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Yllera MDM, Alonso-Peñarando D, Lombardero M. Gross Anatomy of the Female Reproductive System of Sugar Gliders ( Petaurus breviceps). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2377. [PMID: 37508154 PMCID: PMC10376690 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We dissected carcasses of eight mature females, both parous and non-parous specimens, to study the macroscopic anatomy of the female reproductive system in the sugar glider. The genital system includes double organs, namely the right and left ones, which are completely separated. It includes two ovaries, two oviducts, two uteri and a vaginal complex. The uteri are fusiform-shaped and lack horns. The vaginal complex includes two lateral vaginae and a median vagina, also called the 'birth canal'. The cranial end of both lateral vaginae partially fuses, forming an expansion named the vaginal sinus, which is divided into two parts by a longitudinal septum, one for each vagina, where the ipsilateral uterine cervix opens. The caudal end of the lateral vaginae opens into a medial and impar duct: the urogenital sinus that serves as a common passage for the reproductive and urinary systems. In non-pregnant females, only the lateral vaginae are present. In pregnant and recently parous females, a short median vagina extends from the caudal wall of the vaginal sinus to the cranial end of the urogenital sinus. In the ventral wall of this sinus, next to its caudal opening, there is a forked clitoris.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Yllera
- Unit of Veterinary Anatomy and Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela-Campus of Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain
| | - Diana Alonso-Peñarando
- Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela-Campus of Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain
- DVM at Veterinary Clinic Madivet, Calle Comercio, 5, Bargas, 45593 Toledo, Spain
| | - Matilde Lombardero
- Unit of Veterinary Anatomy and Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Animal Production and Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela-Campus of Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain
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Howell LG, Mawson PR, Comizzoli P, Witt RR, Frankham R, Clulow S, O'Brien JK, Clulow J, Marinari P, Rodger JC. Modeling genetic benefits and financial costs of integrating biobanking into the conservation breeding of managed marsupials. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14010. [PMID: 36178038 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Managed breeding programs are an important tool in marsupial conservation efforts but may be costly and have adverse genetic effects in unavoidably small captive colonies. Biobanking and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) could help overcome these challenges, but further demonstration of their potential is required to improve uptake. We used genetic and economic models to examine whether supplementing hypothetical captive populations of dibblers (Parantechinus apicalis) and numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus) with biobanked founder sperm through ARTs could reduce inbreeding, lower required colony sizes, and reduce program costs. We also asked practitioners of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) captive recovery program to complete a questionnaire to examine the resources and model species research pathways required to develop an optimized biobanking protocol in the black-footed ferret. We used data from this questionnaire to devise similar costed research pathways for Australian marsupials. With biobanking and assisted reproduction, inbreeding was reduced on average by between 80% and 98%, colony sizes were on average 99% smaller, and program costs were 69- to 83-fold lower. Integrating biobanking made long-standing captive genetic retention targets possible in marsupials (90% source population heterozygosity for a minimum of 100 years) within realistic cost frameworks. Lessons from the use of biobanking technology that contributed to the recovery of the black-footed ferret include the importance of adequate research funding (US$4.2 million), extensive partnerships that provide access to facilities and equipment, colony animals, appropriate research model species, and professional and technical staff required to address knowledge gaps to deliver an optimized biobanking protocol. Applied research investment of A$133 million across marsupial research pathways could deliver biobanking protocols for 15 of Australia's most at-risk marsupial species and 7 model species. The technical expertise and ex situ facilities exist to emulate the success of the black-footed ferret recovery program in threatened marsupials using these research pathways. All that is needed now for significant and cost-effective conservation gains is greater investment by policy makers in marsupial ARTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan G Howell
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter R Mawson
- Perth Zoo, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, South Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Ryan R Witt
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard Frankham
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Simon Clulow
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Justine K O'Brien
- Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Marinari
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia, USA
| | - John C Rodger
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- FAUNA Research Alliance, Kahibah, New South Wales, Australia
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Breed B, Leigh C, Ahmer I. Morphological events at the time of oocyte maturation and sperm–egg interactions during fertilisation in a dasyurid marsupial. AUST J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/zo22030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In marsupials there have been several studies on oocyte maturation and sperm–egg interactions at the time of fertilisation, but controversy exists as to when and how some of the processes occur. Here we present a summary of relevant data from a species of dasyurid marsupial, the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). The findings show that in oocytes of developing ovarian follicles cortical granules are produced with many of the granules sometimes initially congregating around the cytoplasmic vacuoles before migrating to the proximity of the oocyte cell membrane. During fertilisation the spermatozoon binds to the zona pellucida that surrounds the oocyte with its tail lying parallel to the long axis of the head. As the spermatozoon passes through the zona pellucida it is surrounded by the zona matrix and, when entering the egg cytoplasm, a localised area of elevated ooplasm occurs around the spermatozoon. Also, unlike a recent claim to the contrary, the head of the spermatozoon travels a considerable distance into the egg cytoplasm before chromatin decondensation occurs, an event that probably minimises the chances of chromatin disruption by the sperm tail at the time of its incorporation.
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Hwang JY, Maziarz J, Wagner GP, Chung JJ. Molecular Evolution of CatSper in Mammals and Function of Sperm Hyperactivation in Gray Short-Tailed Opossum. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051047. [PMID: 33946695 PMCID: PMC8147001 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Males have evolved species-specifical sperm morphology and swimming patterns to adapt to different fertilization environments. In eutherians, only a small fraction of the sperm overcome the diverse obstacles in the female reproductive tract and successfully migrate to the fertilizing site. Sperm arriving at the fertilizing site show hyperactivated motility, a unique motility pattern displaying asymmetric beating of sperm flagella with increased amplitude. This motility change is triggered by Ca2+ influx through the sperm-specific ion channel, CatSper. However, the current understanding of the CatSper function and its molecular regulation is limited in eutherians. Here, we report molecular evolution and conservation of the CatSper channel in the genome throughout eutherians and marsupials. Sequence analyses reveal that CatSper proteins are slowly evolved in marsupials. Using an American marsupial, gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica), we demonstrate the expression of CatSper in testes and its function in hyperactivation and unpairing of sperm. We demonstrate that a conserved IQ-like motif in CatSperζ is required for CatSperζ interaction with the pH-tuned Ca2+ sensor, EFCAB9, for regulating CatSper activity. Recombinant opossum EFCAB9 can interact with mouse CatSperζ despite high sequence divergence of CatSperζ among CatSper subunits in therians. Our finding suggests that molecular characteristics and functions of CatSper are evolutionarily conserved in gray short-tailed opossum, unraveling the significance of sperm hyperactivation and fertilization in marsupials for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Yeon Hwang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Y.H.); (J.-J.C.)
| | - Jamie Maziarz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (J.M.); (G.P.W.)
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Günter P. Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; (J.M.); (G.P.W.)
- Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jean-Ju Chung
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Y.H.); (J.-J.C.)
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