metabolic parameters in the foal.

• Grant number: 11/16387-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Barbosa Fernandes
• Grantee: Marcela Gonçalves Meirelles
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, breeding of horses are adopting the use of prenatal evaluation for monitoring of pregnant mares, search recognition of changes in order to have an early approach, minimizing risks during pregnancy. This study aims to establish standard to values to be used in the monitoring of normal pregnancies and determine indicators of placental dysfunction and fetal distress that may influence the development of the its clinical and metabolic parameters. The assessment includes a complete history and mare clinical evaluation, sonographic fetal and placental examination; hormonal profile evaluation by weekly measurements of plasmatic estrogen and progesterone in pregnant mares from the fifth month of pregnancy on, as markers of placental function and fetal well-being; assessment of the macroscopic characteristics, weight, morphometry, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the equine term placenta, that may reflect on the fetus development; clinical and metabolic evaluation of the neonate foal, and data collection of age, parity number, weight, thorax perimeter and height of the pregnant mares, and weight, height and thorax perimeter of foals to correlate with the evaluation outlined above. Thus this work has two hypothesis, the first is that there is a positive correlation between weight, microcotyledons density and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the placenta with the weight and height of foals at birth. The second hypothesis suggest the existence of a positive correlation between the increase of progesterone and decreasing of estrogen plasma in mares from fifth month on, with the presence of macroscopic and/or histological lesions in the placenta and clinical and metabolic changes in the neonate.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MEIRELLES, MARCELA GONCALVES; VERAS, MARIANA MATERA; ALONSO, MARIA AUGUSTA; GUIMARAES, CARINA DE FATIMA; NICHI, MARCILIO; FERNANDES, CLAUDIA BARBOSA. Influence of Maternal Age and Parity on Placental Structure and Foal Characteristics From Birth up to 2 Years of Age. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, v. 56, p. 68-79, SEP 2017. (12/08929-6, 11/16387-6)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MEIRELLES, Marcela Gonçalves. Serum hormonal and stereologic evaluation of term chorioallantoic membrane in mares: influence on the development and in clinical and metabolic parameters of the foal.. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.