Annual/Termination Reports:

[01/01/1970] [06/30/2023] [07/16/2024] [07/27/2025] [07/20/2026]

Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p><strong>W4112</strong></p><br /> <p>Reporting period: 10/1/2020 to 9/30/2021</p><br /> <p>Meeting Date: May 17 and 18, 2022</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Accomplishments</strong></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Progress and Important Discoveries by W4112 Objectives </span></strong></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective 1</span></strong> Elucidate fundamental cellular, physiological, endocrine, and behavioral mechanisms that regulate gamete development and quality and enhance the management of reproductive function leading to development of translational reproductive biotechnologies.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Evidence was produced that preantral follicles, although not FSH-dependent, express FSH receptors and the cellular machinery necessary to respond to FSH, and the supplementation of high doses of FSH enhances growth of preantral follicles within the ovarian cortex. (California)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Phenotypically, the SLICK1 mutation is associated with a short, slick hair coat and confers increased thermotolerance. In SLICK1 carrier animals, the JAK/STAT signaling via pSTAT3 might be reduced in hair follicles, which may affect downstream gene transcription. However, the presence of the SLICK1 allele could provide an advantage to reproductive efficiency of Holstein heifers by improving the rate of pregnancy to first service compared to non-carrier animals. (California)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Development of bovine fluid tests to distinguish open from pregnant cows. Concept studies have been completed testing the accuracy of an early &le; day 18 Open Cow Test (OCT) test for pregnancy status and are in the middle of a 1,000-cow clinical trial. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>A marker for selection of in vitro derived embryos, this marker is differently expressed in morphologically (IETS scoring system) good compared to bad day 5, 6 and 7 bovine in-vitro derived embryos. Use of this marker to select the best embryos may improve embryo transfer rates in IVF-derived embryos in cows and possibly in humans. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>SNP associated with fertility have been identified based on gene expression in the corpus luteum, endometrium, embryo, white blood cells and milk. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>The secretory pattern of LH in response to E2 (25 &micro;g IM) was determined in normal weight, obesity and lean body weight, and revealed a profound alteration associated with obesity characterized by a blunted and delayed LH surge. Upon returning to normal weight, normal LH surge dynamics were re-established. The results also show that return to normal weight in ewes restores peak LH concentration and timing of the LH surge. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Use of sperm health-reflecting biomarkers with high throughput image-based flow cytometry (IBFC) and artificial intelligence, deep learning analysis as a method to create bioimage algorithms that can detect sperm acrosome health status (reflected by lectin PNA-Cy5) on brightfield images alone. (Iowa)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Bull breed appears to have little influence on sperm quality assessments among yearling bulls meeting threshold requirements for passing breeding soundness evaluation exams. However, reactive oxygen species proved to have a detrimental effect on spermatozoa function. (Kansas)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Altered carbohydrate metabolism within the cumulus-oocyte complex likely contributes to the decreased competency of oocytes from small pre-ovulatory follicles exposed to an exogenous GnRH-induced gonadotropin surge. (ARS-Montana)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Systemic inflammation or inability of red blood cells to carry oxygen may contribute to delayed&nbsp;puberty. (Nebraska)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) isoforms (mainly angiogenic VEGFA165) can rescue the Polycystic ovary syndrome-like phenotypes in High A4 cows. Naturally occurring High A4 cows are present in beef and dairy herds in the US and other countries. (Nebraska)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Feeding spent hemp biomass to rams did not significantly affect total testicular weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, or DAZL immunoexpression. (Oregon)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Pramel1 is required to maintain normal spermatogenesis by regulating germ cell differentiation in response to retinoic acid signaling. (Pennsylvania)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Progesterone receptor membrane component (PGRMC) 1 and PGRMC2 are essential for spermatogenesis and male fertility. It is proposed that PGRMC proteins play essential and multifaceted roles in spermatogenesis during mitosis, meiosis and spermatid elongation. These studies offer the first in vivo insights into the functional role of PGRMC proteins in male gametogenesis. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>The value of a breeding soundness evaluation as evidenced by ram fertility is still lacking. Passing a breeding soundness evaluation did not seem indicative of field fertility in rams. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective 2 </span></strong>Identify impacts of reproductive management, animal management and stress on follicle recruitment, ovulation, corpus luteum function, and pregnancy.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Oral exposure to a mixture of phthalates reduces IGF1 content and significantly disrupts the ovarian antral follicle proteome. Intrafollicular IGF1 was significantly increased in the pre-antral follicles of mice treated with the Phthalate mixture, the effects were also visible in a dose-dependent manner. (Arizona)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Cow-calf herds from the same base genetics are exposed to two different management systems: graze irrigated pastures (IRR) year-round with hay and supplement, and sagebrush steppe range (RAN) from May &ndash; December then they are managed similarly to the IRR group. Analysis of animal performance in these systems over the past 5 years demonstrated a reduction in calf growth, cow body weight and cow body condition in the RAN system compared with the IRR system. These results indicate significant differences in nutritional exposure during the first two trimesters of gestation and early calf life. (Idaho)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Energy restrictions after AI had slight negative effects on embryo developmental stage, quality and blastomeres on d 6 and d 7 without affecting progesterone or IGF-1 concentrations in plasma. Post-AI energy restriction reduced Ca and S concentrations and embryo presence reduced Mg and S concentration in flush media. Post-AI nutrient restriction for 14 days revealed similar plasma concentration of protein, glucose, cholesterol, and progesterone across diet, but NEFA was elevated among nutrient restricted heifers. When an embryo was recovered, Mg and S were decreased in uterine flush media. (ARS-Montana)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Work is undergoing to identify cell types, issues, and biological pathways that are sensitive to the maternal diet, and results will be used to develop strategic supplementation strategies to improve embryo development and pregnancy retention following periods of maternal dietary stress. (Montana)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Excess steroid production can be a major factor that causes anovulation in cattle populations. (Texas A&amp;M, Arizona, MS)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Luteolysis is associated with metabolic pathways that reduce mitochondrial energy production, stimulate free radicals and collagen synthesis and activate immune cells. (New Mexico, Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objective 3 </span></strong>Determine mechanisms regulating normal embryo development, pregnancy establishment, and maintenance by exploring maternal and paternal factors, including genomics, immune responses, fetal programming, and conceptus/uterine signaling.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) fetuses have altered glucose response. Prenatal therapy of both oxygen and glucose normalizes insulin secretion and whole-body glucose fluxes IUGR fetuses. (Arizona)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Evidence has been produced that IUGR presents sexually dimorphic programing of obesity, where males that had experience fetal growth restriction presented fewer fat cells compared to controls, and these effects were not observed in females. (Arizona)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>An in vivo RNA interference (RNAi) within the sheep placenta was developed to examine the function and relative importance of genes involved in conceptus development (PRR15 and LIN28), placental nutrient transport (SLC2A1 and SLC2A3), and the placenta derived hormones (CSH). (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>The direct actions of CSH are to promote blood flow and nutrient uptake by the uteroplacental unit as present regardless of degree of severity of placental insufficiency, and CSH likely plays a role in modulating placental metabolism that ultimate promotes maximal placental glucose transfer. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Subcutaneous delivery of IFNT protects the ovine corpus luteum from exogenously delivered prostaglandin F2-alpha. mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes StAR, HSD3&beta;1, CYP11A1, transcription factors JUN and FOS, and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) were not regulated in the corpus luteum at 48h after PGF2 challenge; however, steady state levels of luteal LHCGR, TNFaIP6, TGF&beta;2, and XIAP mRNAs were found to be higher in the IFN-infused ewes. (Colorado)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Poor maternal nutrition (over and restricted feeding) impacts metabolic factors and glucose tolerance in sheep offspring. In addition, maternal diet affects hepatic mRNA expression of specific epigenetic factors which may contribute to altered metabolism and liver function. Furthermore, both sperm small RNA composition and expression levels are significantly altered in responses to poor maternal gestational nutrition in sheep. (Connecticut)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Over-feeding during gestation increased meat tenderness, which may be due to reduced collagen cross-linking by lysis oxidase. (Connecticut)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Removal of sperm with damaged acrosomes before freezing improved field fertility in a sire specific manner. (Montana)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Nutrient restriction and melatonin supplementation alter concentrations of neurotransmitters and their metabolites in a seasonally dependent manner. In addition, maternal nutrient restriction in spring calving dams may shift fetal pancreatic islet size from medium to large clusters, while increasing the average size of the cell clusters. Conversely, melatonin supplementation in fall calving dams decreased the average size of the cell clusters, which may alter pancreatic function later in life. (Mississippi)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>There are sire-driven effects on embryonic development, embryos from sires with reduced ability to produce embryos (low performing) are delayed in development and have increased arrest at the 5-6 cell stage possibly due to a genetic or non-genetic contribution from the sperm. In addition, embryos from low performing begin development under increased stress, which impacts their ability to undergo cleavage and continue development. Their autophagic response alone is not robust enough to mitigate this stress by the morula stage, preventing a proportion from reaching the blastocyst stage. (Missouri)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Effects of sire are also encountered on placental development, using an in vitro model it is possible to identify sires with limited trophectoderm growth and PAG production that are in higher risk to experience pregnancy loss in the first 40 days of pregnancy. (Missouri)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>The addition of FGF2, LIF and IGF1 (FLI) to culture medium increase the proportion of embryos that reach the blastocyst stage. However, by day 15 of development embryos produced under the influence of FLI are developmentally like those produced in control culture medium and thus have the competency to develop into healthy offspring. (Missouri)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>IVP-derived male embryos were more susceptible to alterations in gene expression and these effects extend to the peri implantation period including genes associated with placental development. (Missouri)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Preeclampsia sFLT-1 and PLGF remained elevated months later after suppressing CXCL12-CXCR4, suggesting a clear role of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling during placentation and provide strong evidence that altering CXCL12-mediated signaling during early placentation induces enduring placental effects manifesting later in gestation. In addition, CXCL12 stimulates production of select cytokines, rather than P4 in the CL to assist in CL establishment and survival. (New Mexico)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Restricted- and over-feeding negatively impact protein and mRNA expression of key chemokines and growth factors implicated in proper placenta development and function. (New Mexico)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Parthenogenetic embryos have different secretion patterns and products compared to normal IVF embryos. (Texas)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Repeated PGF2&alpha; release may alter steroid hormone production; however, does not negatively affect pregnancy status during the transition period to late embryonic development. (Texas)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>The current method to evaluate sire fertility using SCR does not truly represent the field&nbsp;fertility status in these groups of animals evaluated. Large variance in pregnancy loss between days 30 and 60 of gestation were observed among sires and these phenotypes should be considered when evaluating sire fertility in order to increase the score reliability. (Iowa, Missouri, Montana (ARS))</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Transcription factor (TCF) 3 and TCF12 are dynamically up-regulated in gonadotrope cells during estrus and are essential for female fertility through their regulation of <em>Lh&beta;</em> transcription. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Homeostatic levels of PGRMC1 are fundamentally required for normal gestation. PGRMC protein expression is disrupted in most women&rsquo;s reproductive diseases. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>There is no negative effect of seminal plasma supplementation on embryo morphology or reproductive performance of offspring. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Supplementation of 1.8 mM choline chloride to the culture medium does not impact embryo development to the blastocyst stage or pregnancy establishment. (Wyoming)</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Collaborations</strong></p><br /> <ul><br /> <li>Tod Hansen (CSU) will analyze bovine uterine flushings from Texas for Interferon-tau concentrations.</li><br /> <li>Tod Hansen (CSU) will analyze bovine fluid samples from Montana (USDA-ARS) for Interferon-tau concentrations.</li><br /> <li>Colorado will facilitate transmission electron microscopy and histopathology analysis of sperm compared to high throughput image-based flow cytometry (IBFC) and artificial intelligence, deep learning analysis as methods to evaluate quality of sperm analyzed in Iowa.</li><br /> <li>Becky Poole (Texas) and Andrea Cupp (Nebraska) are collaborating on vaginal microbiome and perhaps uterine during puberty and after ovariectomy within our pubertal classification heifers.</li><br /> <li>Anna Denicol (California) and Andrea Cupp (Nebraska) are collaborating on collecting ovarian cortex in vivo- California and Nebraska</li><br /> <li>Dave Grieger (Kansas) and Andrea Cupp (Nebraska) are collaborating on developing professional development in reproduction for FFA instructors (High School Ag Teachers) and conducting antral follicle counts/ultrasound in heifers- K-State and Nebraska &nbsp;</li><br /> <li>Sofia Ortega (Missouri) and Ky Pohler (Texas A&amp;M) are collaborating on bi parental vs uniparental embryos/pregnancies, PAG ablation effects on pregnancy establishment, and sire effects on pregnancy establishment</li><br /> <li>Collaborations are underway with Karl Kerns (Iowa), Tom Geary and Sarah McCoski (Montana) on IVP embryos on pregnancy success</li><br /> <li>NMSU will continue to collaborate with the laboratories of Drs. Govoni &amp; Reed at Connecticut investigating the impacts that nutritional stress during gestation has on select chemokines and growth factors and their functions in the placenta using a sheep model. &nbsp;</li><br /> <li>Geary (USDA-ARS, Miles City with Sofia Ortega (Missouri), Sarah McCoski (Montana), &amp; Karl Kerns (Iowa): Embryonic cell differentiation of IVP &amp; conventional embryos as it related to pregnancy success in cattle.</li><br /> <li>Geary, Ortega &amp; Kerns: Evaluation of biomarkers on sperm involved with fertility using nano-purification and in vitro development.</li><br /> <li>Geary, Kerns, &amp; David Grieger (Kansas): Flow cytometry evaluation of bull semen.</li><br /> <li>Geary &amp; McCoski: Effects of heifer nutrition on uterine metabolome and embryonic development.</li><br /> <li>Geary &amp; Tod Hansen (Colorado): Early pregnancy diagnosis in beef heifers and cows associated with pregnancy maintenance.</li><br /> <li>Geary, Brenda Alexander (Wyoming), &amp; Michelle Kutzler (Oregon): Comparison of the ram breeding soundness evaluation with functional sperm fertility measures using flow cytometer.</li><br /> </ul>

Publications

Impact Statements

1. Male fertility prediction improves livestock operations’ economics. Collaborators (IA, MO, MT) of the W4112 multistate reproduction group have improved the ability to measure male fertility using flow cytometry, image-based deep learning algorithms, and embryonic development in vitro. These biotechnologies enhance the male fertility prediction capabilities for livestock producers to improve pregnancy success and decrease embryonic loss associated with male subfertility, which improves economic outcomes.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

W4112 Multistate Meeting 2023 Minutes

Fairbanks, Alaska

Monday, May 22, 2023

In attendance

Virtual: Ky Pohler-TAMU, Karl Kerns-Iowa State University, Caleb Lemley- Mississippi State University

In-person: Sofia Ortega-University of Wisconsin, John Hall-University of Idaho, Rebecca (Becky) Poole- TAMU, Jeremy Block-University of Wyoming, Sarah McCoski-University of Montana, Brenda Alexander-University of Wyoming, David Grieger-Kansas State University, Andrea Cupp-University of Nebraska, Ryan Ashley-New Mexico State University, Tod Hansen-Colorado State University, Milan Shipka-University of Alaska, Leslie Edgar-New Mexico State University, Jessica Nora Drum-SDSU, John Stevens-Utah State University, Rocio Rivera-University of Missouri

 

8:30 am – Business meeting called to order by Sofia Ortega

• 2022 meeting minutes approval- Ky Pohler moved to approve, Andrea Cupp second.


• Location for 2024 meeting- Tod said Reno (2 to 4 votes), Andrea said Madison (majority votes). The 2024 meeting will be in Madison, Wisconsin.


• New officer election- Becky Poole is the Secretary in 2023 and Chair in 2024. David Grieger will be Secretary in 2024 and Chair in 2025. Andrea moved for Jessica Nora Drum to be Member at Large and Sofia second. Jessica will be Secretary in 2025 and Chair in 2026.


• Station updates- Started at 8:45 am and ended at 9:38 am


• Break at 9:40 am

 

10:00 am – USDA update with Mark Mirando and Kamilah Grant

10:55 am – Station reports (asked to keep to approximately 15 minutes each) by Andrea Cupp-University of Nebraska, John Stevens-Utah State University, Caleb Lemley- Mississippi State University, John Hall-University of Idaho

12:00 pm – Adjourn for lunch.

1:00 pm – Station reports continued by Tod Hansen-Colorado State University, Jessica Nora Drum-SDSU, Karl Kerns-Iowa State University, David Grieger-Kansas State University (led to an open discussion on teaching methods to engage all types of undergraduate students including pre-vet, production, etc. and ensure student learning), Rocio Rivera-University of Missouri, Ryan Ashley-New Mexico State University

2:55 pm – Meeting adjourned for the day for Alaska Agriculture Tour and Salmon Bake dinner.

 

 

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

In attendance (New)

Virtual: Rick McCosh-Colorado State University

 

8:35 am – Impact statement workshop with Sarah Delheimer via Zoom

10:00 am – Station reports continued by Sarah McCoski-University of Montana, Becky Poole- TAMU, Jeremy Block and Brenda Alexander-University of Wyoming, Sofia Ortega-University of Wisconsin

11:30 am – Worked on impact statements for the annual report

            Gamete/Ovulation/Fertilization: KS, NE, CA, CO, IA, TX, NM – Lead KS

            Embryo Development/Recognition: UT, FL, CO, WI, WY, MT, SD – Lead WY

            Placentation/Fetal Development: MO, TX, NM, MS – Lead NM

            Postnatal Outcomes: CO, ID, MS – Lead ID

Meeting adjourned at 12:48 pm

Accomplishments

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Accomplishments</span></strong></p><br /> <p><strong><em>Short-term outcomes: </em></strong></p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>Established best practices for the training and evaluation of interdisciplinary statisticians, especially those working with agricultural collaborators. <em>Utah</em></li><br /> <li>We empowered researchers to better design studies in order to achieve best statistical power in generalized linear mixed models.<em>Utah</em></li><br /> <li>This project also furthered a collaboration within the W-4112 group. An MS student has completed her research in the NM station and now will be entering a Ph.D. program with W4112 member Sofia Ortega (WI station). <em>New Mexico, Wisconsin</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Outputs from the group during this reporting period: </em></strong></p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>80 peer-reviewed manuscripts</li><br /> <li>67 published abstracts</li><br /> <li>13 Invited oral presentations</li><br /> <li>8 theses/dissertations.</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Activities</em></strong></p><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 1</em></strong></p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>We are working on the refinement of tissue cryopreservation and culture techniques that will improve the prospects of using this as a tool for fertility preservation and efficiently tap into the abundant ovarian reserve of immature oocytes, improving the efficiency of assisted reproduction in cattle. <em>California</em></li><br /> <li>We found evidence of the presence of neurotransmitters and their synthesis and metabolism in the bovine conceptus, which could have greater implications in establishing postnatal offspring behavior. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>We learned that bulls differentially capacitate and release zinc ions in response to the concentration of bicarbonate present. This is important for the development of translational reproductive biotechnologies to analyze sire fertility potential using economical methods. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>We showed that the zinc ion localization patterns exist in additional ruminants &ndash; goats. This could further our understanding of goat fertility. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>We characterized a mechanism to identify potentially differentially expressed genes between low- and high-quality bovine oocytes. <em>Utah</em></li><br /> <li>We established that cumulus cells of the ovarian follicle generate non-erythroid hemoglobin that is transported into the oocyte through transzonal projections. This non-erythroid hemoglobin seems to have at least an antioxidant role that may protect the oocyte and subsequent early embryo should fertilization occur from genotoxic stress. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>PRAMEY may be used as a biomarker for sperm quality and sperm function. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>&nbsp;<strong><em>Objective 2</em></strong></p><br /> <ol start="8"><br /> <li>Understanding the roles that FSH may play in the development of preantral follicles is of critical importance as many ovarian stimulation protocols used in assisted reproduction use the hormone to promote antral follicle growth. <em>California</em></li><br /> <li>We partially confirmed our hypothesis of an association of cytological endometritis and DMI and lactation performance. Additionally, cytological endometritis at both 15 DIM and at 30 DIM was associated with days to first ovulation, and further studies should now investigate this association with subsequent reproductive outcomes (i.e., pregnancy), taking into consideration the cows&rsquo; intake. <em>Illinois</em></li><br /> <li>Identification of metabolic pathways disrupted in the d14 conceptus were identified in beef heifers exposed to a reduced plane of nutrition. These pathways may be used for targeted supplementation protocols in heifers during the post-AI feedlot to range transition to improve pregnancy retention. <em>Montana</em></li><br /> <li>The open cow test is promising. Testing will continue in clinical trials while improvements in both the level of detection and method of sample collection will continue. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>We learned that IL-1&beta; could have potential as a therapeutic treatment for enhancing uterine receptivity and improving preimplantation embryo development and survival. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>We could determine that post-natal growth and development of calves can be programmed by exposure to choline during the preimplantation period. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Understanding the neural mechanisms for the generation of the preovulatory GnRH/LH surge may enable future technologies to improve fertility and may provide insight to how fertility is suppressed during stress. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Understanding cells that make up CL will allow for the development of organoid structures that can be used in vitro to understand signal transduction and metabolic mechanisms critical for luteal function. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>Identifying sheep that also have High A4 populations indicates that this phenomena of naturally occurring androgen excess mammalians may be more wide-spread and that they all can be utilized as models for women who have been diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>Understanding how the elimination of VEGFA may affect other hormones (AMH) and follicular development and reserve are critical to elucidating VEGFA&rsquo;s function in the granulosa cells. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>&nbsp;<strong><em>Objective 3</em></strong></p><br /> <ol start="18"><br /> <li>Identification of genetic markers associated with fertility, in addition to efforts to improve our understanding of the regulation of maternal recognition of pregnancy and embryo survival. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Improving our understanding of how BVDV programs the fetal immune system and impacts postnatal responses to secondary infections may help in identifying pregnancies and post-natal calves at risk as well as developing therapeutic approaches to control the infection. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>We showed that paternal factors at estrus, such as treating embryo recipient cows with pooled seminal plasma, decreased embryo size, increased uterine artery resistance index, and decreased birth weights. <em>Mississippi</em></li><br /> <li>Comparative animal models, such as cow and sheep, provide additional insight into the importance of glucose, fructose, minerals, and amino acids on the development of the conceptus and how dietary supplementation may enhance reproductive performance and successful outcomes of pregnancy and neonatal survival. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>Increased understanding of interferon tau-induced cell signaling may provide greater insight into pregnancy recognition signaling, as well as effects of interferon tau and progesterone/progestamedins to enhance transport of nutrients into the uterine lumen that are essential for establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>Increased understanding of prostaglandin function in the developing pregnancy. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>Increased understanding of the maternal vs paternal genome contributions to pregnancy and pregnancy loss. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>We characterized the various methods currently used for dealing with high missingness and zero inflation in single-cell RNA-seq data. <em>Utah</em></li><br /> <li>Suppressing CXCL12-mediated signaling during implantation induces enduring placental effects manifesting later in gestation, highlighting the importance of this chemokine axis during implantation and placentation. <em>New Mexico</em></li><br /> <li>Determined phenotypes to identify sires with potential fertility problems and developed a system to screen and identify sires of high and low fertility before they are released to the field which could improve overall herd fertility and profitability. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We are working on improving embryo development in vitro through cell culture modifications. The addition of FLI has been shown to improve embryonic development, cryotolerance, and pregnancy rates. By improving the IVP system, we can improve technology adoption by end users. <em>Wisconsin&nbsp;</em></li><br /> <li>We have validated a candidate mutation responsible for the Holstein Fertility Haplotype&ldquo;HH2&rdquo;. This provides us with insights into gene function and embryo development. Moreover, by knowing the exact mutation we can phase it out of the population by selective breeding. <em>Wisconsin&nbsp;</em></li><br /> <li>Identified methods/approaches to mitigate pregnancy complications associated with LOS and enhance producer profitability. <em>Missouri</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Publications

