Life is the interplay between structural–functional integrity of biological systems and the influence of the external environment. To understand this interplay, it is useful to examine an animal model that competes with harsh environment. The dromedary camel is the best model that thrives under severe environment with considerable durability. The current proteomic study on dromedary organs explains a number of cellular mysteries providing functional correlates to arid living. Proteome profiling of camel organs suggests a marked increased expression of various cytoskeleton proteins that promote intracellular trafficking and communication. The comparative overexpression of α-actinin of dromedary heart when compared with rat heart suggests an adaptive peculiarity to sustain hemoconcentration–hemodilution episodes associated with alternative drought-rehydration periods. Moreover, increased expression of the small heat shock protein, α B-crystallin facilitates protein folding and cellular regenerative capacity in dromedary heart. The observed unbalanced expression of different energy related dependent mitochondrial enzymes suggests the possibility of mitochondrial uncoupling in the heart in this species. The evidence of increased expression of H+-ATPase subunit in camel brain guarantees a rapidly usable energy supply. Interestingly, the guanidinoacetate methyltransferase in camel liver has a renovation effect on high energy phosphate with possible concomitant intercession of ion homeostasis. Surprisingly, both hump fat tissue and kidney proteomes share the altered physical distribution of proteins that favor cellular acidosis. Furthermore, the study suggests a vibrant nature for adipose tissue of camel hump by the up-regulation of vimentin in adipocytes, augmenting lipoprotein translocation, blood glucose trapping, and challenging external physical extra-stress. The results obtained provide new evidence of homeostasis in the arid habitat suitable for this mammal.

This study was designed to evaluate effects of different combinations of cryoprotectants on the ability of vitrified immature buffalo oocytes to undergo in vitro maturation. Straw and open-pulled straw (OPS) methods for vitrification of oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage also were compared. The immature oocytes were harvested from ovaries of slaughtered animals and were divided into three groups: (i) untreated (control); (ii) exposed to cryoprotectant agents (CPAs); or (iii) cryopreserved by straw and OPS vitrification methods. The vitrification solution (VS) consisted of 6 m ethylene glycol (EG) as the standard, control vitrification treatment, and this was compared with 3 m EG + 3 m dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 3 m EG + 3 m glycerol, and 3 m DMSO + 3 m glycerol. Cryoprotectants were added in two steps, with the first step concentration half that of the second (and final) step concentration. After warming, oocyte samples were matured by standard methods and then fixed and stained for nuclear evaluation. Rates of MII oocytes exposed to CPAs without vitrification were lower (54.3 +/- 1.9% in EG, 47.5 +/- 3.4% in EG + DMSO, 36.8 +/- 1.2% in EG + glycerol and 29.9 +/- 1.0% in DMSO + glycerol; p < 0.05) than for the control group (79.8 +/- 1.3%). For all treatments in each vitrification experiment, results were nearly identical for straws and OPS, so all results presented are the average of these two containers. The percentages of oocytes reaching telophase-I or metaphase-II stages were lower in oocytes cryopreserved using all treatments when compared with control. However, among the vitrified oocytes, the highest maturation rate was seen in oocytes vitrified in EG + DMSO (41.5 +/- 0.6%). Oocytes cryopreserved in all groups with glycerol had an overall low maturation rate 19.0 +/- 0.6% for EG + glycerol and 17.0 +/- 1.1% for DMSO + glycerol. We conclude that the function of oocytes was severely affected by both vitrification and exposure to cryoprotectants without vitrification; the best combination of cryoprotectants was EG + DMSO for vitrification of immature buffalo oocytes using either straw or OPS methods.

The present study aimed to assess the freezability and functional integrity of dromedary camel spermatozoa harvested from three epididymal regions. Twenty five epididymes were obtained from slaughtered adult camels. The cauda, corpus and caput epididymides were isolated, incised and rinsed for obtaining the sperm rich fluid. Portion of this fluid was processed for cryopreservation. Fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa collected from different epididymal regions were evaluated for motility, livability, morphological abnormalities, membrane and acrosomal integrities as well as mitochondrial activity. Also, in vitro fertilization using camel mature oocytes and measuring DNA integrity using Comet assay were performed for these spermatozoa. The results showed that, there were no significant differences in livability among spermatozoa freshly collected from cauda, corpus and caput epididymides (81.16 ± 1.43, 80.20 ± 0.90 and 76.76 ± 1.95%, respectively). Total sperm motility increased dramatically from the caput (22.60 ± 0.96%) to the cauda (67.92 ± 1.14%) of the epididymis. Viability index of cauda frozen-thawed spermatozoa (96.50 ± 2.36%) was significantly higher than those of corpus (53.20 ± 3.11%) and caput epididymides (12.10 ± 1.10%). Fresh and frozen thawed spermatozoa of the cauda epididymides had significantly higher percentages of membrane integrity, cytoplasmic droplets and MTT reduction rate than the corresponding parameters of corpus and caput spermatozoa. Fresh and frozen thawed spermatozoa of the cauda epididymides had significantly higher fertilization rates (50.88 ± 1.10 and 38.64 ± 0.77%, respectively) than those of corpus (36.92 ± 0.79 and 22.16 ± 0.79%, respectively) and caput epididymides (12.48 ± 1.09 and 4.36 ± 0.59%, respectively). Only oocytes fertilized with fresh and frozen-thawed cauda epididymal spermatozoa developed to blastocysts (10.92 ± 0.52 and 8.12 ± 0.81%, respectively). The percentage of fresh cauda epididymal spermatozoa with non-fragmented DNA was higher than those of corpus and caput of epididymis (90.88 ± 1.55 vs. 78.28 ± 0.72 and 76.24 ± 1.02%, respectively). In conclusion, obtaining spermatozoa of good quality and freezability from dromedary camel cauda epididymides is possible, and these fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa may have the potential uses in IVF and AI for improving breeding potentials in this species.

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There were many growth factors as insulin growth factors (IGFs), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor α, β and activin acted as F AL-SHIMAA A.H. EL-NABY et al.

Background and Aim: Despite many trials, buffalo embryos have poor cryosurvivability because of their high lipid content. L-carnitine was found to be a lipid-reducing agent when added to oocyte and embryo culture media. The study aimed to determine the most effective concentration of L-carnitine to improve the oocyte developmental competence and cryotolerance of buffalo embryos. Materials and Methods: In vitro maturation and embryo culture media were supplemented with four concentrations of L-carnitine: 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mM. Good-quality embryos on 7 days were vitrified using mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide and ethylene glycol at two concentrations (3.5 and 7 M). Results: The result showed that the cleavage and morula rates were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the 0.5 mM group. Blastocyst rates were significantly (p<0.05) higher at both 0.5 and 1 mM. The rates of viable embryos directly after thawing were significantly (p<0.05) increased in the 0.5 mM group. No significant difference was found in embryos cultured for 24 h after warming among all the groups. Conclusion: The addition of L-carnitine at a concentration of 0.5 mM to the culture media improves the oocyte developmental competence and cryotolerance of buffalo embryos directly after warming but not after 24 h of culture. Nevertheless, further studies must identify how L-carnitine exerts its beneficial micromechanisms.