Abstract
Conventionally, plasma or milk progesterone evaluations are used to determine the reproductive status of female animals. Collection of such samples is often associated with difficulties of animal handling and restraint. Measurable quantities of progesterone metabolites are found in feces of animals. Their concentrations are known to be well correlated to plasma progesterone levels and are, therefore, used as non-invasive samples for assessing reproductive function in a wide range of animal species. Although the analysis of fecal progesterone metabolites has been widely accepted in many laboratories, several factors are known to affect the results from this valuable analytical technique. Some of these factors include storage/transportation media for fecal samples, type of solvent that is used for extraction of progesterone metabolites from feces, and the type and sensitivity of an assaying technique employed. Although fecal progesterone metabolites analysis is associated with some difficulties, it can effectively be used to monitor reproductive function in a wide range of animal species. This review aims to highlight the usefulness of fecal progesterone metabolite analysis as a non-invasive technique in monitoring reproductive function in animals. The article mainly focuses on the many opportunities and challenges associated with this analytical technique.
Highlights
In mammals, native progesterone is mainly synthesized by the ovary, the adrenal gland, and placenta [1,2]
This review aims to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the study of fecal progesterone metabolite as a non-invasive tool in the assessment of reproductive function in animals
Results obtained from LC-mass spectrometry (MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are more accurate and serve as valid alternatives to the ambiguous nature of results provided by immunoassay systems
Summary
Native progesterone is mainly synthesized by the ovary, the adrenal gland, and placenta [1,2]. Native progesterone is synthesized from cholesterol after its conversion to pregnenolone by cytochrome P450scc, a protein located in the inner surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Pregnenolone is further converted into progesterone in a reaction that is catalyzed by 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Figure-1) [3]. Progesterone is metabolized by the liver into several metabolites and are thereafter excreted in feces (Figure-1) [4,5,6,7,8]. There are at least 18 progesterone metabolites (2 pregnanediones, 8 mono-hydroxylated pregnanes, and 8 di-hydroxylated pregnanes), each having a unique chemical structure
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