<p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>Abedal-Majed M.A., Abuajamieh M., Al-Qaisi M., Sargent K.M., Titi H.H., Alnimer M.A., Abdelqader A., Shamoun A.I. &amp; Cupp A.S. (2023) Sheep with ovarian androgen excess have fibrosis and follicular arrest with increased mRNA abundance for steroidogenic enzymes and gonadotropin receptors. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Abedal-Majed M.A., Springman S.A., Jafar H.D., Bell B.E., Kurz S.G., Wilson K.E. &amp; Cupp A.S. (2022a) Naturally occurring androgen excess cows are present in dairy and beef herds and have similar characteristics to women with PCOS. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Abedal-Majed M.A., Springman S.A., Sutton C.M., Snider A.P., Bell B.E., Hart M., Kurz S.G., Bergman J., Summers A.F., McFee R.M., Davis J.S., Wood J.R. &amp; Cupp A.S. (2022b) VEGFA165 can rescue excess steroid secretion, inflammatory markers, and follicle arrest in the ovarian cortex of High A4 cowsdagger. Biol Reprod 106, 118-31.</li><br /> <li>Amaral T.F., Gonella-Diaza A., Heredia D., Melo G.D., Estrada-Cortes E., Jensen L.M., Pohler K. &amp; Hansen P.J. (2022) Actions of DKK1 on the preimplantation bovine embryo to affect pregnancy establishment, placental function, and postnatal phenotypedagger. Biol Reprod 107, 945-55.</li><br /> <li>Ault-Seay T.B., Moorey S.E., Mathew D.J., Schrick F.N., Pohler K.G., McLean K.J. &amp; Myer P.R. (2023) Importance of the female reproductive tract microbiome and its relationship with the uterine environment for health and productivity in cattle: A review.</li><br /> <li>Baskaran P., Mohandass A., Gustafson N., Bennis J., Louis S., Alexander B., Nemenov M.I., Thyagarajan B. &amp; Premkumar L.S. (2023) Evaluation of a polymer-coated nanoparticle cream formulation of resiniferatoxin for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Pain 164, 782-90.</li><br /> <li>Beiki H., Murdoch B.M., Park C.A., Kern C., Kontechy D., Becker G., Rincon G., Jiang H., Zhou H. &amp; Thorne J. (2022) Functional genomics of cattle through integration of multi-omics data. bioRxiv, 2022.10. 05.510963.</li><br /> <li>Botigelli R.C., Guiltinan C., Arcanjo R.B. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2023) In vitro gametogenesis from embryonic stem cells in livestock species: recent advances, opportunities, and challenges to overcome. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Brown W., Oliveria M., Silva R.R., Demetrio D. &amp; Block J. (2022a) 133 Effect of administration of mycobacterium cell wall fraction during the periovulatory period on the proportion of pregnancies obtained in virgin dairy heifers receiving in vitro-produced embryos. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35, 194-.</li><br /> <li>Brown W., Oliveria M., Silva R.R., Demetrio D. &amp; Block J. (2022b) 202 Effects of administration of mycobacterium cell wall fraction during follicle superstimulation on oocyte numbers and embryo development following ovum pickup and in vitro embryo production in virgin dairy heifers. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35, 230-.</li><br /> <li>Butler M.L., Hartman A.R., Bormann J.M., Weaber R.L., Grieger D.M. &amp; Rolf M.M. (2022) Genome-wide association study of beef bull semen attributes. BMC Genomics 23, 74.</li><br /> <li>Camacho L.E., Davis M.A., Kelly A.C., Steffens N.R., Anderson M.J. &amp; Limesand S.W. (2022) Prenatal Oxygen and Glucose Therapy Normalizes Insulin Secretion and Action in Growth-Restricted Fetal Sheep. Endocrinology 163.</li><br /> <li>Camargo L.S.A., Saraiva N.Z., Oliveira C.S., Carmickle A., Lemos D.R., Siqueira L.G.B. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2022) Perspectives of gene editing for cattle farming in tropical and subtropical regions. Anim Reprod 19, e20220108.</li><br /> <li>Carmickle A.T., Larson C.C., Hernandez F.S., Pereira J.M.V., Ferreira F.C., Haimon M.L.J., Jensen L.M., Hansen P.J. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2022) Physiological responses of Holstein calves and heifers carrying the SLICK1 allele to heat stress in California and Florida dairy farms. J Dairy Sci 105, 9216-25.</li><br /> <li>Carvalho R.S., Cooke R.F., Cappellozza B.I., Peres R.F.G., Pohler K.G. &amp; Vasconcelos J.L.M. (2022) Influence of body condition score and its change after parturition on pregnancy rates to fixed-timed artificial insemination in Bos indicus beef cows. Anim Reprod Sci 243, 107028.</li><br /> <li>Castillo-Salas C.A., Luna-Nevarez G., Reyna-Granados J.R., Luna-Ramirez R.I., Limesand S.W. &amp; Luna-Nevarez P. (2023) Molecular markers for thermo-tolerance are associated with reproductive and physiological traits in Pelibuey ewes raised in a semiarid environment. Journal of Thermal Biology 112, 103475.</li><br /> <li>Clay C.M., Cherrington B.D. &amp; Navratil A.M. (2021) Plasticity of Anterior Pituitary Gonadotrope Cells Facilitates the Pre-Ovulatory LH Surge. Frontiers in Endocrinology 11.</li><br /> <li>Contreras-Correa Z.E., Cochran T., Metcalfe A., Burnett D.D. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2022) Seasonal and temporal variation in the placenta during melatonin supplementation in a bovine compromised pregnancy model. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Contreras-Correa Z.E., Messman R.D., Swanson R.M. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2023) Melatonin in Health and Disease: A Perspective for Livestock Production. Biomolecules 13.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., Ortega M.S., Liu H., O'Neil E.V., Kelleher A.M., Warren W.C. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2023) Single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) uncovers trophoblast cell types and lineages in the mature bovine placenta. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 120, e2221526120.</li><br /> <li>Dickson M.J., Bishop J.V., Hansen T.R., Sheldon I.M. &amp; Bromfield J.J. (2022) The endometrial transcriptomic response to pregnancy is altered in cows after uterine infection. PLoS One 17.</li><br /> <li>Geisler S. (2022) Power Approximations for Generalized Linear Mixed Models in R Using Steep Priors on Variance Components.</li><br /> <li>Georges H.M., Van Campen H., Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. &amp; Hansen T.R. (2022) Epigenomic and Proteomic Changes in Fetal Spleens Persistently Infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus: Repercussions for the Developing Immune System, Bone, Brain, and Heart. Viruses 14.</li><br /> <li>Goyal D., Limesand S.W. &amp; Goyal R. (2023) Vascular Stem Cells and the Role of B-Raf Kinase in Survival, Proliferation, and Apoptosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24.</li><br /> <li>Griffith E.H., Sharp J.L., Bridges W.C., Craig B.A., Hanford K.J. &amp; Stevens J.R. (2022) The academic collaborative statistician: Research, training and evaluation. Stat 11.</li><br /> <li>Guadagnin A.R., Fehlberg L.K., Thomas B., Sugimoto Y., Shinzato I. &amp; Cardoso F.C. (2022) Effect of feeding rumen-protected lysine through the transition period on postpartum uterine health of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 105, 7805-19.</li><br /> <li>Haimon M., Estrada-Cort&eacute;s E., Amaral T., Jeensuk S., Block J., Heredia D., Venturini M., Rojas C.S., Gonella-Diaza A. &amp; DiLorenzo N. (2021) 1 Culture with choline chloride programs development of the in vitro-produced bovine embryo to increase postnatal bodyweight, growth rate, and testes size. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35, 125-.</li><br /> <li>Halloran K.M., Stenhouse C., Moses R.M., Kramer A.C., Sah N., Seo H., Lamarre S.G., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023) The ovine conceptus utilizes extracellular serine, glucose, and fructose to generate formate via the one carbon metabolism pathway. Amino Acids 55, 125-37.</li><br /> <li>Halloran K.M., Stenhouse C., Moses R.M., Seo H., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022) Progesterone and interferon tau regulate expression of polyamine enzymes during the ovine peri-implantation perioddagger. Biol Reprod 106, 865-78.</li><br /> <li>Harman A.R., Contreras-Correa Z.E., Messman R.D., Swanson R.M. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2023) Maternal nutrient restriction and dietary melatonin alter neurotransmitter pathways in placental and fetal tissues. Placenta 131, 13-22.</li><br /> <li>Holton M.P., de Melo G.D., Dias N.W., Pancini S., Lamb G.C., Pohler K.G., Mercadante V.R.G., Harvey K.M. &amp; Fontes P.L.P. (2022) Evaluating the use of luteal color Doppler ultrasonography and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins to diagnose pregnancy and predict pregnancy loss in Bos taurus beef replacement heifers. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Jauregui E.J., McSwain M., Liu X., Miller K., Burns K. &amp; Craig Z.R. (2023) Human relevant exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate tampers with the ovarian insulin-like growth factor 1 system and disrupts folliculogenesis in young adult mice. bioRxiv.</li><br /> <li>Jeensuk S., Ortega M.S., Saleem M., Hawryluk B., Scheffler T.L. &amp; Hansen P.J. (2022) Actions of WNT family member 5A to regulate characteristics of development of the bovine preimplantation embryodagger. Biol Reprod 107, 928-44.</li><br /> <li>Kern C., Wu W., Lu C., Zhang J., Zhao Y., Ocon-Grove O.M., Sutovsky P., Diaz F. &amp; Liu W.S. (2023) Role of the bovine PRAMEY protein in sperm function during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cell Tissue Res 391, 577-94.</li><br /> <li>Kern C.H., Feitosa W.B. &amp; Liu W.S. (2022) The Dynamic of PRAMEY Isoforms in Testis and Epididymis Suggests Their Involvement in Spermatozoa Maturation. Frontiers in Genetics 13, 846345.</li><br /> <li>Kuzniar M., White R., Bromfield J. &amp; Block J. (2022) 91 Treatment of bovine endometrial explants with interleukin-1 beta increases the relative abundance of transcripts for pro-inflammatory cytokines. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35, 172-.</li><br /> <li>Lawlor M., Zigo M., Kerns K., Cho I.K., Easley C.A. &amp; Sutovsky P. (2022) Spermatozoan Metabolism as a Non-Traditional Model for the Study of Huntington's Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23.</li><br /> <li>Liebig B.E., Bishop J.V., McSweeney K.D., Van Campen H., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Hansen T.R. &amp; Thomas M.G. (2022) Direct genomic value daughter pregnancy rate and services per conception are associated with characteristics of day-16 conceptuses and hormone signaling for maternal recognition of pregnancy in lactating Holstein cows. Applied Animal Science 38, 157-69.</li><br /> <li>Lindsey M., Liu Y., Cuthbert J., Stevens J. &amp; Isom C. (2022) 213 Using mRNA from cytoplasmic biopsies to assess molecular maturation and developmental potential of bovine oocytes. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35, 235-6.</li><br /> <li>Makhijani R.B., Bartolucci A.F., Pru C.A., Pru J.K. &amp; Peluso J.J. (2023) Nonerythroid hemoglobin promotes human cumulus cell viability and the developmental capacity of the human oocyte. F S Sci 4, 121-32.</li><br /> <li>McDonnell S.P., Candelaria J.I., Morton A.J. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2022) Isolation of Small Preantral Follicles from the Bovine Ovary Using a Combination of Fragmentation, Homogenization, and Serial Filtration. J Vis Exp.</li><br /> <li>McIntosh S.Z., Quinn K.E. &amp; Ashley R.L. (2022) CXCL12 May Drive Inflammatory Potential in the Ovine Corpus Luteum During Implantation. Reproductive Sciences 29, 122-32.</li><br /> <li>Moses R.M., Halloran K.M., Stenhouse C., Sah N., Kramer A.C., McLendon B.A., Seo H., Johnson G.A., Wu G.Y. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022a) Ovine conceptus tissue metabolizes fructose for metabolic support during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy(dagger). Biology of Reproduction 107, 1084-96.</li><br /> <li>Moses R.M., Kramer A.C., Seo H., Wu G., Johnson G.A. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022b) A Role for Fructose Metabolism in Development of Sheep and Pig Conceptuses. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 49-62.</li><br /> <li>Nogueira E., Tirpak F., Hamilton L.E., Zigo M., Kerns K., Sutovsky M., Kim J., Volkmann D., Jovine L., Taylor J.F., Schnabel R.D. &amp; Sutovsky P. (2022) A Non-Synonymous Point Mutation in a WD-40 Domain Repeat of EML5 Leads to Decreased Bovine Sperm Quality and Fertility. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 10, 872740.</li><br /> <li>Ortega M.S., Bickhart D.M., Lockhart K.N., Null D.J., Hutchison J.L., McClure J.C. &amp; Cole J.B. (2022a) Truncation of IFT80 causes early embryonic loss in Holstein cattle associated with Holstein haplotype 2. J Dairy Sci 105, 9001-11.</li><br /> <li>Ortega M.S., Rizo J.A., Drum J.N., O'Neil E.V., Pohler K.G., Kerns K., Schmelze A., Green J. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2022b) Development of an Improved in vitro Model of Bovine Trophectoderm Differentiation. Frontiers in Animal Science 3, 49.</li><br /> <li>Pendleton A.L., Limesand S.W. &amp; Goyal R. (2023) In Vivo Real-Time Study of Drug Effects on Carotid Blood Flow in the Ovine Fetus. J Vis Exp.</li><br /> <li>Perry G., Menegatti Zoca S., Walker J., Kline A.C., Andrews T.N., Rich J.J., Epperson K.M., Drum J.N., Ortega M.S. &amp; Cushman R.A. Relationship of field and in vitro fertility of dairy bulls with sperm parameters, including DAG1 and SERPINA5 proteins. Frontiers in Animal Science 4, 58.</li><br /> <li>Plewes M.R., Przygrodzka E., Monaco C.F., Snider A.P., Keane J.A., Burns P.D., Wood J.R., Cupp A.S. &amp; Davis J.S. (2023) Prostaglandin F2alpha regulates mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in the bovine corpus luteum. Life Sci Alliance 6.</li><br /> <li>Poole R.K., Pickett A.T., Oliveira Filho R.V., de Melo G.D., Palanisamy V., Chitlapilly Dass S., Cooke R.F. &amp; Pohler K.G. (2023) Shifts in uterine bacterial communities associated with endogenous progesterone and 17beta-estradiol concentrations in beef cattle. Domest Anim Endocrinol 82, 106766.</li><br /> <li>Posont R.J., Most M.S., Cadaret C.N., Marks-Nelson E.S., Beede K.A., Limesand S.W., Schmidt T.B., Petersen J.L. &amp; Yates D.T. (2022) Primary myoblasts from intrauterine growth-restricted fetal sheep exhibit intrinsic dysfunction of proliferation and differentiation that coincides with enrichment of inflammatory cytokine signaling pathways. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Pru J.K. (2022) Pleiotropic Actions of PGRMC Proteins in Cancer. Endocrinology 163.</li><br /> <li>Reed S.A., Ashley R., Silver G., Splaine C., Jones A.K., Pillai S.M., Peterson M.L., Zinn S.A. &amp; Govoni K.E. (2022a) Maternal nutrient restriction and over-feeding during gestation alter expression of key factors involved in placental development and vascularization. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Reed S.A., Balsbaugh J., Li X., Moore T.E., Jones A.K., Pillai S.M., Hoffman M.L., Govoni K.E. &amp; Zinn S.A. (2022b) Poor maternal diet during gestation alters offspring muscle proteome in sheep. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Reese S.T., Franco G.A., de Melo G.D., Oliveira Filho R.V., Cooke R.F. &amp; Pohler K.G. (2022) Pregnancy maintenance following sequential induced prostaglandin pulses in beef cows. Domest Anim Endocrinol 80, 106724.</li><br /> <li>Reid D.S., Geary T.W., Zezeski A.L., Waterman R.C., Van Emon M.L., Messman R.D., Burnett D.D. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2023) Effects of prenatal and postnatal melatonin supplementation on overall performance, male reproductive performance, and testicular hemodynamics in beef cattle. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Rowell J.E., Blake J.E., Roth K.M., Sutton C.M., Sachse C.C., Cupp A.S., Geary T.W., Zezeski A.L., Alexander B.M., Ziegler R.L. &amp; Shipka M.P. (2022) Medroxyprogesterone acetate in reindeer bulls: testes histology, cfos activity in the brain, breeding success, and semen quality. J Anim Sci 100.</li><br /> <li>Rule D.C., Melson E.A., Alexander B.M. &amp; Brown T.E. (2022) Dietary Fatty Acid Composition Impacts the Fatty Acid Profiles of Different Regions of the Bovine Brain. Animals (Basel) 12.</li><br /> <li>Sah N., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Seo H., Burghardt R.C., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022a) Inhibition of SHMT2 mRNA translation increases embryonic mortality in sheepdagger. Biol Reprod 107, 1279-95.</li><br /> <li>Sah N., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Seo H., Burghardt R.C., Johnson G.A., Wu G.Y. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022b) Creatine metabolism at the uterine-conceptus interface during early gestation in sheep. Biology of Reproduction 107, 1528-39.</li><br /> <li>Sharif M., Hickl V., Juarez G., Di X., Kerns K., Sutovsky P., Bovin N. &amp; Miller D.J. (2022) Hyperactivation is sufficient to release porcine sperm from immobilized oviduct glycans. Sci Rep 12, 6446.</li><br /> <li>Silva F., Camacho L.E., Lemley C.O., Hallford D.M., Swanson K.C. &amp; Vonnahme K.A. (2022) Effects of nutrient restriction and subsequent realimentation in pregnant beef cows: Maternal endocrine profile, umbilical hemodynamics, and mammary gland development and hemodynamics. Theriogenology 191, 109-21.</li><br /> <li>Silva F., Martins T., Sponchiado M., Rocha C.C., Pohler K.G., Penagaricano F. &amp; Binelli M. (2023) Hormonal profile prior to luteolysis modulates the uterine luminal transcriptome in the subsequent cycle in beef cross-bred cows section sign. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Smith B.D., Poliakiwski B., Polanco O., Singleton S., de Melo G.D., Muntari M., Oliveira Filho R.V. &amp; Pohler K.G. (2022) Decisive points for pregnancy losses in beef cattle. Reprod Fertil Dev 35, 70-83.</li><br /> <li>Smith B.I. &amp; Govoni K.E. (2022) Use of Agriculturally Important Animals as Models in Biomedical Research. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 315-33.</li><br /> <li>Sosa F., Uh K., Drum J.N., Stoecklein K.S., Davenport K.M., Ortega M.S., Lee K. &amp; Hansen P.J. (2023) Disruption of CSF2RA in the bovine preimplantation embryo reduces development and affects embryonic gene expression in utero. Reprod Fertil 4.</li><br /> <li>Spooner-Harris M., Kerns K., Zigo M., Sutovsky P., Balboula A. &amp; Patterson A.L. (2023) A re-appraisal of mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) in endometrial epithelial remodeling. Cell Tissue Res 391, 393-408.</li><br /> <li>Stegemiller M.R., Ellison M.J., Hall J.B., Sprinkle J.E. &amp; Murdoch B.M. (2021) Identifying genetic variants affecting cattle grazing behavior experiencing mild heat load. Translational Animal Science 5, S61-S6.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Hoskins E.C., Newton M.G., Moses R.M., Seo H., Dunlap K.A., Satterfield M.C., Gaddy D., Johnson G.A., Wu G., Suva L.J. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022a) Effects of exogenous progesterone on the expression of mineral regulatory molecules by ovine endometrium and placentomesdagger. Biol Reprod 106, 1126-42.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Seo H., Gaddy D., Johnson G.A., Wu G., Suva L.J. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022b) Effects of progesterone and interferon tau on ovine endometrial phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signalingdagger. Biol Reprod 106, 888-99.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Tanner A.R., Suva L.J., Rozance P.J., Anthony R.V. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022c) Uptake of Phosphate, Calcium, and Vitamin D by the Pregnant Uterus of Sheep in Late Gestation: Regulation by Chorionic Somatomammotropin Hormone. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Newton M.G., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Sah N., Suva L.J. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023) Phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling, transport, and metabolism in the endometria of cyclic ewes. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 14, 13.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Seo H., Wu G., Johnson G.A. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022d) Insights into the Regulation of Implantation and Placentation in Humans, Rodents, Sheep, and Pigs. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 25-48.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Suva L.J., Gaddy D., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2022e) Phosphate, Calcium, and Vitamin D: Key Regulators of Fetal and Placental Development in Mammals. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 77-107.</li><br /> <li>Stoecklein K., Garcia-Guerra A., Duran B.J., Prather R. &amp; Ortega M.S. Actions of FGF2, LIF, and IGF1 on Bovine Embryo Survival and Conceptus Elongation following Slow-rate Freezing. Frontiers in Animal Science, 134.</li><br /> <li>Swanson R., Contreras-Correa Z., Dinh T., King H., Sidelinger D., Burnett D. &amp; Lemley C. (2022) Melatonin Supplementation Alters Maternal and Fetal Amino Acid Concentrations and Placental Nutrient Transporters in a Nutrient Restriction Bovine Model. Metabolites 12.</li><br /> <li>Wu G., Bazer F.W., Satterfield M.C., Gilbreath K.R., Posey E.A. &amp; Sun Y. (2022) L-Arginine Nutrition and Metabolism in Ruminants. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 177-206.</li><br /> <li>Zhu C., Jiang Z., Johnson G.A., Burghardt R.C., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2022) Nutritional and Physiological Regulation of Water Transport in the Conceptus. Adv Exp Med Biol 1354, 109-25.</li><br /> <li>Zigo M., Kerns K., Sen S., Essien C., Oko R., Xu D. &amp; Sutovsky P. (2022) Zinc is a master-regulator of sperm function associated with binding, motility, and metabolic modulation during porcine sperm capacitation. Communications Biology 5, 538.</li><br /> </ol>

Impact Statements

1. Nearly one-half of all pre-weaning lamb deaths occur on the day of birth with low birth weight being the single greatest contributor to lamb mortality. TX is working on elucidating mechanisms of placental development to improve placental function and reduce lamb mortality in order to improve the efficiency of ruminant livestock production systems.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

In attendance virtually:
1. Anna Denicol – University of California-Davis
2. Karl Kerns - Iowa State University
3. Rocio Rivera - University of Missouri
4. Jennifer Hernandez Gifford - New Mexico State University
5. Claire Stenhouse - Penn State University
6. Ky Pohler - Texas A&M University
7. Becky Poole - Texas A&M University

In attendance, In -Person:
1. Rick McCosh, Colorado State University
2. Kristen Govoni, University of Connecticut
3. Mario Binelli, University of Florida
4. David Grieger, Kansas State University
5. Andrea Cupp, University of Nebraska
6. Ryan Ashley, New Mexico State University
7. Michelle Kutzler, Oregon State University
8. Wansheng Liu, Penn State University
9. Jessica Nora Drum, South Dakota State University
10. Sofia Ortega, University of Wisconsin
11. Brenda Alexander, University of Wyoming
12. Jeremy Block, University of Wyoming

Brief Summary of Minutes

W4112 Multistate Meeting 2024 Minutes

Madison, Wisconsin

May 21-22, 2024

Chairman - Becky Poole (TAMU)

Secretary - David Grieger (K-State)

Member-at-Large - Jessica Drum (SDSU)

 

Tuesday, May 21

In attendance virtually:

1. Anna Denicol – University of California-Davis


2. Karl Kerns - Iowa State University


3. Rocio Rivera - University of Missouri


4. Jennifer Hernandez Gifford - New Mexico State University


5. Claire Stenhouse - Penn State University


6. Ky Pohler - Texas A&M University


7. Becky Poole - Texas A&M University

 

In attendance, In -Person:

1. Rick McCosh, Colorado State University


2. Kristen Govoni, University of Connecticut


3. Mario Binelli, University of Florida


4. David Grieger, Kansas State University


5. Andrea Cupp, University of Nebraska


6. Ryan Ashley, New Mexico State University


7. Michelle Kutzler, Oregon State University


8. Wansheng Liu, Penn State University


9. Jessica Nora Drum, South Dakota State University


10. Sofia Ortega, University of Wisconsin


11. Brenda Alexander, University of Wyoming


12. Jeremy Block, University of Wyoming

 

8:20 am – Business meeting called to order by Becky Poole

• Round table introductions for all present (virtual and in-person)


• 2023 meeting minutes approval - Brenda Alexander moved to approve, Andrea Cupp second.


• Location for 2024 meeting - David Grieger nominated Connecticut, Andrea nominated South Dakota (Jessica declined). Vote for location was tabled until tomorrow.


• New officer election- Andrea moved for Jeremy Block to be Member-at-Large and Brenda second. Vote for Jeremy was unanimous and motion carried. Officers for 2025 are David Grieger-Chair, Jessica Drum-Secretary, and Jeremy Block Member-at-Large.

