Cat Development

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Introduction

Development of external genitalia in fetal and neonatal domestic cats

Cat embryo ovary

J Vet Med Sci. 2009 Feb;71(2):139-45.

Inomata T, Ariga M, Sakita K, Kashiwazaki N, Ito J, Yokoh K, Ichikawa M, Ninomiya H, Inoue S.

Department of Laboratory Animal, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. inomata@azabu-u.ac.jp Abstract "Development of the external genitalia of fetal and neonatal cat were studied macroscopically, paying attention to the formation of the labia and the sexual differentiation. The female urogenital folds budded from each side of the genital tubercle and, gradually extended to the tip of the genital tubercle by the 6.8 cm stage in crown-rump length. Then, the well-developed urogenital folds ensheathed completely the genital tubercle to form the prepuce of clitoris and the labia, flanking the external opening of vagina as the folds of skin which were equivalent to the labia minora in humans. The genital swellings known to become the labia majora in humans were clearly recognized in the caudolateral region of the genital tubercle during the fetal stage. These swellings became flat and obscure after birth. Thus, in cats the genital swellings did not join to the formation of the labia in the same way as in humans. The sex difference in the external genitalia was first observed at the 3.2-3.3 cm stages. In the male, the anogenital raphe appeared and the caudal portion of the genital swellings moved and fused each other at the caudal region of the genital tubercle. In the female, both features were not easy to observe."

PMID19262023

In vitro compaction of germinal vesicle chromatin is beneficial to survival of vitrified cat oocytes

Comizzoli P, Wildt DE, Pukazhenthi BS. Reprod Domest Anim. 2009 Jul;44 Suppl 2:269-74.

The immature cat oocyte contains a large-sized germinal vesicle (GV) with decondensed chromatin that is highly susceptible to cryo-damage. The aim of the study was to explore an alternative to conventional cryopreservation by examining the influence of GV chromatin compaction using resveratrol (Res) exposure (a histone deacetylase enhancer) on oocyte survival during vitrification. In Experiment 1, denuded oocytes were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 mmol/l Res for 1.5 h and then evaluated for chromatin structure or cultured to assess oocyte meiotic and developmental competence in vitro. Exposure to 1.0 or 1.5 mmol/l Res induced complete GV chromatin deacetylation and the most significant compaction. Compared to other treatments, the 1.5 mmol/l Res concentration compromised the oocyte ability to achieve metaphase II (MII) or to form a blastocyst. In Experiment 2, denuded oocytes were exposed to Res as in Experiment 1 and cultured in vitro either directly (fresh) or after vitrification. Both oocyte types then were assessed for meiotic competence, fertilizability and ability to form embryos. Vitrification exerted an overall negative influence on oocyte meiotic and developmental competence. However, ability to reach MII, achieve early first cleavage, and develop to an advanced embryo stage (8-16 cells) was improved in vitrified oocytes previously exposed to 1.0 mmol/l Res compared to all counterpart treatments. In summary, results reveal that transient epigenetic modifications associated with GV chromatin compaction induced by Res is fully reversible and beneficial to oocyte survival during vitrification. This approach has allowed the production of the first cat embryos from vitrified immature oocytes.

PMID: 19754584 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19754584

Novel gene acquisition on carnivore Y chromosomes

PLoS Genet. 2006 Mar;2(3):e43. Epub 2006 Mar 31.

Murphy WJ, Pearks Wilkerson AJ, Raudsepp T, Agarwala R, Schäffer AA, Stanyon R, Chowdhary BP. Source Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America. wmurphy@cvm.tamu.edu

