Uterine physiology and conceptus development in pigs

猪的子宫生理和受孕发育

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04354
• 负责人: Dyck, Michael
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=739912
• 关键词: Uterine; physiology; conceptus; development; pigs

The uterine physiology of litter-bearing species supports and accommodates the simultaneous development of multiple conceptuses throughout gestation. In litter-bearing mammals, a minimum number of developing embryos need to be present early in gestation to allow for recognition of pregnancy, maintenance of the corpus lutea and production of progesterone. Developing embryos migrate with the uterine lumen prior to implantation and in litter-bearing species this migration creates adequate spacing within the uterine lumen to permit development of the multiple conceptuses. Development of a litter in utero can be influenced by several factors including ovulation, fertilization and implantation rates, conceptus survival and development, the total number and quality of the conceptuses, as well as uterine capacity and placental efficiency. Uterine capacity refers to the number of the conceptuses that a uterus can carry through gestation to parturition. Limited uterine capacity is considered to be responsible for reduced piglet birth weight as a consequence of compromised placental development and higher competition among embryos. However the biological mechanisms that underlie uterine capacity in the pig and its impacts on the developing conceptus has not been fully elucidated. The proposed research will build on our recent research to understand the maternal-embryonic interface and strives to understand the biological factors related to uterine capacity that affect conceptus development in utero and ultimately the birth weight of the progeny. The objectives of the research proposed here are to: 1) identify biological processes, candidate genes and gene expression networks involved in piglet birth weight by comparing gene expression profiles of reproductive tissues and fetuses of different weight phenotypes; 2) investigate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in the birth weight phenotypes by comparing the methylation profiles of reproductive tissues and fetuses of different weight phenotypes. These assessments will provide fundamental knowledge of the critical steps involved in the development of a competent conceptus, as well as an insight into how the uterine environment affects regulatory processes. The research to be conducted will result in the identification of a multitude of candidate genes and gene products which are involved in the maternal-conceptus interactions of the pig and that would have implications for basic science, maternal management and biotechnology. This knowledge will be beneficial to Canada as it will be used to improve the reproductive efficiency of economically important species, such as swine, but will address how maternal embryo communication can influence human health

产仔物种的子宫生理学支持并适应整个妊娠期间多个受孕体的同时发育。在产仔哺乳动物中，在妊娠早期需要存在最低数量的发育中胚胎，以便识别妊娠、维持黄体并产生黄体酮。发育中的胚胎在植入前随子宫腔迁移，并且在产仔物种中，这种迁移在子宫腔内创造足够的空间以允许多个受孕体的发育。子宫内一窝幼仔的发育受到多种因素的影响，包括排卵、受精和着床率、受孕者的存活和发育、受孕者的总数和质量，以及子宫容量和胎盘效率。子宫容量是指子宫从妊娠到分娩所能容纳的胎儿数量。子宫容量有限被认为是胎盘发育受损和胚胎之间竞争加剧导致仔猪出生体重降低的原因。然而，猪子宫容量的生物学机制及其对受孕发育的影响尚未完全阐明。 拟议的研究将建立在我们最近了解母体-胚胎界面的研究基础上，并努力了解与子宫容量相关的生物因素，这些因素会影响子宫内概念的发育，并最终影响后代的出生体重。本文提出的研究目标是：1）通过比较不同体重表型的生殖组织和胎儿的基因表达谱，确定与仔猪出生体重相关的生物过程、候选基因和基因表达网络； 2）通过比较不同体重表型的生殖组织和胎儿的甲基化谱，研究表观遗传机制在出生体重表型中的作用。这些评估将提供有关形成合格概念的关键步骤的基础知识，以及对子宫环境如何影响调节过程的深入了解。即将进行的研究将鉴定出大量参与猪母体-概念相互作用的候选基因和基因产物，这将对基础科学、母体管理和生物技术产生影响。这些知识将对加拿大有利，因为它将用于提高猪等经济上重要物种的繁殖效率，但也将解决母体胚胎通讯如何影响人类健康