 

8:30 am - Began STATION Updates

1. Ky Pohler - Texas A&M University


2. Karl Kerns - Iowa State University


3. Mario Binelli, University of Florida


4. Sofia Ortega, University of Wisconsin


5. Kristen Govoni, University of Connecticut


6. Michelle Kutzler, Oregon State University


7. Wansheng Liu, Penn State University


8. Jeremy Block, University of Wyoming


9. Ryan Ashley, New Mexico State University


10. Rick McCosh, Colorado State University


11. Jessica Nora Drum, South Dakota State University

 

10:00 am - USDA update, Dr. Mark Mirando and Dr. Kamilah Grant

 

10:40pm – Station Updates continued:

12. Andrea Cupp, University of Nebraska

 

11:10 am - Began STATION RESEARCH Reports

 

1 – Nebraska (Andrea Cupp)

2 - New Mexico State (Ryan Ashley, Jennifer Hernandez Gifford)

3 – Connecticut (Kristen Govoni)

 

12:00 pm – Break for working lunch

 

4 – Texas (Becky Poole)

5 – South Dakota (Jessica Drum)

 

1:30 pm Tour of Dairy and Meats Lab, U of WI

2:30 pm Resume Station Reports

6 - Missouri (Rocio Rivera)

7 - Oregon (Michelle Kutzler)

8 - Penn State (Claire Stenhouse, Wansheng Liu)

9 - California (Anna Denicol)

10 - Florida (Mario Binelli)

11 - Colorado (Rick McCosh)

12 - Iowa (Karl Kerns)

13 - Wisconsin (Sofia Ortega)

14 - Kansas (David Grieger)

5:30 pm – Adjourn Meeting

6:00 pm - Dinner at Union Terrace on the lake.

 

Wednesday, May 22

7:00am – Depart Hotel for tour of Arlington Dairy and Swine units, U. of WI.

 

10:30am - Station Reports Continued:

15 - Ky Pohler - Texas A&M University

16 - Jeremy Block, University of Wyoming, Brenda Alexander

 

11:30 am - Business Meeting:

• Voted on Location for 2025 meeting: Connecticut for 2025.


• Date for meeting to be determined – A poll will be sent out in early fall to find best dates for attendance for all.


• Storrs airport - BDL. Boston and NY airports are 2 hours away.

 

Brenda offered to put together the publication list for this report to make it compatible for the next re-write. 

12:05pm - Meeting adjourned

Accomplishments

<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Accomplishments</span></strong></p><br /> <p><strong><em>Outputs form the group during this reporting period</em></strong></p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>83 peer-reviewed manuscripts</li><br /> <li>79 published abstracts</li><br /> <li>8 invited oral presentations</li><br /> <li>10 thesis/dissertation</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Activities</em></strong></p><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 1: </em></strong>Elucidate fundamental cellular, physiological, endocrine, and behavioral mechanisms that regulate gamete development and quality and enhance the management of reproductive function leading to the development of translational reproductive biotechnologies.</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>We showed that bovine sperm capacitation biomarkers such as zinc signatures can predict embryo development rates better than traditional sperm motility traits alone. This can aid IVF practitioners in selecting sires to enhance reproductive success. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>Understanding the roles that FSH may play in the development of preantral follicles is of critical importance as many ovarian stimulation protocols used in assisted reproduction use FSH to promote antral follicle growth. <em>California</em></li><br /> <li>Knowledge gained from studying the PRAME/PRAMEY gene family will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis, oogenesis, sperm-egg binding and fertilization, as well as early embryo development, which in turn, will help us address issues related to male subfertility and infertility. <em>Pennsylvania </em></li><br /> <li>We are now able to identify open cows with 95% accuracy as early as day 17 following artificial insemination in dairy and beef cows. The benefit to both dairy and beef cow producers&rsquo; centers on the savings of 2-3 weeks to maintain the open cow prior to re-breeding following first insemination. <em>Colorado </em></li><br /> <li>The corpus luteum is a dynamic endocrine gland that produces the progesterone that is critical for a successful pregnancy. We have shown that a 3-D corpus luteum organoid culture produces more progesterone than luteal cell primary cultures and may be a better overall system to understand mechanisms that occur in the corpus luteum during luteal regression and in developing vasculature than our 2D models. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>We have shown that bacterial endotoxin (LPS) within the ovarian follicle may contribute to decreased reproductive efficiency that may impact oocyte quality and subsequent embryo development. <em>New Mexico </em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 2: </em></strong>Identify impacts of reproductive management, animal management, and stress on follicle recruitment, ovulation, corpus luteum function, and pregnancy.</p><br /> <ol start="7"><br /> <li>We are working to investigate flax seed-based supplement effects on reproductive physiology in beef cattle including follicular dynamics, embryo production, super ovulatory response, and circulating progesterone. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>We are working to develop a CRISPR/SaCas9 approach to better understand deletion of ESR1 gene in adult neural tissue which will enable us to conduct experiments to understand the neural regulation of reproduction. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Sex steroid concentrations modulate endometrial function and fertility in cattle. We have identified that contrasting concentrations of progesterone before luteolysis alters the post-estrus uterine luminal transcriptome in beef cattle. Estrus synchronization strategies considering concentrations of progesterone may impact the pregnancy outcome. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> <li>We have determined that our pubertal classifications are moderately to highly heritable and associated with candidate genes involved in puberty, cyclicity and hormone secretion. This may allow for future investigation into genomic tools that may be used to cull or retain heifers in the herd. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>We initiated a study of the vaginal microbiome during a long estrus synchronization protocol such as the 7&amp;7 and its effects on fertility in beef cattle. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>There is a potential role of the reproductive microbiome in impacting pregnancy status because of hormone concentrations and breeding strategies. Vaginal bacterial diversity appears to shift between the day of artificial insemination and day of maternal recognition of pregnancy in lactating dairy cattle. <em>Texas </em></li><br /> <li>Altering the bovine vaginal microbiome via betadine lavages near parturition increased maternal immune responses without altering neonatal microbial communities. <em>Mississippi</em></li><br /> <li>Dysregulation of the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) expression during the establishment of pregnancy could contribute to reduced fertility reported in ewes treated with PG-600. Although progesterone was higher on day 7, ESR1 did not differ from controls suggesting that treatment with PG600 is unlikely to impair reproductive potential. <em>Oregon</em></li><br /> <li>Rumen protected omega-6 (&omega;-6) fatty acids may improve health and reproductive success in beef cattle. Free choice &omega;-6 fatty acids supplementation during late gestation and post-artificial insemination did not markedly alter reproductive measures in mature beef cows. <em>Idaho</em></li><br /> <li>Using heterospermic insemination comparisons may indicate which artificial insemination sires are more fertile for timed-insemination protocols. <em>Kansas</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 3: </em></strong>Determine mechanisms regulating normal embryo development, pregnancy establishment, and maintenance by exploring maternal and paternal factors; including genomics, immune responses, fetal programming, and conceptus/uterine signaling.</p><br /> <ol start="17"><br /> <li>Across mammalian species, phosphate is transported from the mother to the conceptus to allow appropriate regulation of conceptus growth and development. We are working to better understand the mechanisms regulating utero-placental phosphate availability. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>We are working to understand the impacts of undernutrition on conceptus development in beef cattle and placental cotyledon development and function in ewes. <em>Montana </em></li><br /> <li>Current culture systems do not provide a dynamic in vitro environment that mimics the uterine environment during early gestation, thus producing lower quality embryos compared to their in vivo-produced counterparts. We are working to develop bovine uterine organoids that may be used to improve in vitro embryo production in cattle. <em>Montana</em></li><br /> <li>Disrupting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis at the fetal-maternal interface during implantation results in an altered hematological profile in circulation indicative of an inflammatory response. Also, the addition of the chemokine CXCL12 at the time of ET influences pregnancy establishment and fetal growth in sheep. <em>New Mexico </em></li><br /> <li>Treating embryos with FGF2, LIF, and IGF1 improved development to the blastocyst stage, increased the expression of genes associated with placental development, and overall increased the number of embryos eligible for transfer. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>The functional ablation of PAG7 does not affect blastocyst formation but does delay the time of attachment of the embryo to the extracellular matrix and hinders trophectoderm growth in vitro. <em>Wisconsin </em></li><br /> <li>Blastocyst development following culture of bovine embryos in the presence of oviductal cell culture supernatant treated with IL-1&beta; was evaluated. While blastocyst development from total oocytes was not affected, culture of embryos with IL-1&beta; resulted in a greater proportion of cleaved embryos developing to the blastocyst stage. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Intrauterine administration of recombinant bovine interleukin-1 beta during the peri-ovulatory period does not affect subsequent development of the corpus luteum, nor conceptus survival following transfer of bovine embryos produced in vitro. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Better understanding of the roles of polyamines in implantation, placentation, and conceptus development in beef cattle. <em>Texas </em></li><br /> <li>We have observed decreased LGALS14 transcript in day 16 conceptuses of low fertility bulls; however, the function of this gene is unknown in cattle. The downregulation of LGALS14 is not caused by differential DNA methylation in the proximal promoter region between low and high fertility bulls. <em>Missouri </em></li><br /> <li>We characterized the methylome, transcriptome and chromatin configuration of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS) individuals together with the animal model of the condition, the bovine large offspring syndrome (LOS). Altered chromosome compartments in BWS and LOS were positively correlated with gene expression changes. <em>Missouri </em></li><br /> <li>Treating embryo recipient cows with pooled seminal plasma negatively impacts early gestation conceptus growth and mid- to late-gestation uterine artery resistance suggesting downstream vascular anomalies; however, these in utero conditions do not appear to impact offspring in their postnatal lives. <em>Mississippi </em></li><br /> <li>Decrease antioxidant activities and increased products of protein and lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle of offspring from poorly nourished dams suggests dysregulation of oxidative status which may contribute to the negative consequences observed in lamb offspring. <em>Connecticut </em></li><br /> <li>Poor maternal nutrition during gestation in ewes alters oxidative status in F1 and F2 offspring. <em>Connecticut</em></li><br /> </ol>

Publications

<ol><br /> <li>Abedal-Majed M.A., Abuajamieh M., Al-Qaisi M., Sargent K.M., Titi H.H., Alnimer M.A., Abdelqader A., Shamoun A.I. &amp; Cupp A.S. (2023) Sheep with ovarian androgen excess have fibrosis and follicular arrest with increased mRNA abundance for steroidogenic enzymes and gonadotropin receptors. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Ashley R.L., Trigo E.M. &amp; Ervin J.M. (2023) Placental insufficiency and heavier placentas in sheep after suppressing CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling during implantationdagger. Biol Reprod 109, 982-93.</li><br /> <li>Biase F.H., Moorey S.E., Schnuelle J.G., Rodning S., Ortega M.S. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2023) Extensive rewiring of the gene regulatory interactions between in vitro-produced conceptuses and endometrium during attachment. PNAS Nexus 2, pgad284.</li><br /> <li>Brown W., Oliveira M., Silva R.R., Demetrio D. &amp; Block J. (2024a) Effects of administration of mycobacterium cell wall fraction during the periovulatory period on embryo development following superovulation in virgin dairy heifers. JDS Communications.</li><br /> <li>Brown W., Oliveira M., Silva R.R., Woodruff K., Bisha B., Demetrio D. &amp; Block J. (2024b) Effects of mycobacterium cell wall fraction on embryo development following in vitro embryo production and pregnancy rates following embryo transfer in virgin dairy heifers. Theriogenology 215, 334-42.</li><br /> <li>Cain J.W., Seo H., Bumgardner K., Lefevre C., Burghardt R.C., Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Pig conceptuses utilize extracellular vesicles for IFNG-mediated paracrine communication with the endometrium. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Castro B., Candelaria J.I., Austin M.M., Shuster C.B., Gifford C.A., Denicol A.C. &amp; Hernandez Gifford J.A. (2024) Low-dose lipopolysaccharide exposure during oocyte maturation disrupts early bovine embryonic development. Theriogenology 214, 57-65.</li><br /> <li>Cavalcante de Souza D., Gonella-Diaza A.M., de Carvalho N.A.T., Elliff F.M., de Carvalho J.G.S., Vieira L.M., Bonfim-Neto A.P., de Carvalho Papa P., Ghuman S.S., Madureira E.H., Pugliesi G., Binelli M. &amp; Baruselli P.S. (2024) Supplementation with long-acting injectable progesterone 3 days after TAI impaired luteal function in buffaloes. Trop Anim Health Prod 56, 76.</li><br /> <li>Contreras-Correa Z.E., S&aacute;nchez-Rodr&iacute;guez H.L., Arick II M.A., Mu&ntilde;iz-Col&oacute;n G. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2024) Thermotolerance capabilities, blood metabolomics and mammary gland hemodynamics and transcriptomic profiles of slick-haired Holstein cattle during mid-lactation in Puerto Rico. Journal of Dairy Science.</li><br /> <li>Cortes-Araya Y., Cheung S., Ho W., Stenhouse C., Ashworth C.J., Esteves C.L. &amp; Donadeu F.X. (2024) Effects of foetal size, sex and developmental stage on adaptive transcriptional responses of skeletal muscle to intrauterine growth restriction in pigs. Sci Rep 14, 8500.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., O&rsquo;Neil E.V., Ortega M.S., Patterson A., Kelleher A.M., Warren W.C. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2023a) Single-cell insights into development of the bovine placenta&dagger;. Biology of Reproduction 110, 169-84.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., Ortega M.S., Johnson G.A., Seo H. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2023b) Review: Implantation and placentation in ruminants. Animal 17 Suppl 1, 100796.</li><br /> <li>Denicol A.C. &amp; Siqueira L.G.B. (2023) Maternal contributions to pregnancy success: from gamete quality to uterine environment. Anim Reprod 20, e20230085.</li><br /> <li>Diaz-Miranda E.A., Hamilton L.E., Zigo M., Fallon L., Ortega M.S., Assump&ccedil;&atilde;o M.E.O.D.A., Guimar&atilde;es J.D. &amp; Sutovsky P. (2024) Regional abundances of binder of sperm (BSP) proteins are negatively associated with the quality of frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa. Reproduction 167.</li><br /> <li>Fallon L., Diaz-Miranda E., Hamilton L., Sutovsky P., Zigo M., Spencer T.E. &amp; Ortega M.S. (2023) The development of new biomarkers of spermatozoa quality in cattle. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10, 1258295.</li><br /> <li>Geisert R.D., Bazer F.W., Lucas C.G., Pfeiffer C.A., Meyer A.E., Sullivan R., Johns D.N., Sponchiado M. &amp; Prather R.S. (2024) Maternal recognition of pregnancy in the pig: A servomechanism involving sex steroids, cytokines and prostaglandins. Anim Reprod Sci 264, 107452.</li><br /> <li>Griffin C.K., Lemley C.O., Pohler K.G., Sun X. &amp; Lear A.S. (2024) Characterization of placentome vascular perfusion in relation to pregnancy associated glycoproteins throughout gestation in pregnant beef heifers. Theriogenology 219, 94-102.</li><br /> <li>Habeeb H.M.H., Kleditz L., Hazzard T., Bishop C., Stormshak F. &amp; Kutzler M.A. (2023) Ovine endometrial estrogen receptor expression is altered following PG-600 administration. Vet Med Sci 9, 1379-84.</li><br /> <li>Halloran K.M., Stenhouse C., Moses R.M., Kramer A.C., Sah N., Seo H., Lamarre S.G., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023) The ovine conceptus utilizes extracellular serine, glucose, and fructose to generate formate via the one carbon metabolism pathway. Amino Acids 55, 125-37.</li><br /> <li>He W., Posey E.A., Steele C.C., Savell J.W., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2023) Dietary glycine supplementation enhances postweaning growth and meat quality of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>He W., Posey E.A., Steele C.C., Savell J.W., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2024) Dietary glycine supplementation activates mTOR signaling pathway in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction. J Anim Sci.</li><br /> <li>Heredia D., Ojeda-Rojas O.A., Londo&ntilde;o M.C., Lasso S.D., Bisinotto R.S., Binelli M. &amp; Gonella-Diaza A.M. (2023) A single dose of FSH or hCG during a split-time AI program did not enhance follicular growth or pregnancy per artificial insemination in beef heifers. Journal of Applied Animal Research 51, 434-40.</li><br /> <li>Hong T., Park S., An G., Bazer F.W., Song G. &amp; Lim W. (2024) Norflurazon causes cell death and inhibits implantation-related genes in porcine trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelial cells. Food Chem Toxicol 186, 114559.</li><br /> <li>Hu S., He W., Bazer F.W., Johnson G.A. &amp; Wu G. (2023a) Synthesis of glycine from 4-hydroxyproline in tissues of neonatal pigs. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 248, 1206-20.</li><br /> <li>Hu S., He W., Bazer F.W., Johnson G.A. &amp; Wu G. (2023b) Synthesis of glycine from 4-hydroxyproline in tissues of neonatal pigs with intrauterine growth restriction. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 248, 1446-58.</li><br /> <li>Husnain A., Arshad U., Zimpel R., Schmitt E., Dickson M.J., Perdomo M.C., Marinho M.N., Ashrafi N., Graham S.F., Bishop J.V., Hansen T.R., Jeong K.C., Gonella-Diaza A.M., Chebel R.C., Sheldon I.M., Bromfield J.J. &amp; Santos J.E.P. (2023) Induced endometrial inflammation compromises conceptus development in dairy cattledagger. Biol Reprod 109, 415-31.</li><br /> <li>Jara T.C., Park K., Vahmani P., Van Eenennaam A.L., Smith L.R. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2023) Stem cell-based strategies and challenges for production of cultivated meat. Nat Food 4, 841-53.</li><br /> <li>Johnson G.A., Bazer F.W., Seo H., Burghardt R.C., Wu G., Pohler K.G. &amp; Cain J.W. (2023a) Understanding placentation in ruminants: a review focusing on cows and sheep. Reprod Fertil Dev 36, 93-111.</li><br /> <li>Johnson G.A., Burghardt R.C., Bazer F.W., Seo H. &amp; Cain J.W. (2023b) Integrins and their potential roles in mammalian pregnancy. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 14, 115.</li><br /> <li>Johnson G.A., Seo H., Bazer F.W., Wu G., Kramer A.C., McLendon B.A. &amp; Cain J.W. (2023c) Metabolic pathways utilized by the porcine conceptus, uterus, and placenta. Mol Reprod Dev 90, 673-83.</li><br /> <li>Keller A. &amp; Kerns K. (2023) Sperm capacitation as a predictor of boar fertility. Molecular Reproduction and Development 90, 594-600.</li><br /> <li>Kern C., Wu W., Lu C., Zhang J., Zhao Y., Ocon-Grove O.M., Sutovsky P., Diaz F. &amp; Liu W.S. (2023) Role of the bovine PRAMEY protein in sperm function during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cell Tissue Res 391, 577-94.</li><br /> <li>Ketchum J.N., Perry G.A., Quail L.K., Epperson K.M., Ogg M.A., Zezeski A.L., Rich J.J.J., Zoca S.M., Kline A.C., Andrews T.N., Ortega M.S., Smith M.F. &amp; Geary T.W. (2023) Influence of preovulatory estradiol treatment on the maintenance of pregnancy in beef cattle receiving in vivo produced embryos. Anim Reprod Sci 255, 107274.</li><br /> <li>Li X., Bazer F.W., Johnson G.A., Burghardt R.C. &amp; Wu G. (2023a) Dietary supplementation with L-citrulline improves placental angiogenesis and embryonic survival in gilts. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 248, 702-11.</li><br /> <li>Li Y., Xiao P., Boadu F., Goldkamp A.K., Nirgude S., Cheng J., Hagen D.E., Kalish J.M. &amp; Rivera R.M. (2023b) The counterpart congenital overgrowth syndromes Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome in human and large offspring syndrome in bovine involve alterations in DNA methylation, transcription, and chromatin configuration. medRxiv.</li><br /> <li>Lockhart K.N., Drum J.N., Balboula A.Z., Spinka C.M., Spencer T.E. &amp; Ortega M.S. (2023) Sire modulates developmental kinetics and transcriptome of the bovine embryo. Reproduction 166, 337-48.</li><br /> <li>Lockhart K.N., Fallon L.C. &amp; Ortega M.S. (2024) Paternal determinants of early embryo development. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 36, 43-50.</li><br /> <li>Martinez R.E., Leatherwood J.L., Bradbery A.N., Paris B.L., Hammer C.J., Kelley D., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2023) Evaluation of dietary arginine supplementation to increase placental nutrient transporters in aged mares. Transl Anim Sci 7, txad058.</li><br /> <li>Messman R.D. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2023) Bovine neonatal microbiome origins: a review of proposed microbial community presence from conception to colostrum. Transl Anim Sci 7, txad057.</li><br /> <li>Monaco C.F., Plewes M.R., Przygrodzka E., George J.W., Qiu F., Xiao P., Wood J.R., Cupp A.S. &amp; Davis J.S. (2023) Basic fibroblast growth factor induces proliferation and collagen production by fibroblasts derived from the bovine corpus luteumdagger. Biol Reprod 109, 367-80.</li><br /> <li>Moses R.M., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Sah N., Hoskins E.C., Washburn S.E., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2024a) Metabolic pathways for glucose and fructose: I synthesis and metabolism of fructose by ovine conceptuses. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Moses R.M., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Sah N., Newton M.G., Hoskins E.C., Washburn S.E., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2024b) Metabolic pathways of glucose and fructose: II spatiotemporal expression of genes involved in synthesis and transport of lactate in ovine conceptuses. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Nava-Trujillo H. &amp; Rivera R.M. (2023) Large offspring syndrome in ruminants: current status and prediction during pregnancy. Animal 17, 100740.</li><br /> <li>Newton M.G., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Sah N., Moses R.M., He W., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023) Regulation of synthesis of polyamines by progesterone, estradiol, and their receptors in uteri of cyclic ewesdagger. Biol Reprod 109, 309-18.</li><br /> <li>Ortega M.S., Lockhart K.N. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2024) Impact of Sire on Embryo Development and Pregnancy. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 40, 131-40.</li><br /> <li>Plewes M.R., Przygrodzka E., Monaco C.F., Snider A.P., Keane J.A., Burns P.D., Wood J.R., Cupp A.S. &amp; Davis J.S. (2023) Prostaglandin F2alpha regulates mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in the bovine corpus luteum. Life Sci Alliance 6.</li><br /> <li>Prezotto L.D., Keane J.A., Cupp A.S. &amp; Thorson J.F. (2023) Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Has a Diverse Role in Energetic and Reproductive Physiological Functions of Female Beef Cattle. Animals (Basel) 13.</li><br /> <li>Rio Feltrin I., Guimaraes da Silva A., Rocha C.C., Ferraz P.A., da Silva Rosa P.M., Martins T., Coelho da Silveira J., Oliveira M.L., Binelli M., Pugliesi G. &amp; Membrive C.M.B. (2024) Effects of 17beta-estradiol on the uterine luteolytic cascade in bovine females at the end of diestrus. Theriogenology 213, 1-10.</li><br /> <li>Rishi J.K., Timme K., White H.E., Kerns K.C. &amp; Keating A.F. (2023) Obesity partially potentiates dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-exposed ovotoxicity by altering the DNA damage repair response in micedagger. Biol Reprod 108, 694-707.</li><br /> <li>Rishi J.K., Timme K., White H.E., Kerns K.C. &amp; Keating A.F. (2024a) Altered histone abundance as a mode of ovotoxicity during 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure with additive influence of obesitydagger. Biol Reprod 110, 419-29.</li><br /> <li>Rishi J.K., Timme K., White H.E., Kerns K.C. &amp; Keating A.F. (2024b) Trajectory of primordial follicle depletion is accelerated in obese mice in response to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Rocha C.C., Martins T., Silva F.A.C.C., Sponchiado M., Pohler K.G. &amp; Binelli M. (2023) Viperin (RSAD2) gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of pregnant crossbred beef cows is altered by Bos indicus genetics. Theriogenology 209, 226-33.</li><br /> <li>Sah N., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Seo H., Burghardt R.C., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023) Creatine metabolism at the uterine-placental interface throughout gestation in sheepdagger. Biol Reprod 109, 107-18.</li><br /> <li>Seo H., Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Early Syncytialization of the Ovine Placenta Revisited. Results Probl Cell Differ 71, 127-42.</li><br /> <li>Seo H., Melo G.D., Oliveira R.V., Franco-Johannsen G., Bazer F.W., Pohler K. &amp; Johnson G. (2023) Immunohistochemical examination of the utero-placental interface of cows on days 21, 31, 40, and 67 of gestation. Reproduction 167.</li><br /> <li>Sharawy H.A., Hegab A.O., Mostagir A., Adlan F., Bazer F.W. &amp; Elmetwally M.A. (2023) Expression of genes for transport of water and angiogenesis, as well as biochemical biomarkers in Holstein dairy cows during the ovsynch program. Theriogenology 208, 52-9.</li><br /> <li>Silva C.S., Vianna da Costa E.S.E., Nunes Dode M.A., Mendes Cunha A.T., Garcia W.R., Sampaio B.F.B., Borges Silva J.C., Vaz F.E.M., Kerns K., Sutovsky P. &amp; Nogueira E. (2023a) Semen quality of Nellore and Angus bulls classified by fertility indices and relations with field fertility in fixed-time artificial insemination. Theriogenology 212, 148-56.</li><br /> <li>Silva F., Martins T., Sponchiado M., Rocha C.C., Pohler K.G., Penagaricano F. &amp; Binelli M. (2023b) Hormonal profile prior to luteolysis modulates the uterine luminal transcriptome in the subsequent cycle in beef cross-bred cowsdagger. Biol Reprod 108, 922-35.</li><br /> <li>Silva F.A., Martins T., Sponchiado M., Rocha C.C., Ashrafi N., Graham S.F., Pohler K.G., Pe&ntilde;agaricano F., Gonella-Diaza A.M. &amp; Binelli M. (2023c) Pre-estrus progesterone does not affect post-estrus luminal metabolome in cross-bred beef cows. Reproduction 166, 99-116.</li><br /> <li>Smith M.S., Hickman-Brown K.J., McAnally B.E., Oliveira Filho R.V., de Melo G.D., Pohler K.G. &amp; Poole R.K. (2023) Reproductive microbiome and cytokine profiles associated with fertility outcomes of postpartum beef cows. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Snider A.P., Gomes R.S., Summers A.F., Tenley S.C., Abedal-Majed M.A., McFee R.M., Wood J.R., Davis J.S. &amp; Cupp A.S. (2023) Identification of Lipids and Cytokines in Plasma and Follicular Fluid before and after Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Stimulation as Potential Markers for Follicular Maturation in Cattle. Animals (Basel) 13.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Bazer F.W. &amp; Ashworth C.J. (2023a) Sexual dimorphism in placental development and function: Comparative physiology with an emphasis on the pig. Mol Reprod Dev 90, 684-96.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Newton M.G., Moses R.M., Sah N., Suva L.J., Gaddy D. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023b) Characterization of TNSALP expression, localization, and activity in ovine utero-placental tissuesdagger. Biol Reprod 109, 954-64.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Newton M.G., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Sah N., Suva L.J. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2023c) Phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D signaling, transport, and metabolism in the endometria of cyclic ewes. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 14, 13.</li><br /> <li>Stevens A.V., Myers C.A., Hall J.B. &amp; Chibisa G.E. (2024) The Effects of Harvest Maturity of Eragrostis tef &lsquo;Moxie&rsquo;Hay and Supplemental Energy Source on Forage Utilization in Beef Heifers. Animals 14, 254.</li><br /> <li>Sung E., Park W., Park J., Bazer F.W., Song G. &amp; Lim W. (2024) Meptyldinocap induces implantation failure by forcing cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in porcine trophectoderm and endometrial luminal epithelial cells. Sci Total Environ 924, 171524.</li><br /> <li>Sutovsky P., Hamilton L.E., Zigo M., Ortiz D'Avila Assumpcao M.E., Jones A., Tirpak F., Agca Y., Kerns K. &amp; Sutovsky M. (2024) Biomarker-based human and animal sperm phenotyping: the good, the bad and the ugly. Biol Reprod.</li><br /> <li>Sutton C.M., Ziegler R.L., Austin K.J. &amp; Alexander B.M. (2023) Expression of TRPM8 in sheep reproductive tissues and brain areas important for the expression of reproductive behavior. Physiology &amp; Behavior 270, 114304.</li><br /> <li>Taylor B.D., Criscitiello M.F., Bazer F.W., Richardson L.S., Noah A. &amp; Haggerty C.L. (2023) Functional interferon-epsilon gene polymorphisms and sexually transmitted infections of the endometrium. Am J Reprod Immunol 90, e13754.</li><br /> <li>Tekwe C.D., Luan Y., Meininger C.J., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2023) Dietary supplementation with L-leucine reduces nitric oxide synthesis by endothelial cells of rats. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 248, 1537-49.</li><br /> <li>Tillquist N.M., Reed S.A., Kawaida M.Y., Reiter A.S., Smith B.I., Jang H., Lee J.Y., Lee E.C., Zinn S.A. &amp; Govoni K.E. (2023) Restricted- and over-feeding during gestation decreases growth of offspring throughout maturity. Transl Anim Sci 7, txad061.</li><br /> <li>Tillquist N.M., Reed S.A., Reiter A.S., Kawaida M.Y., Lee E.C., Zinn S.A. &amp; Govoni K.E. (2024) Effects of poor maternal diet during gestation are detected in F2 offspring. Transl Anim Sci 8, txae055.</li><br /> <li>Trotta R.J., Vasquez-Hidalgo M.A., Smith B.I., Reed S.A., Govoni K.E., Vonnahme K.A. &amp; Swanson K.C. (2023) Timing of maternal nutrient restriction during mid- to late-gestation influences net umbilical uptake of glucose and amino acids in adolescent sheep. J Anim Sci 101.</li><br /> <li>Van Campen H., Bishop J.V., Brink Z., Engle T.E., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Georges H.M., Kincade J.N., Murtazina D.A. &amp; Hansen T.R. (2024) Epigenetic Modifications of White Blood Cell DNA Caused by Transient Fetal Infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus. Viruses 16.</li><br /> <li>Vasquez-Hidalgo M.A., Mellencamp M., Amodie D., Bohrer B.M., VanDeWeyer L. &amp; Vonnahme K.A. (2024) Evaluation of Improvest effects on production parameters of gilts from two different genetic sire lines. Translational Animal Science 8, txad144.</li><br /> <li>Wang J., Hua G., Chen J., Cui K., Yang Z., Han D., Yang X., Dong X., Ma Y., Cai G., Zhang Y., Li J., Tai Y., Da L., Li X., Ma L., Ma Q., Li R., Liu J., Darwish H.Y.A., Wu K., Rong W., Liu W., Zhao Y. &amp; Deng X. (2023) Epigenetic mechanism of Gtl2-miRNAs causes the primitive sheep characteristics found in purebred Merino sheep. Cell Biosci 13, 190.</li><br /> <li>Woo T., King C., Ahmed N.I., Cordes M., Nistala S., Will M.J., Bloomer C., Kibiryeva N., Rivera R.M. &amp; Talebizadeh Z. (2023) microRNA as a Maternal Marker for Prenatal Stress-Associated ASD, Evidence from a Murine Model. Journal of Personalized Medicine 13, 1412.</li><br /> <li>Yang M., Diaz F., Krause A.R.T., Lei Y. &amp; Liu W.S. (2024) Synergistic enhancement of the mouse Pramex1 and Pramel1 in repressing retinoic acid (RA) signaling during gametogenesis. Cell Biosci 14, 28.</li><br /> <li>Yang M., Ma W., Oatley J. &amp; Liu W.S. (2023) Mouse Pramel1 regulates spermatogonial development by inhibiting retinoic acid signaling during spermatogenesis. Development 150.</li><br /> <li>Zhu L., Tillquist N., Scatolin G., Gately R., Kawaida M., Reiter A., Reed S., Zinn S., Govoni K. &amp; Jiang Z. (2023) Maternal restricted- and over- feeding during gestation perturb offspring sperm epigenome in sheep. Reproduction 166, 311-22.</li><br /> <li>Zigo M., Kerns K. &amp; Sutovsky P. (2023) The Ubiquitin-Proteasome System Participates in Sperm Surface Subproteome Remodeling during Boar Sperm Capacitation. Biomolecules 13.</li><br /> <li>Zoca S.M., Geary T.W., Zezeski A.L., Kerns K.C., Dalton J.C., Harstine B.R., Utt M.D., Cushman R.A., Walker J.A. &amp; Perry G.A. (2023a) Bull field fertility differences can be estimated with in vitro sperm capacitation and flow cytometry. Frontiers in Animal Science 4, 1180975.</li><br /> <li>Zoca S.M., Walker J.A., Kline A.C., Andrews T.N., Rich J.J., Epperson K.M., Drum J.N., Ortega M.S., Cushman R.A. &amp; Perry G.A. (2023b) Relationship of field and in vitro fertility of dairy bulls with sperm parameters, including DAG1 and SERPINA5 proteins. Frontiers in Animal Science 4, 1180967.</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

