Effect of age, pubertal stage and season on testosterone concentration in male dromedary camel

Abstract

The present study was conducted in the Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biotechnology, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt. The present investigation aimed at studying effects of ages, pubertal stages and seasons of the year on testosterone concentrations in blood plasma and tissue homogenate of the testes. The testes used in the current study were collected from a total of 104 one-humped male camels (Camelus dromedarius). Samples were taken from pre (1-3.5 years) and post (3.5-13 years) pubertal camels. Testes were studied for a two consecutive seasons. The freshly prepared homogenate of the testicular tissue and blood plasma were used for determining the concentrations of testosterone in plasma and testicular extract. The concentrations of testosterone in blood plasma and testicular tissue were significantly increased during the breeding season compared with that of non-breeding season; the concentration of testosterone was higher in testicular tissue than in blood plasma. Testosterone concentrations in plasma and testicular tissue were increased in breeding than in non-breeding season. In addition, the testosterone concentrations were closely related with seasonal changes, stage of puberty and advancing age.

Daily rhythms of behavioral and hormonal patterns in male dromedary camels housed in boxes

“…This finding is in line with the literature which suggests that poor welfare may lead to poor reproductive performance, namely lack of libido and hypo-fertility (Padalino, Monaco & Lacalandra, 2015). However, the daily mean plasma testosterone level was 9.01 ± 0.5 ng/ml, within the normal range reported in previous studies in camels during the breeding season (Al-Qarawi et al, 2000; Al-Qarawi et al, 2001; Deen, Vyas & Sahani, 2005; El-Harairy & Attia, 2010; Monaco et al, 2015). Plasma testosterone concentration may range from 2.6 ± 0.3 ng/ml (Al-Qarawi et al, 2000) to 42.14 ± 2.78 ng/ml (Deen, Vyas & Sahani, 2005), because it can be influenced by different parameters, such as diet (Mogawer et al, 2013), exposure to females (Bhakat, Raghavendra & Sahani, 2005) and age (Hassan, 2007).…”

Effects of androgens and rutting season on drug metabolizing enzymes in dromedary camels

“…In the present study, and during the breeding season, the rutting camel was characterized by having a higher level of testicular and peripheral serum testosterone and DHT concentration compared to non-rutting camels in line with previous findings, that the concentration of testosterone in testicular tissue (Berndtson et al, 1983;Johnson and Thompson, 1987) and in plasma (Ali et al, 2018;El-Harairy and Attia, 2010;Nasr and El-Azab, 1990;Yagil and Etzion, 1980) was increased during breeding season than in non-breeding season. However, these authors didn't measure DHT in their camels.…”

“…The increased secretion of these androgens may be as a result of increase in Leydig cell number per testes ( Johnson and Thompson, 1987 ) or increase in volume of interstitial tissue ( El-Harairy and Attia, 2010 ) during the breeding season or both.…”

Immunohistochemical Study of Aquaporin 1 and 2 in the Reproductive Tract of the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus)

“…All this shows the complexity of AQP channels in genital system and suggests AQP1, 2 might serve an important role in animal reproduction. Two-humped camel play vital socio-economic roles in severe drought areas, but this breed is in danger because of its low mating efficiency (Abdel Rahim, 1997), probably due to abnormal spermatozoal concentrations and motility variables (El-Harairy & Attia, 2010). Male reproductive tract have active water transportation and secretion, rats with reduced reabsorption of fluid in reproductive tract have been shown subfertile or infertile (Alves et al, 2015).…”