Abstract

Despite its importance in harboring genes critical for spermatogenesis and male-specific functions, the Y chromosome has been largely excluded as a priority in recent mammalian genome sequencing projects. Only the human and chimpanzee Y chromosomes have been well characterized at the sequence level. This is primarily due to the presumed low overall gene content and highly repetitive nature of the Y chromosome and the ensuing difficulties using a shotgun sequence approach for assembly. Here we used direct cDNA selection to isolate and evaluate the extent of novel Y chromosome gene acquisition in the genome of the domestic cat, a species from a different mammalian superorder than human, chimpanzee, and mouse (currently being sequenced). We discovered four novel Y chromosome genes that do not have functional copies in the finished human male-specific region of the Y or on other mammalian Y chromosomes explored thus far. Two genes are derived from putative autosomal progenitors, and the other two have X chromosome homologs from different evolutionary strata. All four genes were shown to be multicopy and expressed predominantly or exclusively in testes, suggesting that their duplication and specialization for testis function were selected for because they enhance spermatogenesis. Two of these genes have testis-expressed, Y-borne copies in the dog genome as well. The absence of the four newly described genes on other characterized mammalian Y chromosomes demonstrates the gene novelty on this chromosome between mammalian orders, suggesting it harbors many lineage-specific genes that may go undetected by traditional comparative genomic approaches. Specific plans to identify the male-specific genes encoded in the Y chromosome of mammals should be a priority.

PMID: 16596168 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16596168

Testis morphometry, seminiferous epithelium cycle length, and daily sperm production in domestic cats (Felis catus)

Biol Reprod. 2003 May;68(5):1554-61. Epub 2002 Nov 27.

França LR, Godinho CL. Source Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil 31270-901. lrfranca@icb.ufmg.br

Abstract

There is very little information regarding the testis structure and function in domestic cats, mainly data related to the cycle of seminiferous epithelium and sperm production. The testis weight in cats investigated in the present study was 1.2 g. Compared with most mammalian species investigated, the value of 0.08% found for testes mass related to the body mass (gonadosomatic index) in cats is very low. The tunica albuginea volume density (%) in these animals was relatively high and comprised about 19% of the testis. Seminiferous tubule and Leydig cell volume density (%) in cats were approximately 90% and 6%, respectively. The mean tubular diameter was 220 microm, and 23 m of seminiferous tubule were found per testis and per gram of testis. The frequencies of the eight stages of the cycle, characterized according to the tubular morphology system, were as follows: stage 1, 24.9%; stage 2, 12.9%; stage 3, 7.7%; stage 4, 17.6%; stage 5, 7.2%; stage 6, 11.9%; stage 7, 6.8%; and stage 8, 11 %. The premeiotic and postmeiotic stage frequency was 46% and 37%, respectively. The duration of each cycle of seminiferous epithelium was 10.4 days and the total duration of spermatogenesis based on 4.5 cycles was 46.8 days. The number of round spermatids for each pachytene primary spermatocytes (meiotic index) was 2.8, meaning that significant cell loss (30%) occurred during the two meiotic divisions. The total number of germ cells and the number of round spermatids per each Sertoli cell nucleolus at stage 1 of the cycle were 9.8 and 5.1, respectively. The Leydig cell volume was approximately 2000 microm3 and the nucleus volume 260 microm3. Both Leydig and Sertoli cell numbers per gram of testis in cats were approximately 30 million. The daily sperm production per gram of testis in cats (efficiency of spermatogenesis) was approximately 16 million. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation to perform a more detailed and comprehensive study of the testis structure and function in domestic cats. Also, this is the first report in the literature showing Sertoli and Leydig cell number per gram of testis and the daily sperm production in any kind of feline species. In this regard, besides providing a background for comparative studies with other fields, the data obtained in the present work might be useful in future studies in which the domestic cat could be utilized as an appropriate receptor model for preservation of genetic stock from rare or endangered wild felines using the germ cell transplantation technique.

PMID: 12606460 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12606460

Effect of protein supplementation on development to the hatching and hatched blastocyst stages of cat IVF embryos

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2002;14(5-6):291-6.

Karja NW, Otoi T, Murakami M, Yuge M, Fahrudin M, Suzuki T.