Impact Statements

1. Early pregnancy loss has a direct impact on the profitability of dairy and beef cattle. More than half of pregnancy losses occur during the first week after breeding, with influences from both sire and dam. Collaboration between IA and WI indicates a novel marker in sperm that could help identify males that produce fewer viable embryos resulting in fewer pregnancies. The identification of these biomarkers is crucial to help select sires before they enter the field or studs, reducing the reproductive failure burden on farms.
2. Current culture systems do not provide a dynamic in vitro environment that mimics in vivo systems and structures. NE and MT are perfecting organoid cultures of a variety of reproductive tissues including the corpus luteum and uterus. These studies will allow for an improved in vitro culture system that better mimics in vivo conditions, thus allowing for a better understanding of reproductive function.
3. Despite the increasing use of in vitro embryo production, the efficiency of the system remains suboptimal. WI in collaboration with MO working on improving the culture system which can result in more live calves after embryo transfer of slow-rate frozen embryos. With this, it is expected to increase not only the efficiency of embryo production but also a wider adoption of these technologies. Additionally, groups in WI, WY, and NM are working on the addition of various cytokines and growth factors to in vitro culture and at embryo transfer to improve embryo production and pregnancy success.
4. Understanding the determinants of early pregnancy is paramount to improving reproductive outcomes in cattle systems. TX, WI, FL, and MO are all working to understand which genes and subsequent proteins are crucial for early pregnancy establishment and how sire and dam can influence its production. This research will provide new insights into early pregnancy loss and the potential to improve reproductive outcomes by selection and management.
5. Gram-negative bacteria release lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin that elicit immune responses that can disrupt normal ovarian function and contribute to female infertility. CA and NM are working to investigate the effects of exposing bovine oocytes to low LPS doses on oocyte and embryo competence. This work will help to better understand the effects of subclinical or non-detectable infections on oocyte competence and subsequent embryo development.
6. The vaginal microbiome may play a key role in fertility and neonatal development. Groups in TX, SD, and MS are investigating the vaginal microbiome prior to insemination, during early gestation, and during parturition. It appears that the vaginal microbiome may shift due to various hormone concentrations during estrus synchronization and early gestation, thus impacting establishment of pregnancy in cattle. Further, altering the vaginal microbiome via betadine lavages near parturition increased maternal immune responses without altering neonatal microbial communities. This work will help to better understand the role of bacteria in normal reproductive processes and identify ways to positively modulate bacteria within the reproductive tract.
7. Establishment of pregnancy, development of the placenta, and placental function are being studied in normal and compromised pregnancies (NM, WI, TX, MS, and PA). The focus of this research is to better understand the normal physiological processes of pregnancy, and how placental alterations result in suboptimal outcomes, ultimately impacting postnatal well-being and production efficiency.
8. Undernutrition is common for animals maintained in a range setting, particularly during periods of drought, and during gestation this can be detrimental to offspring development. Groups in MT and CT are working to better understand how undernutrition during gestation impacts offspring development and are working to identify potential strategies to mitigate alterations as a result of poor maternal nutrition during gestation. Additionally, supplementation of key nutrients may influence reproductive performance. Both ID and SD are investigating different supplements, largely omega fatty acids, on reproduction. In extensive animal production systems, allowing animals ad libitum access to supplements with intake limiters may be a cost-effective method to provide nutrients and improve reproductive performance.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

In Attendance - Virtually:
1. Caleb Lemley, Mississippi State University
2. David Grieger, Kansas State University
3. Ky Pohler, Texas A&M University
4. John Hall, University of Idaho
5. Ryan Ashley, New Mexico State University
6. Karl Kerns, Iowa State University
7. Kimberly Davenport, Washington State University
8. Thiago Martins, University of Missouri
In Attendance – In person
1. Kristen Govoni, University of Connecticut
2. Jessica Nora Drum, South Dakota State University
3. Manuel Alexander Vasquez-Hidalgo, South Dakota State University
4. Rafael Domingues, The Ohio State Universit
5. Rick McCosh, Colorado State University
6. Katherine Hallora, University of Kentucky
7. Sarah McCoski, Montana State University
8. Becky Poole, Texas A&M University
9. Jeremy Block, University of Wyoming
10. Brenda Alexander, University of Wyoming
11. Sofia Ortega, University of Wisconsin
12. Corrine Monaco (Post Doc), University of Nebraska
13. Mario Binelli, University of Florida
14. Phill Cardoso, University of Illinois

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p>Outputs from the group during this reporting period:</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>100 peer-reviewed published papers.</li><br /> <li>75 Published Abstracts.</li><br /> <li>5 Thesis/Dissertations.</li><br /> <li>20 Invited lectures.</li><br /> <li>4 book chapters.</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Activities</em></strong></p><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 1:</em></strong> Elucidate fundamental cellular, physiological, endocrine, and behavioral mechanisms that regulate gamete development and quality and enhance the management of reproductive function leading to the development of translational reproductive biotechnologies.</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>Oral melatonin supplementation during fall-winter improved sperm motility in bulls without affecting testicular blood flow. <em>(Mississippi)</em></li><br /> <li>PRAMEY enhances sperm-oocyte binding and modulates epigenetic marks in early bovine embryos, suggesting a role in fertilization and early development. <em>(Pennsylvania)</em></li><br /> <li>Disruption of PGRMC and lipid metabolism in granulosa and luteal cells accelerates ovarian aging by depleting the primordial follicle pool. <em>(Wyoming)</em></li><br /> <li>Non-cycling heifers show altered granulosa cell responses to FSH, contributing to delayed puberty; FSH treatment may partially rescue follicular development. <em>(Nebraska)</em></li><br /> <li>Phthalate exposure (DBP, BBP, DEHP) disrupts ovarian IGF1 signaling and fatty acid metabolism, impairing folliculogenesis and ovarian reserve. <em>(Arizona)</em></li><br /> <li>Heat stress alters transcriptomic responses in bovine preantral follicles and disrupts gap junction communication, affecting cumulus-oocyte complex function. <em>(California)</em></li><br /> <li>MACS-based enrichment of ovine gonadotropes using anti-KCNMA1 antibody improves purity and retains estradiol responsiveness, enabling better study of pituitary function. <em>(Colorado)</em></li><br /> <li>Developed CRISPR/SaCas9 tools for ESR1 gene deletion and neurosurgical methods to target the nucleus of the solitary tract, advancing neuroendocrine research. <em>(Colorado)</em></li><br /> <li>Larger follicles improve oocyte cytoplasmic maturation (e.g., mitochondrial activity), though blastocyst rates remain unchanged; lipid accumulation is reduced in embryos. <em>(Wisconsin)</em></li><br /> <li>Aggresome accumulation in sperm is linked to oxidative stress and impaired embryo development, highlighting a paternal contribution to early embryonic health. <em>(Wisconsin)</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 2:</em></strong> Identify impacts of reproductive management, animal management, and stress on follicle recruitment, ovulation, corpus luteum function, and pregnancy.</p><br /> <ol start="11"><br /> <li>Extending CIDR duration in CO-Synch increased dominant follicle size but did not improve estrus response or pregnancy rates. <em>(Missouri)</em></li><br /> <li>Estrus expression timing and CL age on day 14 may reduce synchronization success in the 7&amp;7 Co-Synch protocol. <em>(South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>Vaginitis during 14-day implant protocols is common but does not affect pregnancy outcomes. <em>(South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>Melatonin supplementation in nutrient-restricted dams alters fetal epigenetic and transcriptomic profiles. <em>(Mississippi)</em></li><br /> <li>Flaxseed oil (rich in omega-3s) may help advance puberty by improving the endocrine environment in beef heifers. <em>(South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>&omega;-6 fatty acid supplementation around AI did not improve progesterone levels or conception rates. <em>(Idaho)</em></li><br /> <li>Trace mineral injections during gestation may enhance birth weight and male reproductive traits, especially in multiparous cows. <em>(Montana)</em></li><br /> <li>Shearing ewes at day 50 of gestation increases uterine blood flow, fetal size, and may improve birthweight in multiples. <em>(South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>Extended darkness in early gestation is being studied for its effects on umbilical blood flow and placental development. <em>(South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>Creatine supplementation in gilts had limited effects on fetal growth but may influence placental gene expression. <em>(Texas)</em></li><br /> <li>Vaginal microbiota shifts between AI and maternal recognition of pregnancy, suggesting a role in early pregnancy establishment. <em>(Texas)</em></li><br /> <li>Bull reproductive organs harbor distinct microbial communities, indicating niche-specific microbiomes. <em>(Wyoming)</em></li><br /> <li>Open cows can be identified with 95&ndash;100% accuracy as early as days 16&ndash;17 post-AI. <em>(Colorado)</em></li><br /> <li>Estradiol and IL1B production in swine increases with embryo size; female embryos secrete less estradiol, suggesting sexual dimorphism. <em>(Pennsylvania)</em></li><br /> <li>Heat stress may impair early follicular recruitment post-GnRH, though not affecting follicle count at day 7. <em>(Illinois)</em></li><br /> <li>Rumen-protected methionine alters lipid profiles in embryos and endometrium during early lactation. <em>(Illinois)</em></li><br /> <li>Dominance hierarchy in rams does not significantly affect reproductive success in multi-sire systems. <em>(Wyoming)</em></li><br /> <li>Thyroid hormone activity in the brain&rsquo;s reward pathway may influence mating and feeding behaviors. <em>(Wyoming)</em></li><br /> <li>BVDV infection in late gestation reduces offspring performance, potentially impacting herd profitability. <em>(Colorado)</em></li><br /> <li>Hands-on reproductive training significantly improves rancher skills and yields \$1,000&ndash;\$5,000 ROI per ranch annually. <em>(Idaho)</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><strong><em>Objective 3:</em></strong> Determine mechanisms regulating normal embryo development, pregnancy establishment, and maintenance by exploring maternal and paternal factors, including genomics, immune responses, fetal programming, and conceptus/uterine signaling.</p><br /> <ol start="31"><br /> <li>Studies identified distinct cell populations (e.g., trophoblasts, mesenchyme, immune cells) and gene regulatory networks in bovine and ovine placentas, with species-specific clusters and conserved expression patterns. (<em>Washington</em>)</li><br /> <li>Genetic variation in transcription factor binding sites may disrupt placental gene expression and affect fertility. (<em>Washington</em>)</li><br /> <li>Poor maternal diet and nutrient restriction during gestation alter DNA methylation, placental function, and fetal metabolic activity, with sex-specific effects on fetal development. (<em>Connecticut, Montana</em>)</li><br /> <li>Betaine supplementation and flaxseed oil influence fetal glucose, insulin, and progesterone concentrations, though not always improving reproductive outcomes. (<em>Connecticut, South Dakota)</em></li><br /> <li>Gestational melatonin supplementation modulates the transcriptome related to conceptus growth in a sex-dependent manner, without altering dam behavior. (<em>Mississippi</em>)</li><br /> <li>PGRMC1 overexpression impairs fertility and fetal growth, while its absence alters amino acid and lipid metabolism, highlighting its role in uterine homeostasis. (<em>Wyoming</em>)</li><br /> <li>ISG15 expression and its conjugation pathway increase at the implantation site, indicating a role in maternal recognition of pregnancy. (<em>Wyoming</em>)</li><br /> <li>P4 supplementation promotes earlier embryonic attachment and PAG detection, though it does not affect IFNT secretion. (<em>Ohio</em>)</li><br /> <li>Sire conception rate correlates with pregnancy outcomes but not with embryo development or loss. (<em>Ohio</em>)</li><br /> <li>New molecular tools allow mRNA isolation from single morula biopsies, aiding embryo diagnostics. (<em>Colorado</em>)</li><br /> <li>Vaginal and uterine microbiomes shift with synchronization protocols and fetal sex, while fetal immune cell populations are altered in FGR sheep, suggesting immune dysfunction. (<em>South Dakota, Arizona</em>)</li><br /> <li>Efforts are ongoing to develop DNA methylation signatures for Large Offspring Syndrome, and SNPs associated with fertility have been identified. (<em>Missouri, Colorado</em>)</li><br /> <li>Genomic variants on BTA11 and BTA25 in Jersey bulls impair fertilization and blastocyst formation, with distinct mechanisms affecting male fertility. (<em>Wisconsin</em>)</li><br /> <li>PAG7 is essential for endometrial remodeling during placentation but not during early embryo development. (<em>Wisconsin</em>)</li><br /> <li>Amino acid supplementation enhances trophectoderm growth and gene expression, offering a strategy to reduce early pregnancy loss. (<em>Wisconsin</em>)</li><br /> <li>CXCL12/CXCR4 axis manipulation affects vascular and immune signaling at the fetal&ndash;maternal interface. (<em>New Mexico</em>)</li><br /> <li>Endometrial memory of hormonal stimuli affects cell behavior and fertility. (<em>Florida</em>)</li><br /> <li>BRaf&ndash;STAT3&ndash;Bcl2 signaling is critical for fetal vascular stem cell survival. (<em>Arizona</em>)</li><br /> <li>Endotoxin exposure causes hematological changes that may reduce reproductive efficiency. (<em>New Mexico</em>)</li><br /> </ol>

