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Katiuska Satué Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CEU-Cardenal Herrera University, Valencia, Spain

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Esterina Fazio Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Physiology Unit, Messina University, Messina, Italy

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Cristina Cravana Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Physiology Unit, Messina University, Messina, Italy

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Marco Quartuccio Department of Veterinary Sciences, Physiopathology and Clinic of Reproduction Unit, Messina University, Messina, Italy

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Maria Marcilla Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CEU-Cardenal Herrera University, Valencia, Spain

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Pietro Medica Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Physiology Unit, Messina University, Messina, Italy

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the physiological reference values for systemic and intrafollicular placental growth factor (PlGF) concentrations in different categories of follicular sizes in cycling mares, according to progesterone (P4) and oestradiol (E2) patterns. Sixty ovaries were taken after slaughter from 30 clinically healthy mares. Regarding their size, the follicles were classified into three different categories, i.e. small (20–30 mm), medium-sized (31–40 mm) and large (≥41 mm), and follicular fluid (FF) was sampled from each single follicle. Intrafollicular PlGF concentrations were significantly increased in larger and medium-sized follicles compared to small follicles, and their values were 1.48 and 1.36 times higher than the systemic values, respectively. On the other hand, systemic PlGF concentrations were 1.3 times higher than those in the FF of follicles of small size. Intrafollicular P4 concentrations were significantly higher in larger follicles than in small ones, and their concentrations were 6.74 and 3.42 times higher than the systemic values, respectively. Intrafollicular E2 concentrations were significantly higher in large and medium-sized follicles than in follicles of small size, and their concentrations were 21.1, 15.4 and 8.35 times higher than the systemic values, respectively. Intrafollicular and systemic PlGF concentrations were strongly and positively correlated; nevertheless, no correlations between intrafollicular and systemic steroid hormones, PlGF and follicle diameters, PlGF and E2, or PlGF and P4 were observed. This represents the first study to characterise systemic and intrafollicular PlGF concentrations in cycling normal mares, providing evidence that the bioavailability of this factor in follicles of medium and large sizes was higher than in small follicles, independently of steroid hormone concentrations. Further studies are needed to assess the presumable implications of PlGF in follicular angiogenesis in mares, similar to those already observed in women and primates.

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Senior editors

Editor-in-Chief: Ferenc BASKA

Editorial assistant: Szilvia PÁLINKÁS

 

Editorial Board

  • Mária BENKŐ (Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Gábor BODÓ (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Béla DÉNES (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest Hungary)
  • Edit ESZTERBAUER (Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Hedvig FÉBEL (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • László FODOR (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • János GÁL (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Balázs HARRACH (Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Peter MASSÁNYI (Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic)
  • Béla NAGY (Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Tibor NÉMETH (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Zsuzsanna NEOGRÁDY (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Dušan PALIĆ (Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany)
  • Alessandra PELAGALLI (University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy)
  • Kurt PFISTER (Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany)
  • László SOLTI (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • József SZABÓ (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Péter VAJDOVICH (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • János VARGA (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Štefan VILČEK (University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice, Kosice, Slovak Republic)
  • Károly VÖRÖS (University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary)
  • Herbert WEISSENBÖCK (University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria)
  • Attila ZSARNOVSZKY (Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary)

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Acta Veterinaria Hungarica
Language English
Size A4
Year of
Foundation
1951
Volumes
per Year
1
Issues
per Year
4
Founder Magyar Tudományos Akadémia
Founder's
Address
H-1051 Budapest, Hungary, Széchenyi István tér 9.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
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Address
H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
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Publisher
Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 0236-6290 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2705 (Online)

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