Department of Veterinary Sciences, Yamaguchi University, Japan. Abstract The effects of protein supplementation in culture medium on development to the hatching and hatched blastocyst stages of cat in vitro-fertilized embryos were investigated. In the first experiment, presumptive zygotes derived from in vitro maturation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) were cultured in modified Earle's balanced salt solution (MK-1) supplemented with 0.4% bovine serum albumin (BSA) or 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 9 days. There were no significant differences between the BSA and FBS groups with respect to the proportion of cleavage and development to the morula and blastocyst stages of zygotes. However, the presence of FBS in the medium enhanced development to the hatching blastocyst stage of zygotes compared with the BSA group (31.4% v. 7.8%). Moreover, 2.9% of zygotes cultured with FBS developed to the hatched blastocyst stage. The mean cell number of blastocysts derived from zygotes cultured with FBS was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that from zygotes cultured with BSA (136.6 v.101.5). In the second experiment, embryos at the morula orblastocyst stage, which were produced by culturing in MK-1 supplemented with 0.4% BSA after IVF, were subsequently cultured in MK-1 with 0.4% BSA or 5% FBS. Significantly more morulae developed to the blastocyst (P<0.05) and hatching blastocyst stages (P<0.01) in the FBS group than in the BSA group (71.5% and 53.6% v. 44.9% and 6.0%, respectively). Although none of the morulae cultured with BSA developed to the hatched blastocyst stage, 11.5% of morulae cultured with FBS developed to the hatched blastocyst stage. Moreover, the proportion of development to the hatching blastocyst stage of blastocysts was significantly higher (P<0.01) in the FBS group than in the BSA group (68.7% v. 9.8%). None of the blastocysts cultured with BSA developed to the hatched blastocyst stage, whereas 7.3% of blastocysts cultured with FBS developed to the hatched blastocyst stage. The results of the present study indicate that supplementation with FBS at different stages of early embryo development promotes development to the hatching and hatched blastocyst stages of cat IVF embryos.

PMID: 12467353 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12467353

Developmental competence of domestic cat embryos fertilized in vivo versus in vitro

Roth TL, Swanson WF, Wildt DE. Biol Reprod. 1994 Sep;51(3):441-51.

Development of in vitro-fertilized (IVF) cat embryos was compared to that of naturally produced cat embryos in vivo and in vitro. To obtain in vivo-fertilized embryos, queens were mated three times daily on the second and third days of natural estrus and ovariohysterectomized at 64, 76, 100, 124, or 148 h after the first copulation. Embryos were flushed from the reproductive tract, evaluated for developmental stage, and cultured. For IVF, oocytes from gonadotropin-stimulated queens were inseminated with electroejaculated cat sperm in Ham's F-10 and evaluated for fertilization (cleavage to > or = 2 cells) at 30 h. In vitro development of embryos fertilized in vivo (n = 109) and in vitro (n = 46) was evaluated every 24 h for up to 10 days. High-quality embryos recovered at 64, 76, 100, 124, and 148 h after the first copulation were typically 1 to 2 cells (13 of 20), 5 to 8 cells (18 of 28), 9 to 16 cells (14 of 24), morulae (15 of 21), and compact morulae (11 of 18), respectively, suggesting blastomere cleavage once per day in vivo after the first three rapid cell divisions. A similar developmental rate to the morula stage (p > or = 0.05) was achieved in vitro by embryos derived from both in vitro and in vivo fertilization. Additionally, the proportion (p > or = 0.05) of in vivo-generated embryos (2 to 16 cells) that developed to morulae (64 of 83; 77.1%) was similar to that of IVF embryos (28 of 46; 60.9%). However, none of the IVF embryos (0/46), but 70.6% (77 of 109) of the in vivo-produced embryos, achieved blastocyst formation in culture (p < or = 0.05). Furthermore, 66.2% (51 of 77) of these blastocysts exhibited zona hatching. Incidence of morula and blastocyst formation in the in vivo group was influenced by stage of the embryo at collection. Embryos that were at the 9- to 16-cell stage at recovery were more likely (p < or = 0.05) to achieve morula or blastocyst status and emerge from the zona pellucida than younger-stage counterparts. In summary, the in vivo and in vitro growth rate of cat embryos produced after natural mating was comparable to that of embryos fertilized and cultured in vitro. However, developmental ability to the blastocyst stage was superior for embryos produced in vivo after natural mating.

PMID: 7803615

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7803615

References

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, April 30) Embryology Cat Development. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Cat_Development

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