Publications

<ol><br /> <li>Altman M.D., Mathews A.T., Rabaglino M.B., Hovey R.C. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2025) Canonical prolactin signaling and global mRNA expression in the skin of Holstein heifers carrying the SLICK1 allele of the prolactin receptor gene. Journal of Dairy Science.</li><br /> <li>Amirrad F., La V., Ohadi S., Albotaif M., Webster S., Pru J.K., Shamloo K., Mohieldin A.M. &amp; Nauli S.M. (2025) PGRMC2 is a pressure-volume regulator critical for myocardial responses to stress in mice. Nature Communications 16, 2422.</li><br /> <li>Andrade J.P.N., Domingues R.R., Carvalho B.P., Gomez-Leon V., Prata A.B., Sartori R. &amp; Wiltbank M.C. (2024) Optimizing ReBreed21 I: Evaluation of endocrine and ovarian dynamics in non-bred Bos indicus heifers. Theriogenology 220, 77-83.</li><br /> <li>Andrade J.P.N., Gomez-Le&oacute;n V.E., Madureira G., Sartori L.C., Grillo G.F., Domingues R.R., Fosado M., Sala R.V. &amp; Wiltbank M.C. (2025) ReBreed21-ET: Evaluation of a rapid resynchronization program that allows timed embryo transfer every 21 days. Theriogenology 235, 145-51.</li><br /> <li>Andrews T.N. (2021) The Interactions of Change in Nutrition Prior to and After Artificial Insemination on Plasma Metabolites, Steroid Hormones, and Uterine Histotroph in Beef Heifers.</li><br /> <li>Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Early embryonic development in agriculturally important species. Animals 14, 1882.</li><br /> <li>Bazer F.W., Wu G. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Fructose metabolism is unregulated in cancers and placentae. Experimental Biology and Medicine 249, 10200.</li><br /> <li>Beiki H., Murdoch B.M., Park C.A., Kern C., Kontechy D., Becker G., Rincon G., Jiang H., Zhou H. &amp; Thorne J. (2024) Enhanced bovine genome annotation through integration of transcriptomics and epi-transcriptomics datasets facilitates genomic biology. Gigascience 13, giae019.</li><br /> <li>Binelli M., Lopez-Duarte M.C., Gonella-Diaza A., Silva F.A., Pugliesi G., Martins T. &amp; Rocha C.C. (2025) Effectors and predictors of conceptus survival in cattle: What is next? Domestic Animal Endocrinology 92, 106939.</li><br /> <li>Binelli M., Rocha C.C., Bennett A., Waheed A., Sultana H., Maldonado M.B.C. &amp; Mesquita F.S. (2024) Solutions to the fertility equation in beef embryo recipients. Animal Reproduction 21, e20240041.</li><br /> <li>Bishop J.V., Guzeloglu A., Scheller T., Docheff J.J., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Van Campen H., Nett T.M., Zezeski A.L., Geary T.W. &amp; Thatcher W.W. (2025) Early identification of bovine pregnancy status and embryonic mortality. Biology of Reproduction 112, 981-95.</li><br /> <li>Brenner M.A., Marques R.S., Posbergh C.J., Zezeski A.L., Geary T.W. &amp; McCoski S.R. (2025) Maternal Injectable Mineral Administration Effects on Calf Growth and Reproductive Parameters. Animals 15, 330.</li><br /> <li>Britz S.M., Nelson S., Earhart K.M., Pru J.K. &amp; Schmitt E.E. (2024) Circadian Disruption Impacts Fetal Development in Mice Using High-Frequency Ultrasound. Journal of Circadian Rhythms 22, 4.</li><br /> <li>Cain J.W., Seo H., Bumgardner K., Lefevre C., Burghardt R.C., Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Pig conceptuses utilize extracellular vesicles for interferon-gamma-mediated paracrine communication with the endometrium. Biology of Reproduction 111, 174-85.</li><br /> <li>Camacho L.E., Davis M.A., Kelly A.C., Steffens N.R., Anderson M.J. &amp; Limesand S.W. (2022) Prenatal oxygen and glucose therapy normalizes insulin secretion and action in growth-restricted fetal sheep. Endocrinology 163, bqac053.</li><br /> <li>Candelaria J.I., Botigelli R.C., Guiltinan C., Shikanov A. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2025) Three-dimensional culture in a bioengineered matrix and somatic cell complementation to improve growth and survival of bovine preantral follicles. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 1-15.</li><br /> <li>Candelaria J.I. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2024) Assessment of ovarian tissue and follicular integrity after cryopreservation via slow freezing or vitrification followed by in vitro culture. F&amp;S Science 5, 154-62.</li><br /> <li>Carter R.E., Emenheiser J.C., Zinn S.A., Govoni K.E., Felix T.L. &amp; Reed S.A. (2025) Effects of Milk Replacer Composition on Growth and Development of Beef x Dairy Crossbred Calves. Translational Animal Science, txaf005.</li><br /> <li>Castillo-Salas C.A., Luna-Nev&aacute;rez G., Reyna-Granados J.R., Luna-Ramirez R.I., Limesand S.W. &amp; Luna-Nev&aacute;rez P. (2023) Molecular markers for thermo-tolerance are associated with reproductive and physiological traits in Pelibuey ewes raised in a semiarid environment. Journal of Thermal Biology 112, 103475.</li><br /> <li>Cavalcante de Souza D., Gonella-Diaza A.M., de Carvalho N.A.T., Elliff F.M., de Carvalho J.G.S., Vieira L.M., Bonfim-Neto A.P., de Carvalho Papa P., Ghuman S.S. &amp; Madureira E.H. (2024) Supplementation with long-acting injectable progesterone 3 days after TAI impaired luteal function in buffaloes. Tropical Animal Health and Production 56, 76.</li><br /> <li>Contreras-Correa Z.E., S&aacute;nchez-Rodr&iacute;guez H.L., Arick II M.A., Mu&ntilde;iz-Col&oacute;n G. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2024) Thermotolerance capabilities, blood metabolomics, and mammary gland hemodynamics and transcriptomic profiles of slick-haired Holstein cattle during mid lactation in Puerto Rico. Journal of Dairy Science 107, 4017-32.</li><br /> <li>Cuellar C.J., Amaral T.F., Rodriguez‐Villamil P., Ongaratto F., Martinez D.O., Labrecque R., Losano J.D.d.A., Estrada‐Cort&eacute;s E., Bostrom J.R. &amp; Martins K. (2024) Consequences of gene editing of PRLR on thermotolerance, growth, and male reproduction in cattle. FASEB BioAdvances 6, 223-34.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., Lockhart K., Stoecklein K., Schnabel R.D., Spencer T.E. &amp; Ortega M.S. (2025a) Genome-wide association analyses identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with in vitro embryo cleavage and blastocyst rates in Holstein bulls. Journal of Dairy Science.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., Lowke M.T., Ortega M.S., Kelleher A.M., Warren W.C. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2025b) Single cell multiome analysis of the bovine placenta identifies gene regulatory networks in trophoblast differentiation. Biology of Reproduction 112, 955-68.</li><br /> <li>Davenport K.M., O&rsquo;Neil E.V., Ortega M.S., Patterson A., Kelleher A.M., Warren W.C. &amp; Spencer T.E. (2024) Single-cell insights into development of the bovine placenta. Biology of Reproduction 110, 169-84.</li><br /> <li>de Castro T., van Heule M., Domingues R.R., Jacob J.C., Daels P.F., Meyers S.A., Conley A.J. &amp; Dini P. (2024) Embryo-endometrial interaction associated with the location of the embryo during the mobility phase in mares. Scientific Reports 14, 3151.</li><br /> <li>Dias N.W., Poole R., Soffa D.R. &amp; Brown K.J.H. (2024) Dynamic principles of the microbiome and the bovine vagina: a review. Frontiers in Microbiology 15, 1434498.</li><br /> <li>Dobbins T.W., Swanson R.M., Dennis A.A., Rivera J.D., Dinh T.T., Lemley C.O. &amp; Burnett D.D. (2024) Melatonin supplementation to sows in mid to late gestation affects offspring circadian, myogenic, and growth factor transcript abundance in pre and postnatal skeletal muscle. Journal of Animal Science 102, skae377.</li><br /> <li>Domingues R.R., Wiltbank M.C., Hernandez L.L. &amp; Adcock S.J. (2025) Prenatal treatment with the antidepressant fluoxetine on maternal and neonatal behavior in sheep. Pediatric Research, 1-6.</li><br /> <li>Engle T.E., Guimaraes O., Loh H.Y., Thorndyke M.P., Van Campen H., Kincade J.N., Eder J.M. &amp; Hansen T.R. (2024) Late gestation maternal infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus impacts offspring feedlot performance, digestion, blood parameters, and hot carcass weights. Journal of Animal Science 102, skae334.</li><br /> <li>Fang L., Teng J., Lin Q., Bai Z., Liu S., Guan D., Li B., Gao Y., Hou Y. &amp; Gong M. (2025) The Farm Animal Genotype&ndash;Tissue Expression (FarmGTEx) Project. Nature genetics, 1-11.</li><br /> <li>Feltrin I.R., da Silva A.G., Rocha C.C., Ferraz P.A., da Silva Rosa P.M., Martins T., da Silveira J.C., Oliveira M.L., Binelli M. &amp; Pugliesi G. (2024) Effects of 17&beta;-estradiol on the uterine luteolytic cascade in bovine females at the end of diestrus. Theriogenology 213, 1-10.</li><br /> <li>Fritsche K.L., Ahola J.K., Pinedo P.J., Seidel G.E., Rhoades R.D., Stevenson J.S., Olson K., Jaeger J.R., Grieger D.M. &amp; Bromfield J.J. (2024) Pregnancy risk in beef and dairy cows after supplementing semen with transforming growth factor beta-1 at the time of artificial insemination. Journal of Animal Science 102, skae169.</li><br /> <li>Geisert R.D., Bazer F.W., Lucas C.G., Pfeiffer C.A., Meyer A.E., Sullivan R., Johns D.N., Sponchiado M. &amp; Prather R.S. (2024) Maternal recognition of pregnancy in the pig: a servomechanism involving sex steroids, cytokines and prostaglandins. Animal Reproduction Science, 107452.</li><br /> <li>Gonella-Diaza A., Sponchiado M., Rodrigues Fran&ccedil;a M., Liu L., Pugliesi G., Guimar&atilde;es Lo Turco E., Pe&ntilde;agaricano F. &amp; Binelli M. (2024) The metabolomic composition of the oviductal fluid is controlled by the periovulatory hormonal context in Bos indicus cows. Biology of Reproduction 111, 1188-201.</li><br /> <li>Gonzalez Berrios C.L., Bowden C.F., Saad H.M., Bishop J.V., Van Campen H., Pinedo P., Hansen T.R. &amp; Thomas M.G. (2024) Identification of candidate SNPs associated with embryo mortality and fertility traits in lactating Holstein cows. Frontiers in Genetics 15, 1409335.</li><br /> <li>Goyal D., Limesand S.W. &amp; Goyal R. (2023) Vascular Stem Cells and the Role of B-Raf Kinase in Survival, Proliferation, and Apoptosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24, 7483.</li><br /> <li>Green K.L., Kovarna M., Menezes A.C.B., Schlegel E., Wright C., Smith Z.K. &amp; Drum J. (2024) PSIII-10 Flaxseed oil-based supplement alters water consumption and plasma fatty acid profile of beef heifers. Journal of Animal Science 102, 503-4.</li><br /> <li>Guiltinan C., Botigelli R.C., Candelaria J.I., Smith J.M., Arcanjo R.B. &amp; Denicol A.C. (2025) Primed bovine embryonic stem cell lines can be derived at diverse stages of blastocyst development with similar efficiency and molecular characteristics. Biology Open 14, BIO061819.</li><br /> <li>Guzeloglu A., Bishop J.V., Van Campen H., Plewes M.R., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Kincade J.N., Davis J.S. &amp; Hansen T.R. (2024) Interferon-tau infusion into the ovine corpus luteum delays luteolysis. Biology of Reproduction 111, 667-77.</li><br /> <li>Haimon M.L., Estrada-Cort&eacute;s E., Amaral T.F., Block J., Jeensuk S., Maia T.S., Hoorn Q.A., Sagheer M., Bittar J.H. &amp; Hansen P.J. (2024a) A low concentration of choline chloride alters the developmental program of the bovine preimplantation embryo. Reproduction and Fertility 5.</li><br /> <li>Haimon M.L., Estrada-Cort&eacute;s E., Amaral T.F., Martin H., Jeensuk S., Block J., Heredia D., Venturini M., Rojas C.S. &amp; Gonella-Diaza A.M. (2024b) Provision of choline chloride to the bovine preimplantation embryo alters postnatal body size and DNA methylation. Biology of Reproduction 111, 567-79.</li><br /> <li>He W., Posey E., Steele C., Savell J., Bazer F. &amp; Wu G. (2024) Dietary glycine supplementation activates mTOR signaling pathway in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction. Journal of Animal Science, skae141-skae.</li><br /> <li>Hess M.K., Mersha A., Ference S.S., Nafziger S.R., Keane J.A., Fuller A.M., Kurz S.G., Sutton C.M., Spangler M.L. &amp; Petersen J.L. (2024) Puberty classifications in beef heifers are moderately to highly heritable and associated with candidate genes related to cyclicity and timing of puberty. Frontiers in Genetics 15, 1405456.</li><br /> <li>Hong T., Park S., An G., Bazer F.W., Song G. &amp; Lim W. (2024) Norflurazon causes cell death and inhibits implantation-related genes in porcine trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelial cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology 186, 114559.</li><br /> <li>Hou Y., Li X., Dai Z., Wu Z., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2018) Analysis of glutathione in biological samples by HPLC involving pre-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde. Polyamines: Methods and Protocols, 105-15.</li><br /> <li>Jauregui E.J., McSwain M., Liu X., Miller K., Burns K. &amp; Craig Z.R. (2023) Human-relevant exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate tampers with the ovarian insulin-like growth factor 1 system and disrupts folliculogenesis in young adult mice. Toxicological Sciences 195, 42-52.</li><br /> <li>Johnson G.A., Bazer F.W., Burghardt R.C., Seo H., Wu G., Cain J.W. &amp; Pohler K.G. (2024) The history of interferon-stimulated genes in pregnant cattle, sheep, and pigs. Reproduction 168.</li><br /> <li>Kanzawa S., O&rsquo;Meara E., Funnell B., Braz C., Bangert E., Cardoso F. &amp; Wheeler M. (2024) 178 The effects of heat stress on the number of ovarian follicles in the dairy cow. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 37.</li><br /> <li>Kelp N.C., Pru C.A., Paudel S., Lydon J.P., Kim J.J., Peluso J.J. &amp; Pru J.K. (2025) Uterine Pgrmc2 Deficiency Attenuates Endometrial Hyperplasia and Cancer and Prolongs Lifespan in a Pten Loss-of-Function-Induced Cancer Model. Cancers 17, 1178.</li><br /> <li>Kelson V., Kiser J., Davenport K., Suarez E., Murdoch B. &amp; Neibergs H. (2025) Genomic regions associated with Holstein heifer times bred to artificial insemination and embryo transfer services. Genomics 117, 110972.</li><br /> <li>Kelson V.C., Kiser J.N., Davenport K.M., Suarez E.M., Murdoch B.M. &amp; Neibergs H.L. (2024) Identifying regions of the genome associated with conception rate to the first service in holstein heifers bred by artificial insemination and as embryo transfer recipients. Genes 15, 765.</li><br /> <li>Kern C. &amp; Liu W.-S. (2025) PRAMEY enhances sperm-egg binding and modulates epigenetic dynamics in bovine embryogenesis. Cell and Tissue Research, 1-12.</li><br /> <li>Kincade J.N., Murtazina D.A., Georges H.M., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Bishop J.V., Engle T.E., Henao-Tamayo M., Eder J.M., McDonald E.M. &amp; Deines D.M. (2025) Postnatal Epigenetic Alterations in Calves Persistently Infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus. Viruses 17, 708.</li><br /> <li>Lee H., Lim W., Kweon J., Park J., Kim J., Bazer F.W., Song G. &amp; Ham J. (2024) Resmethrin induces implantation failure by disrupting calcium homeostasis and forcing mitochondrial defects in porcine trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelial cells. Science of The Total Environment 954, 176441.</li><br /> <li>Lefevre C.M., Cain J.W., Kramer A.C., Seo H., Lopez A.N., Sah N., Wu G., Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2024) Evidence for metabolism of creatine by the conceptus, placenta, and uterus for production of adenosine triphosphate during conceptus development in pigs. Biology of Reproduction 111, 694-707.</li><br /> <li>Lopez A.N., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2024) Functions and metabolism of amino acids in bones and joints of cats and dogs. In: Nutrition and Metabolism of Dogs and Cats (pp. 155-75. Springer.</li><br /> <li>Lopez A.N., Newton M.G., Stenhouse C., Connolly E., Hissen K.L., Horner S., Wu G., Foxworth W. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2025a) Dietary citrulline supplementation enhances milk production in lactating dairy goats. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 16, 51.</li><br /> <li>Lopez A.N., Olivarez M.A., Stenhouse C., Moses R.M., Newton M.G., Sah N., Seo H., Cain J., Lefevre C. &amp; Ross A. (2025b) Effects of dietary supplementation of creatine on fetal development in gilts at d 60 and d 90 of gestation. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 16, 31.</li><br /> <li>Martins T., Rocha C.C., Driver J.D., Rae O., Elzo M.A., Mateescu R.G., Santos J.E.P. &amp; Binelli M. (2024) Influence of proportion of Brahman genetics on productivity of Brahman&ndash;Angus cows at weaning. Translational Animal Science 8, txae093.</li><br /> <li>McGlade E.A., Mao J., Stephens K.K., Marquardt R.M., Arguc F.N., Lais P.F., Wu S.-P., Winuthayanon S., Shirwan H. &amp; Yolcu E.S. (2025) Progesterone signaling in oviductal epithelial cells modulates the immune response to support preimplantation embryonic development. Science Advances 11, eadt6113.</li><br /> <li>Mendina G.R., de Brun V., de Lourdes Adrien M., Pons V., Paradizo R.V., Gil J., Rocha C.C., Binelli M. &amp; Meikle A. (2025) Increased expression of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) in cervical cells on day 14 of pregnancy in Holstein heifers. JDS Communications 6, 165-70.</li><br /> <li>Monaco C.F., Jones C.M., Sayles H.R., Rudloff B., McFee R., Cupp A.S. &amp; Davis J.S. (2025) Luteal fibroblasts produce prostaglandins in response to IL1&beta; in a MAPK-mediated manner. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 596, 112420.</li><br /> <li>Monteiro P.L., Wiltbank M.C., Frizzarini W.S., Andrade J.P.N., Cabrera E.M., Schoenfeld S.G., Domingues R.R. &amp; Hernandez L.L. (2024) Hormonal profiles and biomarkers leading to parturition in cattle. Biology of Reproduction 111, 1282-96.</li><br /> <li>Moses R.M., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Sah N., Hoskins E.C., Washburn S.E., Johnson G.A., Wu G. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2024) Metabolic pathways for glucose and fructose: I synthesis and metabolism of fructose by ovine conceptuses. Biology of Reproduction 111, 148-58.</li><br /> <li>Nava-Trujillo H., Donnelly C.G. &amp; Rivera R.M. (2025) Abnormal Offspring Syndrome. Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Animals Volume 2, 267-98.</li><br /> <li>Newton M.G., Lopez A.N., Stenhouse C., Hissen K.L., Connolly E.D., Li X., Zhou L., Wu G., Foxworth W.B. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2025) Impact of dietary supplementation of L-citrulline to meat goats during gestation on reproductive performance. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 16, 5.</li><br /> <li>on Aging F., Nass S., Berkower C., Cooper R., National Academies of Sciences E. &amp; Medicine (2022) Proceedings of a Workshop. In: Companion Animals as Sentinels for Predicting Environmental Exposure Effects on Aging and Cancer Susceptibility in Humans: Proceedings of a Workshop. National Academies Press (US).</li><br /> <li>Palcheff L.J., VanWye G.M., Ricardo K.R., Green K.L., Even F.J., Roberts S.R., Lonas A.B., Spinka C.M., Poock S.E. &amp; Menegatti Zoca S. (2025) Tandem Administration of Prostaglandin F2&alpha; and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Beef Heifers and Cows as a Convergent Presynchronization Method in the 7 &amp; 7 Synch Protocol. Animals 15, 1329.</li><br /> <li>Park J., An G., Lee H., Park S., Ham J., Bazer F.W., Song G. &amp; Lim W. (2024a) Beta-cyfluthrin impairs implantation process by inducing mitochondrial defects and changes in reactive oxygen species-mediated signaling pathways in porcine trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelial cells. Science of The Total Environment 934, 173097.</li><br /> <li>Park J., Lee H., Kweon J., Park S., Ham J., Bazer F.W. &amp; Song G. (2024b) Mechanisms of female reproductive toxicity in pigs induced by exposure to environmental pollutants. Molecules and cells, 100065.</li><br /> <li>Pendleton A.L., Limesand S.W. &amp; Goyal R. (2023) In Vivo Real-Time Study of Drug Effects on Carotid Blood Flow in the Ovine Fetus. Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE), e64551.</li><br /> <li>Plewes M.R., Talbott H.A., Schott M.B., Wood J.R., Cupp A.S. &amp; Davis J.S. (2024) Unraveling the role of lipid droplets and perilipin 2 in bovine luteal cells. The FASEB Journal 38, e23710.</li><br /> <li>Poole R.K., Soffa D.R., McAnally B.E., Smith M.S., Hickman-Brown K.J. &amp; Stockland E.L. (2023) Reproductive microbiomes in domestic livestock: insights utilizing 16S rRNA gene amplicon community sequencing. Animals 13, 485.</li><br /> <li>Posey E.A., He W., Steele C.C., Savell J.W., Bazer F.W. &amp; Wu G. (2024) Dietary glycine supplementation enhances creatine availability in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction. Journal of Animal Science 102, skae344.</li><br /> <li>Posont R.J., Most M.S., Cadaret C.N., Marks-Nelson E.S., Beede K.A., Limesand S.W., Schmidt T.B., Petersen J.L. &amp; Yates D.T. (2022) Primary myoblasts from intrauterine growth-restricted fetal sheep exhibit intrinsic dysfunction of proliferation and differentiation that coincides with enrichment of inflammatory cytokine signaling pathways. Journal of Animal Science 100, skac145.</li><br /> <li>Przygrodzka E., Bhinderwala F., Powers R., McFee R.M., Cupp A.S., Wood J.R. &amp; Davis J.S. (2025) Metabolic control of luteinizing hormone-responsive ovarian steroidogenesis. Journal of Biological Chemistry 301.</li><br /> <li>Reis T.R.L., Lopes-Ferreira J.V., Guerra K.B., da Silva L.A.B., Stenhouse C., Ashworth C.J., Bloise E., Chiarini-Garcia H. &amp; de Almeida F.R.C.L. (2025) The structure of the porcine uterine-conceptus interface is associated with gestational day, fetal size and sex. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 90, 106895.</li><br /> <li>Rocha C.C., Cordeiro A.L.L., Campbell M., Maldonado M.B.C., Silva F.A.C.C., Bennett A., Waheed A., Hansen T. &amp; Binelli M. (2024) In vitro reminiscence: uterine programming in vivo affects respective luminal epithelial cells function in vitro. Biology of Reproduction 111, 600-12.</li><br /> <li>Rocha C.C., Montevecchio A.B., Bennett A., Waheed A., Mazziotta M., Maia T.S., Haimon M.L.-J., Hoorn Q.A., Sagheer M. &amp; Cuellar C.J. (2025) Relationships between activity monitoring device data and ovarian, uterine, hormonal, and pregnancy variables in beef cows. Theriogenology 235, 64-74.</li><br /> <li>Sah N., Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Moses R.M., Newton M.G., Seo H., Cain J.W., Lefevre C.M., Johnson G.A. &amp; Wu G. (2025) Effect of gestational age and fetal sex on metabolism of creatine by uteri, placentae, and fetuses of pigs. Biology of Reproduction, ioaf015.</li><br /> <li>Seo H., Bazer F.W. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2023) Early syncytialization of the ovine placenta revisited. Syncytia: Origin, Structure, and Functions, 127-42.</li><br /> <li>Sitko E., Laplacette A., Duhatschek D., Rial C., Perez M., Tompkins S., Kerwin A., Domingues R., Wiltbank M.C. &amp; Giordano J. (2024) Ovarian function and endocrine phenotypes of lactating dairy cows during the estrous cycle are associated with genomic-enhanced predictions of fertility potential. Journal of Dairy Science 107, 7352-70.</li><br /> <li>Skjold V., Afanasyev S., Burgerhout E., Sveen L., R&oslash;rvik K.-A., Mota V.F.C.N., Dessen J.-E. &amp; Krasnov A. (2024) Endocrine and Transcriptome Changes Associated with Testicular Growth and Differentiation in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.). Current Issues in Molecular Biology 46, 5337-51.</li><br /> <li>Smith M.S., Soffa D.R., McAnally B.E., Hickman-Brown K.J., Stockland E.L. &amp; Poole R.K. (2024) On-farm study: cytokine profiles and vaginal microbiome of Bos indicus cattle before artificial insemination. Frontiers in Animal Science 5, 1399337.</li><br /> <li>So W., Dong R., Lee D., Abazarikia A., Hackfort B.T., Cupp A.S. &amp; Kim S.-Y. (2025) Primordial follicle survival and changes in ovarian vasculature may be independently regulated during chemotherapy. Endocrinology 166, bqaf059.</li><br /> <li>Stella S.L., Guadagnin A.R., Velasco-Acosta D.A., Ferreira C.R., Rubessa M., Wheeler M.B., Luchini D. &amp; Cardoso F.C. (2024) Rumen-protected methionine supplementation alters lipid profile of preimplantation embryo and endometrial tissue of Holstein cows. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10, 1301986.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Donadeu F.X. &amp; Almeida F.R. (2024a) Intrauterine growth restriction: screening and outcomes. Frontiers in Physiology 15, 1438381.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Hoskins E.C., Moses R.M., Newton M.G., Sah N., Wolpo Y.E., Tyree M.F., Seo H. &amp; Johnson G.A. (2025) Characterization of the expression of XPR1 in ovine utero-placental tissues. Reproduction 169.</li><br /> <li>Stenhouse C., Halloran K.M., Hoskins E.C., Moses R.M., Wu G., Seo H., Johnson G.A., Suva L.J., Gaddy D. &amp; Bazer F.W. (2024b) Progesterone regulates tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) expression and activity in ovine utero-placental tissues. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 15, 90.</li><br /> <li>Stockland E.L., Smith M.S., Pickett A.T., Cooke R.F. &amp; Poole R.K. (2024) Influence of differing levels of concentrate on circulating cytokine concentrations in beef heifers. Translational Animal Science 8, txae089.</li><br /> <li>Suarez E.M., Kelson V.C., Kiser J.N., Davenport K.M., Murdoch B.M., Herrick A.L. &amp; Neibergs H.L. (2025) Loci associated with spontaneous abortion in primiparous Holstein cattle. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12, 1599401.</li><br /> <li>Suarez E.M., Kelson V.C., Kiser J.N., Davenport K.M., Murdoch B.M. &amp; Neibergs H.L. (2024) Genomic Regions Associated with Spontaneous Abortion in Holstein Heifers. Genes 15, 1498.</li><br /> <li>Swanson R.M., Messman R.D., Dobbins T.W., Contreras-Correa Z.E., Arick M.A., Sidelinger D.R., King H. &amp; Lemley C.O. (2024) Seminal plasma uterine priming alters uterine transcriptomics and negatively impacts embryo growth and uterine artery resistance but not offspring liver transcriptomics in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 102, skae300.</li><br /> <li>Tillquist N.M., Govoni K.E., Zinn S.A. &amp; Reed S.A. (2025) Poor maternal nutrition during gestation in sheep alters key hormonal systems involved in energy homeostasis and appetite in the offspring. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 91, 106907.</li><br /> <li>Tyree M.F. &amp; Stenhouse C. (2025) Exogenous progesterone supplementation: a strategy to enhance conceptus development in sheep and pigs? Reproduction and Fertility 6.</li><br /> <li>Ungerfeld R. &amp; Alexander B.M. (2024) Determinants of ram sexual behavior and its impact on sheep breeding. Animal Reproduction Science, 107599.</li><br /> <li>Van Campen H., Bishop J.V., Brink Z., Engle T.E., Gonzalez-Berrios C.L., Georges H.M., Kincade J.N., Murtazina D.A. &amp; Hansen T.R. (2024) Epigenetic modifications of white blood cell DNA caused by transient fetal infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus. Viruses 16, 721.</li><br /> <li>Wu G., Bazer F.W., Johnson G.A., Satterfield M.C. &amp; Washburn S.E. (2024) Metabolism and nutrition of L-glutamate and L-glutamine in ruminants. Animals 14, 1788.</li><br /> <li>Yang M., Diaz F., Krause A.R.T., Lei Y. &amp; Liu W.-S. (2024) Synergistic enhancement of the mouse Pramex1 and Pramel1 in repressing retinoic acid (RA) signaling during gametogenesis. Cell &amp; Bioscience 14, 28.</li><br /> </ol>

