11 – Establishment of Pregnancy Flashcards
Pregnancy
- Period between fertilization and birth
- *driven by development of LIVE BIRTH (viviparity) on to mammalian biology
Pregnancy involves main features of
- Internal fertilization (ex. NOT fish)
- Retention of fertilized egg, embryo, fetus WITHIN female reproductive tract
- Direct maternal nourishment
Monotremes
- Do NOT have a LIVE birth
Marsupials
- Fetus is born LIVE
Advantages of pregnancy
- Protection from
o Thermal extremes
o Osmotic stress
o Predation
Disadvantages of pregnancy
- Increased maternal energy use
- Reduced maternal mobility and FECUNDITY
- Risk of injury (mother and fetus) from immunological and inflammatory responses in utero
Hatching and blastocyst expansion
- Embryos (especially some domestic species) change shape and size
2 groups of mammals in terms of development within uterus and implantation
- Pre-attachment period within uterus is long (ex. mostly domestic animals)
- Blastocyst implants quickly after entering the uterus (ex. primates)
Pre-attachment period within uterus is long (ex. mostly domestic animals)
- Extensive extra-embryonic membrane develop (amnion, allantois and chorion)
- Maternal recognition of pregnancy signal is produced and signal must occur BEFORE attachment period to uterus
Blastocyst implants quickly after entering the uterus (ex. primates)
- Develop of extra-embryonic membranes occurs AFTER implantation
- *MRP signal rapidly increased AFTER implantation
Dog (‘attachment’)
- 7-10 days for zygote to reach uterine tubes
- Intrauterine migration from day 12-17=evenly spaced throughout each horn
- Fixation and implantation at day 17
Cat (‘attachment’)
- Blastocysts appear to reach uterus by day 6
- Ellipsoid after that and hatch from zona by day 11
- Intrauterine migration and begin implantation by day 12
Ruminants and pig: elongation
- Become tubular and then FILAMENTOUS
- Ex. pigs: by day 12-25 filamentous structure=1m long
Elongation of any conceptus provides
- Maximum surface area of contact between trophectoderm/trophoblast AND maternal uterine epithelium
Ruminant elongated embryo can extend into
- The non-pregnant uterine horn
Horses: elongation
- Do NOT elongate=remains spherical
Histotrophe
- Products from it come from the endometrial glands
- Nourish embryo during pre-implantation period
o Survival, development, production of MRP factors, implantation and placentation
What are the secretory products of the endometrial glands?
- Enzymes
- GFs
- Cytokines
- Hormones transported into lumen
- Transport proteins (ex. for glucose)
- Nutrients (ex. AA, glucose)
Endometrial glands undergo substantial _____during gestation
- Hyperplasia AND hypertrophy
o Increase SA for maximum production of histotrophe - Ex. ruminants, horse (less in primates)
Luteolysis must be prevented
- In order to establish a pregnancy
o *don’t want CL to be lost or broken down
Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP)
- Dogs and cats: luteal phase is close to duration of actual gestation=no signal required from conceptus
- Others: luteal phase ends before embryo normally implants=need a signal to prolong a single or number of CL
2 types of recognition signalling from conceptus to maternal system
- Luteotrophic
- Anti-luteotrophic (PRIMARY one we usually talk about)