Females In Follicular Phase Research Articles

Functional anatomy of the female genital organs of the wild black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa) female in the Peruvian Amazon

This study examined anatomical and histological characteristics of genital organs of 38 black agouti females in the wild in different reproductive stages, collected by rural hunters in the North-eastern Peruvian Amazon. Females in the follicular phase of the estrous cycle had greater antral follicle sizes than other females, the largest antral follicle measuring 2.34mm. Antral follicles in pregnant females and females in luteal phase of the estrous cycle had an average maximum diameter smaller than 1mm. In black agouti females in follicular phase, some antral follicles are selected to continue to growth, reaching a pre-ovulatory diameter of 2mm. Mean ovulation rate was 2.5 follicles and litter size was 2.1 embryos or fetuses per pregnant female, resulting in a rate of ovum mortality of 20.8%. Many follicles from which ovulation did not occur of 1-mm maximum diameter luteinize forming accessory CL. The constituent active luteal tissues of the ovary are functional and accessory CL. Although all females had accessory CL, transformation of follicles into accessory CL occurred especially in pregnant females, resulting in a contribution from 9% to 23% of the total luteal volume as pregnancy advances. The persistence of functional CL throughout pregnancy might reflect the importance for the maintenance of gestation and may be essential for the continuous hormonal production. The duplex uterus of the agouti female is composed by two completely independent uterine horns with correspondent separate cervices opening into the vagina. In pregnant females, most remarkable observed uterine adaptations were induced by the progressive enlargement caused by the normal pregnancy evolution. The wild black agouti showed different vaginal epithelium features in accordance with the reproductive state of the female.

Anatomicohistological Characteristics of the Female Genital Organs of the White‐lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari) in the Peruvian Amazon

This study examined the anatomical and histological characteristics of the genital organs of the female white-lipped peccary in the wild in different reproductive stages, collected by rural hunters in the North-eastern Peruvian Amazon. Mean ovulation rate was 2.12 +/- 0.83 follicles and litter size was 1.78 +/- 0.41 embryos or fetuses per pregnant female, resulting in a low rate of reproductive wastage, averaging 0.33 +/- 0.66 (16.04%) oocytes or embryos per pregnancy. The ovulation rate and the anatomical performance of the uterus could limit the prolificacy of this species. Females in follicular phase showed follicular waves suggesting the synchronous growth of a cohort of follicles. Different uterine and vaginal epithelium features changed in accordance with the reproductive state of the female. Pregnant females and females in the luteal phase presented a significant proliferation of endometrial uterine glands, characterized by hyperplasia and branching of endometrial glands, and increase in the proportion of cervical epithelial cells with periodic acid-schiff (PAS)-positive granules compared with that in females in the follicular phase. Females in the follicular phase showed a more developed vaginal epithelium (in thickness and in layer composition) than females in the luteal phase and pregnant females.

Anatomicohistological characteristics of the tubular genital organs of the female collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) from North-eastern Amazon.

The present study examines anatomical and histological characteristics of tubular genital organs and its relationships with the reproductive state of 24 wild adult collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) females. The tunica mucosa of the uterine tube presents a pseudostratified, intermittently ciliated columnar epithelium. The epithelial secretory cells of pregnant females and females in the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle became taller than the ciliated cells and showed abundant apical secretory blebs, whereas secretory cells of females in the follicular phase showed abundant mucous secretory activity (periodic acid-Schiff positive cells). The uterus is composed of two narrow and convoluted uterine horns, separated by the velum uteri, a small uterine body and a long and muscular cervix. The endometrial lining of both uterine horns and body is a monostratified, columnar ciliated epithelium. Pregnant females and females in luteal phase showed a more developed hyperplasia of the endometrial simple tubular glands than females in the follicular phase. The cervix presents interdigitated rows of mucosal prominences that project into the lumen, structures similar to pulvini cervicali, occluding the cervical canal. In pregnant females, the endocervical canal was filled by a viscous cervical secretion. Females in follicular phase presented a thicker vaginal epithelium than pregnant females and females in luteal phase. The present study suggests that the collared peccary female showed different histological features of the uterine tubes, uterus and vagina in accordance with the reproductive state of the females.

Oestrous state dynamics in chemical communication by captive female Asian elephants

In many mammals, reproductive status is revealed through chemical cues in urine. The reproductive status of receivers may influence their interest in such signals. For social mammals that live in matrilineal groups, females may benefit by detecting the reproductive condition of herdmates. Responses to urine during oestrous cycles of senders and receivers are potential indicators of signal functions. We examined the chemosensory responses, first by four captive female Asian elephants,Elephas maximus , over their oestrous cycles to familiar follicular and luteal phase urine and second by 14 different female Asian elephants to unfamiliar conspecific follicular and luteal phase urine. We asked whether females could distinguish the reproductive state of another female as measured by their differential response to luteal- and follicular-phase urine. We further examined the influence of the receiver's reproductive status on response levels. Females responded more with specific tactolfactory trunk behaviours to follicular- than to luteal-phase urine, but only when the receiving female was in her follicular phase. Like their male conspecifics, Asian elephant females can detect changes in the reproductive state of conspecifics. The functional significance of this ability has yet to be determined but may be related more to the resource holding power of females in follicular phase than to a means for females to synchronize oestrous cycles. Such female–female communication may have important effects on social group dynamics. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Effects of dopaminergic agonists on plasma luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LRH) and gonadotropins in man.

To try to determine the site and mode of action of dopamine (DA) on the secretion of gonadotropins in humans, 4 series of studies were performed in 19 healthy volunteers (7 healthy males, 5 females in follicular phase and 7 postmenopausal females). The intravenous infusion of DA at the rate of 4 micrograms/kg/min decreased plasma LH levels to 75.9 +/- 3.7 (mean +/- SE)% of the initial levels. The oral administration of 500 mg of levodopa (Dopa) also suppressed the concentration of plasma LH to 73.0 +/- 3.5%, but the pretreatment with two doses of 100 mg each of carbidopa (CD), a peripheral dopa decarboxylase inhibitor, attenuated this suppressing effect of Dopa on LH levels (nadir 82.4 +/- 4.1). Plasma FSH were not significantly altered by these drugs. On the other hand, the concentration of endogenous LRH in peripheral blood remained unchanged throughout the studies. The administration of CD alone had no effect on any of these 3 parameters. These results would suggest the direct suppressing effect of DA on pituitary gonadotrophs, although the modulation at the level of the hypothalamus also cannot be ruled out.