Impact Statements

1. Research into estrous synchronization and hormonal regulation has yielded significant insights into improving reproductive efficiency in livestock. Extending CIDR treatment duration has been shown to influence dominant follicular growth, estrous response, and fertility, offering potential refinements to synchronization protocols. The 7&7 Synchronization protocol has been better characterized, enhancing our understanding of estrus distribution and hormonal responses. Additionally, studies on estradiol's influence on pituitary transcriptional networks provide valuable information for optimizing ovulation timing. The use of FSH-β knockout sheep models has deepened our understanding of FSH signaling in ovarian reserve establishment and follicular development, with implications for both cattle and human reproductive health.
2. Nutritional supplementation plays a critical role in reproductive outcomes. Myo-inositol and melatonin have shown promise in enhancing fertility, placental gene expression, and sperm quality. However, ω-6 fatty acid supplementation did not yield reproductive benefits and was associated with reduced progesterone levels, suggesting complex interactions with basal diets. Creatine supplementation influenced fetal organ weights and muscle gene expression, indicating potential developmental effects. Furthermore, essential amino acid availability was found to directly impact trophectoderm growth and early embryonic development, highlighting the importance of maternal nutrition in pregnancy retention and embryo viability.
3. Advancements in ART have been supported by research into IGF signaling in conceptuses, which informs improvements in in vitro production (IVP) methodologies. Genetic studies have linked sire genetics and embryo phenotypes to fertility outcomes, enabling better selection strategies. Biomarkers and SNPs have been identified to predict embryo development success, and AI-driven estrus detection has improved embryo transfer timing. These innovations enhance the efficiency and success rates of ART, contributing to more sustainable breeding practices.
4. Reproductive microbiomes have emerged as a key factor in fertility. Studies have characterized unique microbial populations in vaginal and testicular environments, with implications for reproductive health. Alterations in microbiota have been linked to fertility outcomes in cattle. The ISG15 protein has been validated as a pregnancy marker through its conjugation in uterine tissue. Additionally, immune cell transcriptomics offer potential for predicting infection risk and postnatal performance, paving the way for new diagnostics and therapeutic strategies.
5. Our research has identified critical genes such as PRAME/PRAMEY and PGRMC1/2 that influence spermatogenesis, embryo development, and reproductive lifespan. Trophoblast gene networks have been shown to play essential roles in pregnancy establishment, and PAGs have been studied for their involvement in embryo–maternal communication. These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of fertility and provide targets for improving reproductive outcomes.
6. Environmental stressors, particularly heat stress, have been shown to impair oocyte quality and embryo yield, despite increased follicle numbers. Exposure to endocrine disruptors like atrazine has been linked to reduced dopamine synthesis in male offspring, affecting behavior and productivity. Neuroscientific studies are exploring how stress impacts reproductive efficiency, with the goal of developing strategies to mitigate these effects and improve resilience in livestock.
7. Innovative diagnostic tools such as the Open Cow Test (OCT) enable early pregnancy detection and management of open cows, improving herd productivity. DNA-based diagnostics and SNP markers are being developed to identify subfertile cows and predict fertility. Biomarkers for embryo mortality and immune cell transcriptomics are also being explored to enhance reproductive management and reduce economic losses due to subfertility.
8. Research into fetal and placental development has revealed sex-specific effects of maternal nutrition on organ development and PAG release. Uteroplacental nutrient availability has been linked to conceptus development and survival. These findings underscore the importance of maternal environment in shaping fetal outcomes and inform strategies to improve pregnancy success and offspring viability.
9. Education and technology transfer efforts have demonstrated the value of hands-on training in promoting the adoption of new reproductive technologies. Involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in research projects has fostered knowledge dissemination and capacity building. These initiatives support the long-term integration of scientific advancements into livestock production systems.

Back to top

Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Outputs from the group during this reporting period</em></strong></p><br /> <ol style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> <li>95 peer-reviewed manuscripts</li><br /> <li>39 published abstracts</li><br /> <li>22 invited oral presentations</li><br /> <li>32 thesis/dissertations</li><br /> <li>4 book chapters</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Activities</span></strong></p><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Objective 1: </em></strong>Elucidate fundamental cellular, physiological, endocrine, and behavioral mechanisms that regulate gamete development and quality and enhance the management of reproductive function leading to the development of translational reproductive biotechnologies.</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>We have established stable ovine embryonic stem cell lines and demonstrated their plasticity across the pluripotency spectrum, providing a valuable platform for investigating ruminant stem cell biology and advancing livestock biotechnology. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>Studies to evaluate differences in in vivo sperm viability in cattle have been ongoing using a heterospermic artificial insemination approach.<em> Kansas</em></li><br /> <li>We hypothesized that interferon-tau (IFNT) could be used to diagnose pregnancy in lactating cows. Results of our work demonstrate that detection of IFNT in cervical fluid via ELISA provides an accurate indication of pregnancy in lactating dairy cows.</li><br /> <li>Using RNA-Seq data from pooled early and expanded blastocysts categorized by quality grade, three mRNA transcripts were found to be up-regulated in grade 3 vs grade 1 embryos. These transcripts in addition to other embryo evaluations may identify the best candidates for embryo transfer<em>. Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>We have developed a protocol for producing uterine organoids. Preliminary data from this work suggests that organoids derived from follicular vs. luteal stage tissue behave differently in culture. <em>Montana</em></li><br /> <li>Using single-cell RNA-seq we have assessed the roles of Pramel1 and Pramex1 in germ cell differentiation and meiotic initiation in mice using knockout approaches. Collectively, results from this work demonstrate that Pramel1 and Pramex1 regulate pre-meiotic programs in germ cells during postnatal testis development. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>We have developed a sheep knockout model to study the role of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in gametogenesis. To date, four FSH&beta; knockout lambs have been born (3 male and 1 female). Follow-up evaluation of the males indicates that FSH&beta; knockout does not affect growth or sexual behaviors but does impact scrotal volume and causes oligospermia with increased frequency of sperm defects.<em> California</em></li><br /> <li>Work to elucidate the roles of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in preantral folliculogenesis is ongoing. Present results suggest that exposure to supraphysiological levels of FSH leads to increased apoptosis in preantral follicles when compared to physiological FSH. <em>California</em></li><br /> <li>We developed a mouse model of phthalate exposure using dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in which CD-1 female mice are orally exposed to the parent compound DBP at human relevant doses. Our results provide evidence that pituitary hormone release, ovarian sensitivity to gonadotropins, and preimplantation embryo development are impaired following daily oral exposure to DBP. <em>Arizona</em></li><br /> <li>Research to identify proteomic differences that may contribute to the formation of aggregates in sperm was performed. No differences in protein abundances were observed but potential differentially modified post-translational modifications were identified. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We hypothesized that follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) induces coordinated metabolic reprogramming in granulosa cells, thereby altering the composition of follicular fluid. Our findings indicate that FSH drives coordinated metabolic reprogramming in granulosa cells, promoting lipid utilization and intracellular metabolic processing. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We evaluated the effects of follicle stimulating hormone on cumulus cell function and identified transcriptomic changes that suggest that FSH stimulation shifts cumulus cell metabolism from basal nutrient maintenance toward enhanced substrate exchange, lipid mobilization, and oxidative metabolism. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We used a bottom-up LC-MS/MS proteomic approach to compare the proteome of fresh versus cryopreserved spermatozoa from five bulls with proven fertility records. Results provide a proteomic atlas of cryopreservation damage in bull spermatozoa and identify candidate protein biomarkers for assessing cryotolerance prior to freezing. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <ol start="14"><br /> <li>We evaluated which sperm biomarkers most reliably distinguish true capacitation from cryopreservation-induced damage in cattle, a critical distinction for interpreting post-thaw sperm quality in AI programs. Phosphatidylserine translocation, cholesterol spatial distribution, and acrosome reaction status were the most reliable markers for differentiating genuine capacitation events from cryodamage artifacts. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>We compared INRA96 (milk-based) and OviPlus (egg yolk-based) extenders for ram sperm stored at 4&deg;C over 96 hours using image-based flow cytometry (IBFC) and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Findings from this work provide the first zinc signature-based assessment of ram semen extenders and demonstrate that egg yolk-based formulations better protect ram spermatozoa against premature capacitation and oxidative damage during extended cooled storage. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>Using the porcine model, we evaluated 206 sperm parameters to determine which biomarkers best predict in vitro fertilization (IVF) cleavage success. Our results validate zinc signatures as actionable IVF outcome predictors and are being translated to bovine IVF systems, where preliminary trials with W4112 collaborators are underway. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>We performed LC-MS lipidomics paired with image-based flow cytometry on porcine spermatozoa under conditions of non-capacitated, capacitated, and capacitated with 2.0 mM zinc. Results from this work demonstrate that zinc ions stabilize over one-third of capacitation-associated lipid changes, with direct implications for understanding membrane competency for fertilization across mammalian species. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>Using the porcine model to establish proof-of-concept for anti-ferroptotic semen preservation strategies, we treated semen with ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL-3) and inhibitors (Ferrostatin-1, NAC) during 17&deg;C liquid storage. Ferrostatin-1 and NAC reduced nearly all stressed subpopulations below untreated baseline levels. This is the first report connecting the ferroptosis pathway to semen storage outcomes in any species. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>We evaluated the impact of sorting and catch media formulations on sperm motility, capacitation state, and viability using boar semen. Results demonstrate that sorting stress manifests with a delayed onset during capacitation, and that catch media composition is critical for maintaining post-sort sperm quality. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>Work to examine the impact of oral melatonin supplementation on fresh and post-thawed sperm traits as well as scrotal temperatures was performed. Melatonin supplementation from fall to winter had both acute and long-term impacts on sperm kinematic and flow cytometric parameters. Factors related to motility were improved without negatively affecting scrotal temperatures. <em>Mississippi</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</p><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Objective 2:&nbsp;</em></strong>Identify impacts of reproductive management, animal management, and stress on follicle recruitment, ovulation, corpus luteum function, and pregnancy.</p><br /> <ol start="21"><br /> <li>We have segregated yearling heifers according to their ability to attain puberty earlier or later in their first breeding season and have discovered blood markers that predict puberty attainment. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <ol start="22"><br /> <li>We have validated the use of sensor technology, based on accelerometers, to identify and quantify intensity of estrous behavior in beef cows. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> <li>We have collaborated with international partners to fine-tune the use of blood markers to diagnose early pregnancy status in cattle. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> <li>We have evaluated the effects of extending CIDR insertion from 7 to 8 or 9 days on follicular dynamics, estrous expression, and pregnancy per AI in beef cows. Results suggest that extended progesterone exposure alters follicular development and may reduce fertility in some animals, particularly those with smaller dominant follicles. <em>Missouri</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to determine the effect of melengestrol acetate (MGA) and CIDR treatments, together with corpus luteum Color blood-flow Doppler ultrasonography, on early re-insemination of beef heifers have been performed. Preliminary results suggest that resynchronization of heifers using a 7-d CIDR treatment, followed by Doppler ultrasonography at day 24 after the first AI, was more effective than the MGA treatment for early re-insemination of more heifers. <em>Missouri</em></li><br /> <li>Our work using gene co-expression network analysis demonstrates that there are distinct differences in granulosa cell signaling networks between heifers classified as Early and Non-Cycling. Moreover, the consistent patterns of expression observed in both heifers and cows support the idea that reproductive phenotypes established before puberty persist into adulthood. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>Heifers with excess ovarian androstenedione (A4) production exhibit early and persistent hematologic changes consistent with low-grade systemic inflammation, and whole blood indices, particularly, red blood cell-associated parameters, which may serve as early biomarkers for identifying High A4 females prior to breeding. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>Integrating pubertal classification and anogenital distance measures has allowed us to generate a ROC curve that may serve as a threshold to predict females with greater reproductive longevity and greater fertility. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>We recently observed that luteal cells exhibit features resembling senescence. Work from our group indicates that transforming growth factor-&beta; together with other signaling molecules produced by follicular cells may play a role in reprogramming granulosa cells to become senescent as the follicle develops and eventually become large luteal cells. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>We identified a novel follicle stimulating hormone receptor single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). The SNP is not associated with excess androgen females but instead is associated with females with greater birthweight and reduced weaning weight. We are determining if it segregates to delayed puberty females. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>We have determined that cows with high androstenedione have an altered theca cell transcriptome with increased androgen production, cell cycle arrest, and fibrosis in ovaries, exhibiting a PCOS-like phenotype. <em>Nebraska</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to identify proteins targeted by pregnancy induced ISGylaton in the ovine corpus luteum (CL) indicate that pregnancy activated type I interferon pathways and ISGylation in the CL. Most importantly, ISGylation appears to be targeting cholesterol synthesis, which may serve to stabilize steroidogenesis for sustained production of progesterone from the CL during pregnancy. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Research has been performed to assess the transcriptional response of ovine gonadotropes to estradiol. Results suggest that transcription factors downstream of insulin signaling, particularly FOXO1, may play a role in GNRH receptor and luteinizing hormone subunit beta (LHB) transcription. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to enrich gonadotropes from dissociated sheep pituitary cells using magnetic cell separation have been ongoing. Use of the cell surface marker calcium-activated potassium channel subunit alpha-1 (KCNMA1) resulted in an approximately 5-fold enrichment of gonadotropes as compared to no antibody controls. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Work to identify which population of neurons in the brainstem are activated during the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge found that no population of catecholamine neuron in the ovine brainstem was activated during the LH surge. Instead, we found other (non- catecholamine) cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract and the dorsal lateral medulla were activated. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Gestational mineral requirements are well-studied in cattle, however, there is limited research on the effects of supranutritional mineral supplementation to calf development. We found that calves derived from dams administered a supraphysiologic dose of trace minerals during mid-gestation were heavier at birth and bulls derived from this treatment had sperm with greater progressive motility. <em>Montana</em></li><br /> <li>Despite the knowledge that exercise is beneficial for overall health, how maternal exercise indirectly benefits the fetus and/or placenta is not well understood. An ongoing study seeks to determine the effects of low intensity exercise during gestation on maternal health and fetal-placental growth. <em>Kentucky</em></li><br /> <li>We have investigated luteal responses to prostaglandin F₂&alpha; before and after maternal recognition of pregnancy and assessed endocrine and molecular changes associated with luteal maintenance. These studies supported a re-evaluation of classical paradigms regarding pregnancy maintenance, particularly the role of conceptus-derived interferon tau beyond its traditional function. <em>Ohio</em></li><br /> <li>Research has been performed to assess the efficacy of supplemental progesterone as a strategy to enhance fetal and placental growth in sheep. Collectively, data from our work demonstrate that sustained, producer-friendly P4 supplementation via use of an intravaginal CIDR device can enhance fetal growth and drive organ-specific developmental changes. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>We have worked to characterize the relationship between reproductive microbiota and estradiol at ovulation in beef cattle and the relationship with fertility/conceptus growth. Minimal effects of estradiol were observed, but shifts in microbiota were observed across different gestational days and results suggest conceptus-derived factors may play a role. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts have been made to assess the relationship between feed efficiency and reproductive measures in beef heifers. Heifers were submitted to a feed efficiency trial and subsequently categorized as average, efficient or inefficient. No effect of feed efficiency category was observed for the reproductive traits measured. <em>Idaho</em></li><br /> <li>Artificial insemination (AI), pregnancy detection, pelvic measurements and other reproductive technologies are used by less than 38% of the beef operations in the US. Extension efforts devoted to training ranchers in performing reproductive technologies have continued, including hosting two to three AI and ultrasound workshops annually. <em>Idaho</em></li><br /> <li>We have performed research to assess the effects of microplastics on preantral bovine follicles. Microplastics demonstrated limited penetrative capacity in bovine preantral follicles during a 24-h in vitro exposure and appear to accumulate primarily within the follicular basement membrane. There were also no detectable changes in mitochondrial activity. <em>California</em></li><br /> <li>We are using a novel approach to address fetal growth restriction due to placental insufficiency, which is to directly provide a balanced mixture of oxygen and glucose to the fetus. Our results indicate this approach can reverse impacts of fetal growth restriction. <em>Arizona</em></li><br /> <li>Work has been performed to determine the impact of in utero exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine on dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of brains of neonatal boars. Results indicate that in utero exposure to atrazine causes a depletion in tyrosine hydroxylase expressing neurons in the VTA of juvenile boars. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <ol start="46"><br /> <li>Efforts to assess the effect of semen type on embryo development and pregnancy establishment after timed artificial insemination (TAI) or fresh embryo transfer (ET) in multiparous Holstein cows have been ongoing. Interactions between semen type and service type (i.e., TAI and ET) affected pregnancy rate and pregnancy loss. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We hypothesized that balancing essential amino acids (AAs) in the diet of lactating dairy cows would improve pregnancy outcomes and modulate uterine gene expression. Pregnancy rates did not differ between diets, but findings demonstrate that balancing AAs remodeled the uterine transcriptome across immune, metabolic, and reproductive gene networks. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We contributed sperm quality assessments (Image based flow cytometry zinc signatures, CASA motility) to a study of 44 half-sibling yearling beef bulls fed at moderate or high planes of nutrition for 114 days. Results demonstrate that overnutrition during the peri-pubertal period can induce metabolic dysregulation that impairs semen quality. <em>Iowa</em></li><br /> <li>The effects of third-trimester melatonin supplementation on the growth, development, and behavior of Angus beef calves was evaluated. Melatonin decreased heart and abdominal girths without altering other growth metrics, confirming localized changes, but increased post-weaning behavioral reactivity, suggesting stress response alterations requiring further research. <em>Mississippi</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</p><br /> <p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><em>Objective 3:&nbsp;</em></strong>Determine mechanisms regulating normal embryo development, pregnancy establishment, and maintenance by exploring maternal and paternal factors; including genomics, immune responses, fetal programming, and conceptus/uterine signaling.</p><br /> <ol start="50"><br /> <li>We have identified changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance in the uterine lumen during the second week of the estrous cycle. These changes may be associated with developing milestones of the embryo. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <ol start="51"><br /> <li>We have discovered changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance in the uterine lumen, expression of molecular markers in blood cells (such as ISG15) and abundance of endocrine markers in the blood (such as PAGs) that are associated with pregnancy outcome to embryo transfer and ability of individual cows to retain pregnancy. <em>Florida</em></li><br /> <li>We have tested the ability of uterine cells from cows to grow in culture and to respond to pregnancy and immune signals. We determined that cows with a lower ability to retain pregnancies have an exacerbated response to inflammatory signals (such as LPS). <em>Florida</em></li><br /> </ol><br /> <ol start="53"><br /> <li>We previously reported that shearing fall-bred pregnant ewes on day 50 of gestation improves umbilical blood flow and fetal development. Our recent efforts indicate that shearing plays a role in placental gene expression, potentially contributing to the phenotypical effects previously reported. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>Lambs born from multiple pregnancies (i.e., twins and triplets) have generally lower birth weights than singletons. Recent work evaluating umbilical blood flow during mid-gestation indicates there is no difference between singletons and triplets. Twins might have a hemodynamic advantage, but this does not translate into similar lamb or placental weights. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to evaluate effects of maternal diet on offspring performance suggest that the immune system of calves can be programmed prior to birth based on optimization of the dam&rsquo;s protein intake. <em>South Dakota</em></li><br /> <li>Research focused on determining the effects of administration of the chemokine ligand CXCL12 at the time of embryo transfer in sheep provide preliminary evidence that modulation of CXCL12 signaling represents a novel strategy to improve reproductive outcomes. <em>New Mexico</em></li><br /> <li>Our work focused on understanding the role of CXCL12/CXCR4 in early placental functional development. We determined that CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling is not required for conceptus attachment but is important for coordinated development of vascular, immune, and metabolic pathways during early placentation in sheep. <em>New Mexico</em></li><br /> <li>The insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R), a maternally expressed gene, is downregulated in overgrowth because of in-vitro embryo production (IVP). Results from work evaluating the effects of IVP on IGF signaling suggest that IVP affects IGF-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling in a tissue-specific manner and alters the relation of some proteins with fetal weight. We are designing a machine learning model to predict fetal weight in a sex-specific manner. <em>Missouri</em></li><br /> <li>We have conducted research to investigate the enrichment of fertility-specific quantitative trait loci (QTL) within regulatory regions of the genes within the bovine placenta at single-cell resolution across different gestational time points. <em>Washington</em></li><br /> <li>Disruptions in placental development can lead to pregnancy failure, making it essential to identify key conserved mechanisms that support pregnancy. We have identified cell types and gene expression dynamics in the post-implantation placenta of sheep and cattle to identify conserved mechanisms contributing to pregnancy success in ruminants. <em>Washington</em></li><br /> <li>We have integrated single-cell transcriptomic atlases from mature bovine placenta and mid-gestation human placenta to characterize conserved and divergent placental cell populations and gene expression dynamics. Comparative analysis revealed strong conservation of immune cell types and transcriptional profiles between species, whereas trophoblast populations exhibited marked divergence in gene expression, consistent with known species-specific placental morphologies. <em>Washington</em></li><br /> <li>Although morphological and histological differences exist in placentae across species, gene expression dynamics have not yet been compared at single-cell resolution. Work from our group reveals that in addition to morphological differences, there are also underlying molecular differences in cell types and gene expression dynamics between bovine and human placentae. <em>Washington</em></li><br /> <li>While immune cell involvement in placentation and pregnancy loss has been studied more extensively in humans, limited information exists in cattle. Recent efforts have sought to comparatively analyze the gene expression profiles of immune cells in the bovine placenta at single-cell resolution. <em>Washington</em></li><br /> <li>We hypothesized that epigenetic alterations observed in the splenic tissue of fetuses persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea (BVDV) at gestational day 245 would persist in the postnatal period. Analysis revealed 8367 differentially methylated sites contained within genes associated with the immune and cardiac system, as well as hematopoiesis. <em>Colorado</em></li><br /> <li>Ongoing research efforts aim to understand how the type of semen extender used impacts bull fertility by evaluating how differences in the metabolome, lipidome, and proteome relate to sperm fitness as quantified by flow cytometry. <em>Montana</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to assess the consequences of biological extremes in uterine crowding in pigs have been ongoing. Using surgical approaches to create either undercrowded or overcrowded pregnancies, we have found that uterine crowding drastically alters neonatal phenotypes. <em>Kentucky</em></li><br /> <li>Maternal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during gestation is concerning due to the potential for adverse developmental programming of the fetus. We have sought to assess the effects of gestational exposure of biosolids (a source of a complex mixture of EDCs) on placental function in ewes. <em>Kentucky</em></li><br /> <li>Research from our group has focused on defining mechanisms of conceptus&ndash;maternal communication that regulate embryonic development, implantation timing, and pregnancy establishment in cattle. Using integrated in vivo and molecular approaches, our group investigated how variation in conceptus developmental capacity influences trophoblast differentiation, uterine receptivity, and placental function. <em>Ohio</em></li><br /> <li>We have performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on embryos at different developmental stages from PRAMEY antibody-treated and rabbit IgG control groups. Integration of WGBS and RNA-seq datasets is underway to examine correlations between DNA methylation and gene expression and to test our hypothesis that PRAMEY regulates early embryo development through epigenetic mechanisms. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>Using a novel sheep model carrying a loss-of-function mutation in tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) we have sought to develop insights into placental phosphate availability. Collectively, our findings indicate that while TNSALP contributes to phosphate metabolism, its deficiency does not limit phosphate availability at the tissue level due to compensatory regulatory mechanisms. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>We have characterized the spatiotemporal expression of calcium and vitamin D regulatory molecules in bovine tissues collected from Day 46 to 136 of gestation. Our results demonstrate dynamic, tissue-specific regulation of calcium- and vitamin D&ndash;related pathways at the maternal&ndash;fetal interface. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>Work has been performed to characterize temporal changes in phosphate abundance, TNSALP activity (tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase), and the expression and localization of TNSALP in bovine fetal fluids and utero-placental tissues during early- to mid-gestation. Results demonstrate dynamic, gestation-dependent regulation of TNSALP and support a role for this enzyme in modulating phosphate availability at the maternal&ndash;fetal interface in cattle. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>We have investigated the temporal changes in phosphate concentrations and the potential role of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) and its co-receptor klotho (KL) in cattle. Results from this work support the presence of localized and gestation-dependent regulatory mechanisms controlling phosphate availability and suggest that FGF23 and KL signaling may contribute to regulation of phosphate dynamics during pregnancy. <em>Pennsylvania</em></li><br /> <li>Our group performed work to localize immune markers are the bovine utero-placental interface during early gestation. This study is one of the first to identify cell-type specific protein localization at bovine implantation sites on gestational days 20, 26, and 32 for ISG15 and TLR4. <em>Texas</em></li><br /> <li>We have conducted studies aimed at exploring mechanisms by which cotyledonary villi invade caruncles to form placentomes in sheep. The work has identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are upregulated in caruncles during the initial invasion of cotyledonary villus invasion. <em>Maryland</em></li><br /> <li>We are investigating how early placentomes develop in cows. The work has identified a novel population of trophoblast that lines the caruncular crypts of placentomes in cows. <em>Maryland</em></li><br /> <li>Utilizing single-cell sequencing, we have characterized the transcriptomic profiles of fetal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from control and placental insufficiency-induced fetal growth restricted (PI-FGR) sheep at the single-cell level. Our data indicate that the shifted PBMC populations in PI-FGR fetuses may contribute to fetal endothelial dysfunction observed in PI-FGR fetal sheep through dysregulated PBMCs-endothelial cell interactions. <em>Arizona</em></li><br /> <li>We hypothesized that betaine supplementation would alleviate the negative effects of maternal nutrient restriction in sheep. Overall, maternal nutrient restriction altered fetal muscle development and liver antioxidant capacity, with betaine supplementation providing partial, tissue specific responses, highlighting the need for further study of betaine as a targeted nutritional intervention during maternal nutrient restriction. <em>Connecticut</em></li><br /> <li>Work from our group also evaluated the effects of maternal nutrient restriction and betaine supplementation on fetal muscle growth in sheep. Findings from this work demonstrate that maternal nutrient restriction alters fetal muscle cellularity in a muscle specific manner. While maternal betaine supplementation did not fully reverse the effects of nutrient restriction, it could potentially play a modulatory role. <em>Connecticut</em></li><br /> <li>Efforts to determine the role of the membrane associated progesterone receptor, PGRMC1, in bovine embryo development have been ongoing. Using a CRISR/Cas9 approach we have determined that zygotic ablation of <em>PGRMC1</em> impairs bovine embryo development in vitro and alters cell allocation and differentiation in the resulting blastocysts. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Experiments were performed to assess the role of casein kinase 1 delta (CK1&delta;) and epsilon (CK1&epsilon;) in regulating the expression of the long non-coding RNA rhabdomyosarcoma 2-associated transcript (Rmst) in the murine female reproductive tract. The observed pattern of Rmst expression in the early postnatal uterus and oviduct suggests that it may regulate development of these tissues, and that it is molecularly ordered downstream of CK1&delta;/&epsilon; <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Prior work from our group demonstrated that conditional ablation of progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (Pgrmc1) and/or Pgrmc2 or conditional overexpression of Pgrmc1 resulted in subfertility that progressed to premature reproductive senescence. Recent efforts have further identified disrupted PGRMC homeostasis in transient ovarian somatic cells (peri-ovulatory granulosa and large luteal cells) as a driver of accelerated premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and ovarian aging through the demise of the primordial follicle pool and deterioration of the somatic compartment. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>We performed fate-mapping studies to demonstrate the transition of simple cuboid and secretory glandular epithelial cells into barrier functioning luminal epithelial cells during uterine tissue regeneration that follows parturition in mice. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Interferon-stimulated gene-15 is an evolutionarily conserved embryo-induced protein expressed in female reproductive and placental tissues in all mammalian species studied to date; yet its exact functions remain elusive. Work from our group supports a dual role for embryo-induced uterine ISG15 in pregnancy where it likely functions intracellularly to modulate critical metabolic pathways tied to energy utilization, and extracellularly as a cytokine that regulates uterine natural killer cell activity. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>Using a lentiviral-based approach, we sought to determine if progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) influenced human endometrial cancer cell (Ishikawa) and xenograft tumor growth, angiogenesis and immune cell recruitment in immunocompromised mice. Collectively, our findings indicate that PGRMC1 is a novel target to prevent growth and progression of endometrial and breast cancer. <em>Wyoming</em></li><br /> <li>We have evaluated the effect of reduced concentrations of antioxidant-related essential amino acids on embryo development and reactive oxygen species abundance under normal, and heat shock (HS) conditions in vitro. Limiting antioxidant-related essential amino acids may enhance the embryo&rsquo;s resilience to heat-induced stress, potentially by modulating metabolic or stress-response pathways during early development. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> <li>We have investigated the impact of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and pyruvate supplementation on cumulus cell metabolic programming and oocyte lipid accumulation during in-vitro maturation. Our findings demonstrate that EGFR signaling and extracellular pyruvate concentrations modulate cumulus cell metabolism, influencing glucose transport, glycolytic flux, and fatty acid oxidation. <em>Wisconsin</em></li><br /> </ol>

