Changes in testicular size, echotexture, and arterial blood flow associated with the attainment of puberty in Dorper rams raised in a subtropical climate

Abstract

There is a paucity of information on the relationships of testicular morphology, echotextural attributes, and blood flow dynamics with pubertal development of rams raised in a subtropical climate. Forty-five Dorper rams (24 rams aged 8-11 months and 21 rams aged 12-24 months) were examined using a portable ultrasound scanner connected to a 7.5-MHz transducer. Computer-assisted analyses of testicular ultrasonograms utilized commercially available Image ProPlus analytical software. Spectral Doppler scans of testicular arteries were performed immediately after scrotal (B-mode) ultrasonography to determine peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI = [PSV-EDV]/PSV), and pulsatility index (PI = [SPV-EDV]/mean velocity) of the blood vessels. The length of the testes (9.7 ± 0.3 compared with 9.0 ± 0.2 cm) and scrotal circumference (33.3 ± 0.5 compared with 31.8 ± 0.4 cm) were greater (p < 0.05) but testicular depth (4.9 ± 0.08 compared with 4.5 ± 0.1 cm) was less (p < 0.05) in sexually mature compared with peripubertal rams. There were no differences (p > 0.05) between the two age groups of Dorper rams in blood flow indices of testicular arteries. Mean numerical pixel values (100.5 ± 4.1 compared with 89.2 ± 4.8) and pixel heterogeneity (25.6 ± 0.6 compared with 23.6 ± 0.5) of testicular parenchyma were greater (p < 0.05) in peripubertal than in postpubertal rams. Semen volume was negatively correlated with PI of testicular arteries (r = -0.57, p = 0.04). In summary, the attainment of sexual maturity in the rams of the present study was associated with significant changes in testicular length and depth, scrotal circumference, and parenchymal echogenicity/hetrogeneity but not in testicular volume and blood perfusion rates. Testicular artery PI can be used to predict the volume of ejaculate in rams.

Evaluation of testicular hemodynamics following gonadotropin-releasing hormone administration with the aid of pulse wave Doppler in rams and their relation to hormonal response

“…In the present study there were no significant differences between the LTA and RTA with respect to all blood flow parameters PI, RI and PSV, Thus, the means of both the LTA and RTA arteries were used for further analysis of these variables. Similar results were recorded in arterial blood flow parameters (PSV, end-diastolic velocity; RI and PI) associated with the attainment of puberty in Dorper rams raised in a subtropical climate (Camela et al, 2018). On the other hand, the effect of laterality on the testicular hemodynamics has been recently studied by Hedia et al, (2020) who found that Doppler indices of RI and PI were slightly higher in the RTA rather than the LTA in rams…”

Salmon oil supplementation in dogs affects the blood flow of testicular arteries

“…Camela et al. (2018) documented testicular echotexture differences in sheep with pre‐pubertal animals showing higher heterogeneity than post‐pubertal animals because of the various testicular histomorphology changes occurring after puberty, especially in the proliferative post‐mitotic phase of the cells forming the seminiferous tubules. The decrease in heterogeneity and sperm concentration increase is probably related to the rise in serum testosterone levels caused by omega‐3 supplementation (Santos et al., 2019).…”

“…However, other researchers did not find a correlation between pixel intensity and sperm production or semen quality in dogs (Dias et al., 2017; Pinho et al., 2012; Tomlinson et al., 2017). Many researchers have reported that testicular echogenicity increases during sexual development directly with seminiferous tubules growth (Camela et al., 2018; Hamm & Fobbe, 1995; Pozor et al., 2017; Silva et al., 2012). It is plausible that increased or decreased testicular echogenicity represents ultrastructural changes within the testes associated with altered sperm morphology (Santos et al., 2019).…”

İneklerde Östrus Siklusu Süresince Uterus Ekojenitesindeki Değişikliklerin Araştırılması

“…gösterirler. İneklerde, iki östrus arasındaki hormonal ve üreme sistemindeki değişimleri kapsayan dönem östrus siklusu olarak adlandırılır (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Östrus siklusunda, foliküler ve luteal fazın alt bölümlerini içeren dört dönem vardır.…”

“…(12,19). Bilgisayar destekli görüntü analiz programları ile domuzlarda,(16) keçilerde(3,15), Avrupa karacalarında(11), köpeklerde (20) ve ineklerde(18) kullanılmaktadır. Bu yöntemle erken gebelik döneminde ve siklusta ineklerde endometriyal ve luteal değişiklikler belirlenebilmektedir(18).Erzurum ilinde bulunan özel bir çiftlikte yürütüldü.Çalışmada 1. laktasyondaki, 3 yaşlı, aynı bakım ve besleme şartlarında barındırılan, ortalama 18 litre günlük süt verimi olan 42 adet Holstein ırkı inek kullanıldı.…”