Publications

<p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Publications</strong></p><br /> <p>Abdelhady, A. W., S. Winuthayanon, M. S. Ortega, A. M. Kelleher, and T. E. Spencer. 2026.</p><br /> <p>Directed differentiation of bovine trophoblast stem cells: A useful in vitro model for placenta</p><br /> <p>development. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 123:e2600783123.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2600783123">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2600783123</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Absalon-Medina, V. A., R. V. Sala, D. C. Pereira, V. C. Fricke, I. Devkota, Z. L. Bonomo, D. M. Fuego, M. McDonald, J. M. S&aacute;nchez, M. B. Rabaglino, A. Matsakas, A. Vourekas, X. Fu, R. M.</p><br /> <p>Rivera, P. Lonergan, P. J. Ross, and C. A. Simintiras. 2025. Amniotic fluid metabolic biomarkers of fetal physiology and pregnancy success. 2025. Biol. Reprod. 114:998-1017. <a href="https://doi:10.1093">https://doi:10.1093/biolre/ioaf236</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Andrade, J. P. N., R. R. Domingues, V. E. Gomez-Le&oacute;n, G. Madureira, L. C. Sartori, G. F. Grillo, M. Fosado, R. V. Sala, and M. C. Wiltbank. 2025. Delayed embryonic attachment, circulating pregnancy-associated glycoproteins, and pregnancy loss in heifer embryo recipients. Theriogenology. 247:117561. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117561">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117561</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Ashley R. L., M. Mullins, S. Salopek, K. Saucedo, E. Alvarez, M. Hunt, S. Baez, N. Kronlein, K. Valdez, L. Butler, and K. Ropp. 2026. CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling coordinates trophoblast, immune, vascular, and metabolic programming during early placentation in sheep. Biol. Reprod. (accepted).</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Bennett, A., C. C. Rocha, A. Waheed, F. S. Mesquita, T. S. Maia, M. L Haimon, Q. A. Hoorn,</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>Sagheer, C. J. Cuellar, H. Sultana, O. A. Ojeda-Rojas, R. L. Krisher, M. Rubessa, K. G. Pohler, P. J Hansen, P. Moriel, R. C. Chebel, and M. Binelli. 2025. Assessment and Prediction of Embryo Survival in Fertility-Classified Beef Cows. Theriogenology. 250:117560</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117560">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117560</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Binelli, M., M. C Lopez-Duarte, A. Gonella-Diaza, F. A. C. C. Silva, G. Pugliesi, T. Martins, and C. C. Rocha. 2025. Effectors and predictors of conceptus survival in cattle: What is next? Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 92:106939.<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2025.106939">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2025.106939</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Bishop, J. V., A. Guzeloglu, T. Scheller, J. J. Docheff, C. L. Gonzalez-Berrios, H. Van Campen,</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>M. Nett, A. L. Zezeski, T. W. Geary, W. W. Thatcher, and T. R. Hansen. 2025. Early</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>identification of bovine pregnancy status and embryonic mortality&dagger;. Biol. Reprod.</p><br /> <p>112(5):981&ndash;995. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf066">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf066</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Botigelli R. C., R. B. Arcanjo, C. Guiltinan, J. M. Smith, A. J. Morton, and A. C. Denicol .2026. Low oxygen environment alters transcripts related to energy metabolism without altering the pluripotency core of bovine embryonic stem cells. Biol. Open. 2026 Apr 28:062352. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.062352">https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.062352</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Brenner, M. A., R. S. Marques, C. J. Posbergh, A. L. Zezeski, T. W. Geary, and S. R. McCoski. 2025. Maternal injectable mineral administration effects on calf growth and reproductive parameters. Animals (Basel) 15(3):330. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030330">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030330</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Brown, W., M. Kuzniar, S. Retherford, B. Mitrisin, A. Ingols, J.-K. Tena, S. C. Sucheta, and J. Block. 2025. Effects of administration of a non-specific immunostimulant prior to mating on pregnancy establishment and fetal and placental development in mice. Biochem Biophys Rep. 44:102349. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.102349">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.102349</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Chasi, B., J. P. Andrade, P. L. J. Monteiro, B. Castro, E. Moreno, E. Anta, N. N. Ali, J. B.</p><br /> <p>Cole, M. C. Wiltbank, F. Pe&ntilde;agaricano, A. Z. Balboula, and M. S. Ortega. 2025. Association</p><br /> <p>of fertility traits with markers of oocyte competence in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci. 108, 12814-12823. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26726">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26726</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Chasi, B., M. M. Herlihy, M. Schmitt, J. B. Cole, A. Z. Balboula, M. C. Wiltbank, F.</p><br /> <p>Pe&ntilde;agaricano, and M. S. Ortega. 2026. Association of fertility traits with embryo</p><br /> <p>development and pregnancy establishment. Journal of Dairy Science. 109:5773&ndash;5785.</p><br /> <p><a href="http://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27730">http://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27730</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Chenchar, A., V. Mattos Pereira, A. Apte, B. D. Lyttle, A. E. Vaughn, T. Lehmann, J. R. Bardill, C. Zgheib, K. W. Liechty, K. C. S. Roballo, Z. Zhang, B. M. Alexander, and S. Nair. 2025. Targeting Cathepsin K to accelerate diabetic wound healing. ACS Pharmacol. Transl. Sci. 8(7):2258-2269. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00295">https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00295</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Clemens, M. S. and C. Stenhouse. 2026. Significant variation among gilts may limit the ability</p><br /> <p>to detect sex differences during the pre-implantation period. Front. Vet. Sci.13:1829423. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1829423">https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1829423</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Clemente L., C. Zhou, K. Chaiyakul, J. H. Adams, J. Jacobson, J. L. Austin, D. S Boeldt., I. M. Ong, and I.M. Bird. 2025. TNF but not VEGF induces secretion of multiple chemokines and cytokines by uterine artery endothelial cells - potential implications for preeclampsia. J. Mol. Endocrinol. 75(2):e250008. <a href="https://doi.org10.1530/JME-25-0008">https://doi.org10.1530/JME-25-0008</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Denicol A. C., and R. C. Botigelli. 2025. Dissecting the development of the early lineages and primordial germ cells in the bovine embryo. Anim. Reprod. 22(3):e20250098.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-ar2025-0098">https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-ar2025-0098</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Domingues, R. R., J. Fox, E. Day, M. C. Wiltbank, and L. L. Hernandez. 2025. Uterotropic response to the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac) is dependent on a functional serotonin transporter and circulating serotonin. Sci. Rep. 15:43555. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27477-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27477-w</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Chen, Z., F. J. Liu, Y. X. Cheng, P. F. Li, L. Zhang, M. R. Riggs, W.-S. Liu, and Z. Zhu. 2026. miR-374b-5p suppresses melanoma progression by targeting VEGFC to inhibit MAPK signaling and reprogram the tumor microenvironment. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27(6): 2854. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27062854">https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27062854</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Ehresmann, L. X., F. P. J. da-Silva-Junior, H. Baroody, G. D. Dotts, E. G. Kidwell, P. M.</p><br /> <p>Bonacim, J. V. Bishop, A. Guzeloglu, T. R. Hansen, and R. R. Domingues. 2026.</p><br /> <p>Progesterone supplementation in cattle hastens conceptus development and secretion of</p><br /> <p>pregnancy-associated glycoproteins. Biol. Reprod. <a href="https://doi.org10.1093/biolre/ioag088">https://doi.org10.1093/biolre/ioag088</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Fang, L., J. Teng, Q. Lin, Z. Bai, S. Liu, D. Guan, B. Li, Y. Gao, Y. Hou, M. Gong, Z. Pan, Y. Yu, E. Clark, J. Smith, K. Rawlik, R. Xiang, A. J. Chamberlain, M. E. Goddard, M. Littlejohn, G. Larson, D. E. MacHugh, J. F. O&rsquo;Grady, P. Sorensen, G. Sahana, M. Lund, Z. Jiang, X. Pan, W. Gong, H. Zhang, X. He, Y. Zhang, N. Gao, J. He, G. Yi, Y. Liu, P. Zhao, Y. Zhou, X. Wang, R. S. Young, C. Xia, H. Cheng, L. Ma, J. B. Cole, R. L. Baldwin, C. Li, C. P. Van Tassell, J. K. Lunney, W.-S. Liu, L. Guan, X. Zhao, E. Ibeagha-Awemu, O. Luo, L. Lin, O. Canela-Xandri, M. Derks, R. Crooijmans, M. Godia, O. Madsen, M. Groenen, J. E. Koltes, C. K. Tuggle, F. M. McCarthy, D. Rocha, M. Amills, A. Clop, M. Ballester, G. Tosser-Klopp, J. Li, C. Fang, M. Fang, Q. Wang, Z. Hou, F. Zhao, L. Jiang, G. Zhao, Z. Zhou, R. Zhou, H. Liu, M. Li, D. Mo, X. Liu, Y. Chen, X. Yuan, J. Li, S. Zhao, X. Ding, D. Sun, H. Sun, C. Li, Y. Jiang, D. Wu, W. Wang, X. Fan, Q. Zhang, K. Li, N. Yang, X. Hu, and G. Liu. 2025. The Farm Animal Genotype-Tissue Expression</p><br /> <p>(FarmGTEx) Project. Nat. Genet. 57: 786&ndash;796. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02121-5">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02121-5</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Feltrin, I.R., G.D. Melo, P.P Freitas, K.G. Morelli, M. Binelli, C.M.B Membrive, and G. Pugliesi. 2025. Conceptus signaling markers in immune cells enhance pregnancy prediction in beef cattle. Sci. Rep. 15:17548. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01996-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01996-y</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Fike, K., A. Hartman, and D. Grieger. 2025. Impact of concurrent enrollment in animal reproduction laboratory and lecture courses. NACTA J. 69:97-102. <a href="https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj.v69i1.170">https://doi.org/10.56103/nactaj.v69i1.170</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Fontes, P. L. P., D. B. Davis, L. Melo-Goncalves, S. Burato, M. S. Smith, A. Stelzleni, F. F.</p><br /> <p>Fluharty, R. L. Stewart, R. F. Cooke, J. J. Bromfield, A. Else-Keller, K. Kerns, L. Strickland,</p><br /> <p>and S. M. Zoca. 2026. Overnutrition induced metabolic dysregulation and partially decreased</p><br /> <p>semen quality in young beef bulls. J. Anim. Sci. 104:skag004. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag004">https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag004</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Frizzarini, W. S., P. L. J. Monteiro, J. P. Nascimento Andrade, A. L. Vang, T. O. Cunha, A. D. Beard, R. R. Domingues, M. K. Connelly, H. P. Fricke, M. C. Wiltbank, and L. L. Hernandez. 2026. The physiological effects of induced prepartum subclinical hypocalcemia in multiparous Holstein cows. J Dairy Sci. 109(4):4604-4618. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27370">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27370</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Garcia-Oliveros, L. N., A. R. Bozzi, T. O. C. Silva, F. B. Nascimento, T. R. Oliveira, E. L.</p><br /> <p>Miguel, M. B. R. Alves, R. B. Rangel, A. F. C. Andrade, R. P. Arruda, K. Kerns, and E. C.</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>Celeghini. 2025. Phosphatidylserine translocation, cholesterol spatial distribution, and</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>acrosome reaction reliably distinguish sperm capacitation from cryoinjury in bovine sperm.</p><br /> <p>Cryobiology. 121:105302. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cryobiol.2025.105302">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cryobiol.2025.105302</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Guzeloglu, A., J. V. Bishop, H. M. Georges, H. E. Braun, N. G. Menjivar, M. A. Marquez, T. R.</p><br /> <p>Hansen, and J. P. Barfield. 2026a. Identification of transcriptome markers associated with</p><br /> <p>in vitro bovine embryo quality in single embryos and biopsies&dagger;. Biol. Reprod.</p><br /> <p>114(2):531&ndash;542. <a href="https://doi.org10.1093/biolre/ioaf260">https://doi.org10.1093/biolre/ioaf260</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Guzeloglu, A., J. V. Bishop, H. Van Campen, J. S. Davis, G. Diaz, and T. R. Hansen. 2026b.</p><br /> <p>Identification of ovine proteins targeted by pregnancy-induced ISGylation and inference</p><br /> <p>on function I: Endometrium&dagger;. Biol. Reprod. iaog067 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag067">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag067</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Halloran, K. M., N. Saadat, B. Pallas, A. K. Vyas, and V. Padmanabhan. 2025. Exploratory</p><br /> <p>analysis of differences at the transcriptional interface between the maternal and fetal</p><br /> <p>compartments of the sheep placenta and potential influence of fetal sex. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol.</p><br /> <p>603:112546. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2025.112546">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2025.112546</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Halloran, K. M., and C. Stenhouse. 2025. Key biochemical pathways during pregnancy in</p><br /> <p>livestock: mechanisms regulating uterine and placental development and function. Reprod. Fertil. 6(3):e250056. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0056">https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0056</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Han, B., H. Li, W. Zheng, Q. Zhang, A. Chen, S. Zhu, T. Shi, F. Wang, D. Zou, Y. Song, W. Ye, A. Du, Y. Fu, M. Jia, Z. Bai, Z. Yuan, W.-S. Liu, W. Tao, J. Hope, D. E. MacHugh, J. F. O&rsquo;Grady, O. Madsen, G. Sahana, Y. Luo, L. Lin, C.-J. Li, Z. Cai, B. Li, J. Huang, L. Liu, Z. Zhang, Z. Ma, Y. Hou, G. E. Liu, Y. Jiang, H.-Z. Sun, L. Fang, and D. Sun. 2025a. A multi-tissue single-cell expression atlas in cattle. Nat. Genet. 57: 2546&ndash;2561.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02329-5">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02329-5</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Han, D.P., Y.Y Zhang, X. Yang, W. D. Deng, J. F. Chen, G. Y. Hua, H. Darwish, H. M. Mao, X. Gou, J. K. Wang, K. Cui, Y. H. Ma, Y. R. Tai, X. G. Dong, Y. Z. Yao, Z. Yang, W.-S. Liu, Z. G. Yu, and X. M. Deng. 2025b. FRRS1L variants and ferriheme overload drive hyperpigmentation and systemic iron overload in Lanping black bone sheep. Cell Biosci. 15:87. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-025-01426-6">https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-025-01426-6</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Helbus, A. M., M. S. Clemens, S. R. Yankocy, S.R. and C. Stenhouse. 2025. Producer knowledge and application of mineral supplementation in sheep farming systems. Front. Vet.</p><br /> <p>Sci. 12: 1694107. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1694107">https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1694107</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Johnson, G. A., T. Minela, H. Seo, F. W. Bazer, R. C. Burghardt, G. Wu, K. G. Pohler, C. Stenhouse, J. W. Cain, Z. K. Seekford, and D. R. Soffa. 2025. Conceptus elongation,</p><br /> <p>implantation, and early placental development in species with central implantation: pigs,</p><br /> <p>sheep, and cows. Biomolecules. 15(7):1037. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15071037">https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15071037</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Joshi, H., B. Bernard, C. Lemley, Z. Wang, and P. Fan. 2025. Unveiling the rumen-</p><br /> <p>microbiome-brain circuit: a unique dimension of gut-brain axis in ruminants. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 16:159. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01289-4">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-025-01289-4</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kathuria, S., A. Gupta, A.R. Tracy, R.I Luna Ramirez, S.K. Thulasingam, N. Zaghloul, M.</p><br /> <p>Ahmed, S.W. Limesand (2025). Systemic inflammatory responses to repeated and</p><br /> <p>increasing endotoxin challenges in fetal sheep. Physiol. Rep.13(8):e70316. <a href="https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70316">https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70316</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kawaida M. Y., A. S. Reiter, N. M. Tillquist, B. I. Smith, D.A. Alambarrio, J. M. Gonzalez, S. N. Royko, M. A. Brown, S. R. Re, K. E. Govoni, S. A. Zinn, and S. A. Reed. 2026. Poor maternal diet during gestation alters offspring muscle morphometrics, collagen gene expression, and meat tenderness in sheep. Animals (Basel). 16(3):486. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16030486">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16030486</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Keller, A., E. Keller, M. Vorwald, J. T. Selsby, G. Perry, and K. Kerns. 2026. Comparative</p><br /> <p>proteomic analysis of bovine spermatozoa before and after cryopreservation. Front Anim</p><br /> <p>Sci. 7:1781535. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2026.1781535">https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2026.1781535</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kern, C. and W.-S. Liu. 2025. PRAMEY enhances sperm&ndash;egg binding and modulates</p><br /> <p>epigenetic dynamics in bovine embryogenesis. Cell Tissue Res. 401:83&ndash;94.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-025-03975-1">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-025-03975-1</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kidwell, E. C. G. Hubbard, F. P. J. da Silva, A. Garcia-Guerra, R. R. Domingues. 2026. Elevated prostaglandin F2 alpha after the period of embryonic secretion of interferon tau is due to upregulation of uterine synthesis machinery for prostaglandin F2 alpha. Theriogenology. 251(1):117734. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117734">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117734</a>.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kincade, J. N., T. E. Engle, M. Henao-Tamayo, J. M. Eder, E. M. McDonald, D. M. Deines, B.</p><br /> <ol start="441"><br /> <li>Wright, D. Murtazina, J. V. Bishop, T. R. Hansen, and H. Van Campen. 2025a. Postnatal epigenetic differences in calves following transient fetal infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus. BMC Genomics 26(1):441. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11562-5">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11562-5</a></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Kincade, J. N., D. A. Murtazina, H. M. Georges, C. L. Gonzalez-Berrios, J. V. Bishop, T. E.</p><br /> <p>Engle, M. Henao-Tamayo, J. M. Eder, E. M. McDonald, D. M. Deines, B. M. Wright, H. Van Campen, and T. R. Hansen. 2025b. Postnatal Epigenetic Alterations in Calves Persistently Infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus. Viruses 17(5):708. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/v17050708">https://doi.org/10.3390/v17050708</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Leavitt, M.L., A.L. Patterson, Amanda., M.D. Wagle, W.C. Warren, T.E. Spencer, and K.M. 2025. Davenport. Cross-species identification of conserved cell-type specific mechanisms during early placenta development in ruminants. Sci. Rep. 15:45435</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29895-2">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-29895-2</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Li, Y., A. Goldkamp, P. Xao, F. Boadu, J. Cheng, D. Hagen, J. Kalish, and R.M. Rivera. 2025. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and large offspring syndrome involve alterations in methylome, transcriptome, and chromatin configuration. NAR Mol. Med. 2:ugaf036. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/narmme/ugaf036">https://doi.org/10.1093/narmme/ugaf036</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Li, X., Y. Quan, D. Li, Y. Wang, T. Yuan, M. Cao, Y. Jiang, M. F. L. Derks, W.-S. Liu, and T. Yu. 2025. PSVRP: A pig structural variant reference panel for complex trait genomics</p><br /> <p>and precision breeding. BMC Genomics. 26:1073. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-12273-7">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-12273-7</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Lindner, E.E., J. Bonney-King, C.M. Burner, P.D. Krawczel, J.J. Bromfield, J.H.J. Bittar,</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>Martins, and E.K. Miller-Cushon. 2025. Long-term effects of preweaning social housing on</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>growth and reproductive development of dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 108:10023-36. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25946">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25946</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Macay, G. A., T. D. Gonzalez, Z. K. Seekford, R. Ramirez-Hernandez, P. C. C. Molinari, M. J. Dickson, B. R. Harstine, J. Block, and J. J. Bromfield. 2026. Seminal plasma alters the endometrium during early embryo development in cattle. Biol Reprod. ioag015. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag015">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag015</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Magee, C., J. E. Kouri, B. D. Cherrington, J. D. Cantlon, D. A. Murtazina, T. A. Farmerie, M. H.</p><br /> <p>Davidsen, T. M. Nett, and C. M. Clay. 2025. Evidence for divergent endocrine regulation of the murine and ovine GnRH receptor gene promoters. Front. Endocrinol. (Lausanne) 16:1597028. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1597028">https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1597028</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Mahmood, M., T. Weide, and K. Kerns. 2026. Ferroptosis contributes to boar sperm</p><br /> <p>deterioration during liquid semen storage. Front Vet Sci. 13:1816003.</p><br /> <p><a href="http://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1816003">http://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1816003</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Maia, A. S. C., J. B Hall, H. F. M. Milan, and I. A. M. A. Teixeira. 2026. AI-based</p><br /> <p>framework to predict animal and pen feed intake in feedlot beef cattle. Smart Agric. Technol. 14: 102090. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2026.102090">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2026.102090</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Maldonado, M. B. C., C. B. Lima, M. Oudihat, J. Block, M. Sagheer, C. J. Cuellar, F. Yu, Y. Zhang, M. L. J. Haimon, J. J. Bromfield, M.-A. Sirard, and P. J. Hansen. 2026. Alterations in gene expression and DNA methylation in the bovine blastocyst in response to choline supplementation during culture&dagger;. Biol Reprod. ioag013. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag013">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag013</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>McDonald, K. S., J. N. Drum, J. G. N. Moraes, C. Melton, O. A. Ojeda-Rojas, M. Venturini,</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>M. Gonella-Diaza, R. S. Prather, and M. S. Ortega. 2025a. Effect of FGF2, LIF, IGF1</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>supplementation on pregnancy success following embryo transfer of in vitro derived</p><br /> <p>embryos. Theriogenology. 245:117533. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117533">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117533</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>McDonald, K. S., R. S. Prather, and M. S. Ortega. 2025b. Cytokine supplementation</p><br /> <p>influences bovine embryo transcriptome during the preimplantation period. Reprod Fertil. 6(4): e250011. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0011">https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0011</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Messman, R. D., R. M. Swanson, S. G. Shanmugam, and C. O. Lemley. 2025. Evaluating the</p><br /> <p>inoculating bacterial communities within the bovine neonatal respiratory tract after</p><br /> <p>applying an ablation technique to the dam vaginal microbiota prior to parturition. J Anim Sci. 103:skaf302. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf302">https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf302</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Morais A. N. P., K. A. Hyde, A. L. Concei&ccedil;&atilde;o-Santos, L. Engelman, M. O. Gastal, J. B. Graceli, A. C. Denicol, and E. L. Gastal. 2026. Evaluation of mechanical isolation techniques for efficient harvesting of bovine preantral follicles. Reproduction. 171(4):xaag020. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaag020">https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaag020</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Moreno, E. S., B. Castro, and M. S. Ortega. 2026. Cost-effective strategies for long-term</p><br /> <p>bovine trophectoderm cell culture. Zygote. 34:98-104. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S096719942610046X">https://doi.org/10.1017/S096719942610046X</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Newman, M.L., V.A.B. Primo, M.B.U Marin, P.M.G Peixoto, T.D. Gonzalez, A. Bennett, C.C. Rocha, M. Binelli, J.V. Bishop, A. Guzeloglu, T.R. Hansen, W.W. Thatcher, and R.S. Bisinotto. 2025. Interferon-tau concentration at the vaginal fornix and cervical ostium predicted early pregnancy outcomes in lactating dairy cows&dagger;. Biol. Reprod. 114:1045-1057.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf251">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf251</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Paez Hurtado, S. A., L. P. Sanglard, A. Ferreira Machado, M. S. Ortega, E. Moreno, S. E. F.</p><br /> <p>Guimar&atilde;es, J. D. Drouillard, M. J. Brouk, and V. E. Gomez-Leon. 2026. Lower omega-6&ndash;</p><br /> <p>omega-3 ratio increased milk production and had limited effects on early pregnancy</p><br /> <p>development in dairy cattle. Animals. 16:395. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16030395">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16030395</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Pontifex T., X. Yang, A. Tracy, Z. Craig, and C. Zhou. 2025. Prenatal exposure to environmentally relevant low-dosage dibutyl phthalate reduces placental efficiency in CD-1 mice. Toxicol. Sci. 206(1):86-95. https:/doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfaf050</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Poole, RK. External factors influencing reproductive tract microbiota in cattle. 2026. Reprod Fertil Dev. 38(1):RD25165. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/RD25165">https://doi.org/10.1071/RD25165</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rajput, S., B. Littlejohn, Z. E. Contreras-Correa, H. El Daous, D. Sidelinger, H. King, M.</p><br /> <p>Arick, and C. Lemley. 2025. Maternal melatonin supplementation modulates placental DNA</p><br /> <p>methylation and gene expression in nutrient-restricted cattle. Int J Mol Sci. 26:11387. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311387">https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311387</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rashid, M.H., A. Martelo Pereira, F.N.S. Pereira, M.C. Oliveira Costa, E.F.Santos, L. Christensen, J.A. Sexton, M. Ciccarelli, L.B. Williams, M. Binelli, M.S. Waqas, E.B. de Oliveira, and C.C. Figueiredo. 2026. Assessing long-term changes in endometrial morphology and functionality in dairy cows with metritis. Reprod. Domest. Anim. (accepted).</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Read, J., A. Bosco, F. Martinez, D. Stern, T. Carr, A. Spangenberg, M. Yang, R. Luna-</p><br /> <p>Ramirez, S. Guerra, W. Morgan, A. Binder, J. VanWormer, C. Seroogy, R. Miller, E. M.</p><br /> <p>Zoratti, C. Ober, D. Jackson, S. W. Limesand, D. Gold, and J. Gern. 2026. Multicohort</p><br /> <p>analysis unveils axon guidance pathways linking small for gestational age to spirometric</p><br /> <p>restriction. Nat. Commun. 17:5952. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72490-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72490-w</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Retherford, S. A., K. L. Woodruff, B. R. Harstine, D. K. Dittoe, and J. Block. 2026. The bull reproductive microbiome: a comparative analysis of microbial communities within semen and organs of the bull reproductive system&dagger;. Biol Reprod. 114:1343&ndash;1358. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag025">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag025</a>.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rocha, C.C., M.B.C. Maldonado, F.S. Mesquita, A. Bennett, A. Waheed, G.R. Mendina, G.L. Dasqueve, F.A.C.C. Silva, M.F.G. Nogueira, A.D. Ealy, T.R. Hansen, and M. Binelli. 2026. Fertility classification of the cow and peri-estrus sex-steroid hormones is associated with endometrial epithelial cell responses to conceptus and inflammatory signals. Cell Tissue Res. 403:32. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-026-04058-5">https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-026-04058-5</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rocha, C.C., A .B. Montevecchio, A. Bennett, A. Waheed, M. Mazziotta, T.S. Maia, M.L.</p><br /> <p>Haimon, Q.A. Hoorn, M. Sagheer, C.J. Cuellar, O.A. Ojeda-Rojas, R.L. Krisher, M. Rubessa, K.G. Pohler, P.J. Hansen, P. Moriel, R.C. Chebel, and M. Binelli. 2025a. Relationships between activity monitoring device data and ovarian, uterine, hormonal, and pregnancy variables in beef cows. Theriogenology. 235:64&ndash;74. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.01.001">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.01.001</a>.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rocha, C. C., F. A. C. C. Silva, L. Cavani, A. L. L. Cordeiro, M. B. C. Maldonado, A.</p><br /> <p>Bennett, A. Waheed, M. Campbell, K. G. Pohler, F. Pe&ntilde;agaricano, and M. Binelli. 2025b. Endometrial Gene Expression Predicts Pregnancy Outcome in Brahman Cows. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 92:e70047. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.70047">https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.70047</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Rodriguez, I., A. Keller, L. Jennett, M. Johnson, I. Shofner, M. Mahmood, B. Redel, and K.</p><br /> <p>Kerns. 2026. Capacitation-induced zinc ion flux and sperm plasma membrane remodeling</p><br /> <p>predict porcine in vitro fertilization cleavage success. Mol Reprod Dev. 93:e70085.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.70085">https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.70085</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Sah, N., C. Stenhouse, K. M. Halloran, R. M. Moses, M. G. Newton, H. Seo, J. W. Cain, C. M.</p><br /> <p>Lefevre, G. A. Johnson, G. Wu, and F. W. Bazer. 2025. Effect of gestational age and fetal sex on</p><br /> <p>metabolism of creatine by uteri, placentae, and fetuses of pigs. Biol. Reprod. 112:728&ndash;742.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf015">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf015</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Schoelerman, E. R., T. J. Weide, and K. C. Kerns. 2026. Evaluation of milk-based and egg-</p><br /> <p>based semen extenders for extended storage of ram semen at 4&deg;C. Transl Anim Sci.</p><br /> <p>10:txag018. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txag018">https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txag018</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Seekford, Z. K., A. Tariq, M. L. J. Haimon, Q. A. Hoorn, G. A. Macay, Y. Zhai, J. Block, M. B.</p><br /> <p>Rabaglino, K. C. Jeong, P. J. Hansen, and J. J. Bromfield. 2026. Induced uterine infection alters bovine endometrial function and embryonic competence. Reproduction. 171:xaaf027.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaaf027">https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaaf027</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Shofner, I. J., K. Mills, T. Weide, M. W. Breitzman, and K. Kerns. 2026. Zinc regulation of</p><br /> <p>lipidome remodeling during boar sperm capacitation. J Anim Sci. 104:skag009. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag009">https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skag009</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Shyamkumar, T.S., M.A. Vasquez-Hidalgo, and V.V. Pillai. 2026. Derivation of primed sheep</p><br /> <p>embryonic stem cells and conversion to an intermediate na&iuml;ve-like state., Biol. Reprod. ioag078, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag078">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioag078</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Silva-Junior, F. da, I. M. R. Leao, M. S. El Azzi, M. M. Valarezo, D. Ponce Aguilar, T. O. Cunha, C. G. Hubbard, J. Branen, R. R. Domingues, J. P. N. Martins. 2026. Trophoblast differentiation and embryonic development are delayed in lactating cows compared to nulliparous heifers. J Dairy Sci. 109(4):4574-4585. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27559">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27559</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Soffa, D. R., K. J. Hickman, J. W. Cain, J. A. Spencer, R. K. Poole. 2025. Vaginal microbiota and circulating interferon-stimulated genes in lactating dairy cows during maternal recognition of pregnancy. J. Anim. Sci. 103:skaf399. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf399">https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf399</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Sosa, F., and M. S. Ortega. 2025. Selecting sires to improve reproductive success: key traits</p><br /> <p>for enhanced fertility and embryo development. Anim. Reprod. 22:e20250052.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0052">https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-AR2025-0052</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Souza, S. V., I. R. Feltrin, T. N. Lisboa, G. C. Damaceno, A. K. A. Miguel, A. G. Silva, L. C. S. Branco, N. J. Lopes, T. F. Amaral, M. Binelli, and G. Pugliesi. (2026). Dynamic of</p><br /> <p>Interferon Signaling and Immune Regulation in the Bovine Endometrium During</p><br /> <p>Successful and Failed Pregnancies. Reproduction. 171:xaaf011</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaaf011">https://doi.org/10.1093/reprod/xaaf011</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Sponchiado, M., W. Gu, D. M. Madrid, R. Carroll, K. M. Davenport, C. G. Lucas, R. M. Sullivan, K. D. Wells, J. P. Driver, W. C. Warren, R. S. Prather, and R. D. Geisert. 2025. Programming of the endometrial immune milieu by interferon gamma during early pregnancy in pigs. Biol. Reprod. 113:1444-1462. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf221">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf221</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Stenhouse, C., K. M. Halloran, E. C. Hoskins, R. M. Moses, M. G. Newton, N. Sah, Y. E. Wolpo, M. F. Tyree, H. Seo, G. A. Johnson, G. Wu, and F. W. Bazer. 2025a. Characterization of the expression of XPR1 in ovine utero-placental tissues. Reproduction. 169(6):e250072. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1530/rep-25-0072">https://doi.org/10.1530/rep-25-0072</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Stenhouse, C., N. Sah, K. M. Halloran, R. M. Moses, M. G. Newton, J. W. Cain, H. Seo, G. Wu,</p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>A. Johnson, and F. W. Bazer. 2025b. Characterization of TNSALP expression and activity in</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>porcine utero-placental tissues. Reprod. Fertil. 6(2):e250005. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0005">https://doi.org/10.1530/RAF-25-0005</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Swanson, R. M., M. A. Arick II, L M. Goncalves, D. B. Davis, R. L. Stewart Jr, P. L. P.</p><br /> <p>Fontes, C. O. Lemley. 2025. Seminal plasma from bulls with divergent plane of nutrition</p><br /> <p>minimally alters bovine uterine endometrial epithelial cell gene expression in vitro.</p><br /> <p>J Anim Sci. 103:skaf267. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf267">https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf267</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Tamanaeifar, F., B. A. Owolabi, C. F. Monaco, R. M. Moses, A. C. Castillo, A. S. Cupp, J. S. Davis, and M. R. Plewes MR. 2026. Luteinizing hormone activates the Hippo pathway to promote progesterone synthesis in bovine luteal cells. Cell Commun. Signal. 24:367.</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-026-02917-w">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-026-02917-w</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Thompson-Brandhagen, R. E., M. A. Meyers, R. B. McCosh, and F. K. Hollinshead. 2025.</p><br /> <p>Establishment and culture of mouse oviductal organoids and isolation and characterization of their secreted extracellular vesicles. PLoS One 20(12):e0337587. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0337587">https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0337587</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Varela, M., D. B. Chrisenberry, E. H. Johnson, R. I. Luna-Ramirez, A. R. Tracy, S. Kathuria, W.</p><br /> <p>Zhao, M. J. Anderson, L. D. Brown, and S. W. Limesand. 2026. Oxygen and glucose</p><br /> <p>supplementation increases rates of linear growth and cell proliferation in growth</p><br /> <p>restricted fetal sheep. J. Physiol. 604(7):2778-2795. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1113/JP290141">https://doi.org/10.1113/JP290141</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Wang, Z., J. Medeiros de Almeida, K. M. Davenport, S. K. Behura, and A. L. Patterson. 2026. Mesenchymal-epithelial transition serves to transiently restore the endometrial epithelium in postpartum murine uterine regeneration. Commun. Biol.&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10236-6">https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10236-6</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Weide, T., J. Steibel, and K. Kerns. 2026. Impact of sorting and catch media on porcine</p><br /> <p>sperm motility, capacitation, and viability. Andrology. e70184. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.e70184">https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.e70184</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>White, A., J. Stremming, S. R. Wesolowski, S. I. Al-Juboori, E. Dobrinskikh, S. W. Limesand,</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>D. Brown, and P. J. Rozance. 2025. IGF-1 LR3 does not promote growth in late-gestation</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>growth-restricted fetal sheep. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 328(1):E116-E125. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00259.2024">https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00259.2024</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Wonmi, S., R. Dong, D. Lee, A. Abazarikia, B. T. Hackfort, A. S. Cupp, and S. Y. Kim. 2025.</p><br /> <p>Primordial follicle survival and changes in ovarian vasculature may be independently regulated during chemotherapy. Endocrinology. 166:bqaf059. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqaf059">https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqaf059</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Xie, S., K. M. Davenport, M. Salavati, A. Caulton, E. L. Clark, A. L. Archibald, S. M. Clarke, R. Brauning, A. T. Massa, M. R. Mousel, S. N. White, K. C. Worley, G .K. Murdoch, G. M. Becker,</p><br /> <ol start="2026"><br /> <li>Hadfield, S. D. McKay, B. D. Rosen, N. E. Cockett, T.P.L. Smith, and B.M. Murdoch. 2026. Identification of cis-regulatory elements provides insights into tissue-specific gene regulation in the sheep genome. Nat Commun. March 16. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70382-7">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70382-7</a></li><br /> </ol><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Yang, Y., X. Wu, Y. Pan, Y. Wang, X. Lian, C. Dong, W.-S. Liu, S. Wang, and Y. Lei. 2026 Collagen hydrogel tube microbioreactors for cell and tissue manufacturing. Biofabrication 18(1): 015013. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ae2718">https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ae2718</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Yankocy, S. R., R.E. Walker, E. A. Hines, C. and Stenhouse, C. 2025a. Assessment of</p><br /> <p>reproductive challenges and nutritional practices on Pennsylvania sow farms. Transl</p><br /> <p>Anim Sci. 9:txaf139. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf134">https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf134</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Yankocy, S. R., R. E. Walker, L. Loughlin, C. Becker, E. A. Hines, and C. Stenhouse. 2025b.</p><br /> <p>The effect of late gestation injectable vitamin A and D supplementation on sow and piglet</p><br /> <p>performance. Transl Anim Sci. 9: txaf134. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf134">https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf134</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Yankocy, S. R. and C. Stenhouse. 2026. Nutritional regulation of sow reproduction by vitamin</p><br /> <p>A: insights and knowledge gaps. Porc Health Manag. 12:7. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-026-00490-9">https://doi.org/10.1186/s40813-026-00490-9</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Zhao, W., R. I. Luna-Ramirez, R. P. Rhoads, L. D. Brown, and S. W. Limesand. 2025. Fetal</p><br /> <p>programming under maternal heat stress: A focus on skeletal muscle growth and nutrition</p><br /> <p>in livestock. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 16:e28. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425100111">https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425100111</a></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Zhao, W., and S. W. Limesand. 2026. Programming health in humans and herds. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 17:e25. https:/doi.org/10.1017/S2040174426100555</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Zhou, Y., K. M. Halloran, M. Bellingham, R. G. Lea, N. P. Evans, K. D. Sinclair, P. Smith, and</p><br /> <ol start="2025"><br /> <li>Padmanabhan. 2025. Developmental programming: mechanisms of early exposure to real-life chemicals in biosolids on offspring ovarian dynamics. Biol Reprod. 112:1229&ndash;1242.</li><br /> </ol><br /> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf053">https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioaf053</a></p>

Impact Statements

1. Impacts 1. Current methods allow for pregnancy diagnosis in cattle around 28-32 days post-insemination, which limits opportunities for effective resynchronization programs. CO researchers have developed an ELISA assay that measures levels of interferon-tau from cervical swabs and is accurate for determination of pregnancy status as early as days 16-19 post-insemination. The FL group has also worked with collaborators to fine-tune the use of blood markers for early pregnancy diagnosis in cattle and work from MO has evaluated the use of blood flow to the corpus luteum measured using Doppler ultrasonography for early pregnancy diagnosis combined with progestin-based resynchronization protocols. Collectively, this work provides cattle producers with tools for identifying open cows earlier post-insemination as well as strategies for effective re-breeding. 2. Efficacious use of assisted reproductive technologies like artificial insemination (AI), and embryo transfer (ET) is dependent upon sperm having the capacity to survive cryopreservation or cooled storage, and sex-sorting methods. Significant efforts by the IA group have identified candidate biomarkers for assessing cryotolerance prior to freezing and for distinguishing true capacitation from cryopreservation-induced damage, determined that egg-yolk based semen extenders better protect ram spermatozoa against premature capacitation and oxidative damage during extended cooled storage, demonstrated that inhibitors of ferroptosis reduced stressed subpopulations of porcine sperm during 17°C liquid storage, and found that that sorting stress manifests with a delayed onset during capacitation, and that catch media composition is critical for maintaining post-sort sperm quality. Collectively, these findings can enhance sperm survival following preservation or sex-sorting resulting in improved outcomes for producers utilizing AI and/or ET. 3. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a known regulator of antral follicle growth and oocyte developmental competence, yet its role in regulating preantral follicle development and the specific mechanisms through which FSH impacts oocyte competence are not well understood. The CA group has developed a sheep FSH receptor knockout model and using in vitro follicle culture determined that supraphysiological FSH levels increase apoptosis in preantral follicles. The WI group has determined that FSH drives coordinated metabolic reprogramming in granulosa cells and identified transcriptomic changes that indicate FSH also shifts metabolic activity in cumulus cells. A better understanding of the roles of FSH in follicle development and oocyte competence can improve the efficacy of assisted reproductive technologies, including in-vitro folliculogenesis and in-vitro embryo production. 4. Environmental insults, such as heat stress and exposure to endocrine disruptors or other environmental contaminants, can impair reproductive performance. Phthalate exposure in mice significantly impaired various aspects of reproductive function (AZ) and exposure of sows to atrazine during gestation altered neuronal activity in resulting boar piglets (WY). Ongoing work at KY is evaluating effects of exposure to biosolids on placental function in ewes, while the CA group demonstrated that culture of bovine preantral follicles in the presence of microplastics does not affect mitochondrial activity. Additionally, work at WI indicates that reducing antioxidant-related essential amino acids can enhance embryo resilience to heat-induced stress (WI). These research efforts provide a greater understanding of how environmental insults impact reproduction and allow for opportunities to develop strategies to mitigate such effects. 5. Heifer selection and development is a critical component of reproductive management in beef cattle production systems. The FL group has segregated yearling heifers according to their ability to attain puberty earlier or later in their first breeding season and have discovered blood markers that predict puberty attainment. NE researchers have integrated pubertal classification and anogenital distance measures to generate an ROC curve that may serve as a threshold to predict females with greater reproductive longevity and greater fertility and identified distinct differences in granulosa cell signaling networks between heifers having early puberty attainment or that were non-cycling. Together, these research efforts can provide beef cattle producers with selection tools for identifying heifers that attain puberty earlier, and that have greater fertility and longevity in the herd. 6. Appropriate placental development is necessary for successful pregnancy establishment and maintenance. The WA group has investigated the enrichment of fertility-specific quantitative trait loci within regulatory regions of genes in the bovine placenta and identified cell types and gene expression dynamics in the post-implantation placenta of sheep and cattle to identify conserved mechanisms contributing to pregnancy success. The TX group has identified cell-type specific protein localization of the immune cell markers interferon stimulated gene-15 and toll-like receptor-4 at bovine implantation sites on gestational days 20, 26, and 32. Moreover, work from the MD group has identified genes that are upregulated in caruncles during the initial invasion of cotyledonary villi and identified a novel population of trophoblast that lines the caruncular crypts of placentomes in cows. And the NM group determined that CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling is important for coordinated development of vascular, immune, and metabolic pathways during early placentation in sheep. This research furthers our understanding of the drivers of successful placental development and implantation in ruminant species. 7. Minerals and vitamins at the maternal-fetal interface play an important role in regulating placental and fetal development, and pregnancy maintenance. The PA group has characterized the spatiotemporal expression of calcium and vitamin D regulatory molecules in bovine tissues from day 46 to 136 of gestation, used a loss-of-function mutation sheep model for tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) to determine the role of this enzyme in regulating phosphate availability at the maternal-fetal interface in cattle, and identified fibroblast growth factor-23 and its co-receptor klotho as regulatory molecules that may contribute to phosphate dynamics during pregnancy. These findings enhance our understanding of how mineral and vitamin availability is regulated at the maternal-fetal interface and could allow for the development of interventions to promote fetal development and reduce pregnancy loss. 8. It is now well understood that the environment that the embryo/fetus is exposed to during gestation can have long-term consequences on fetal development and postnatal outcomes. The SD group determined that the immune system of calves can be optimized based on protein intake of the dam during pregnancy. Researchers at MT demonstrated that administration of a supraphysiological dose of trace minerals during mid-gestation resulted in calves with heavier birth weights and bulls from this treatment had ejaculates with greater sperm progressive motility. Additionally, MS researchers determined that third trimester supplementation of melatonin decreased heart and abdominal girths without altering other growth metrics but increased post-weaning behavioral reactivity. And the PA group demonstrated that supplemental progesterone from day 1.5 to 60 of gestation in ewes can enhance fetal growth and drive organ-specific developmental changes. Together, these studies support the concept that practical gestational interventions can enhance the development, health, and performance of resulting offspring. 9. Fetal growth and development can be impaired by placental insufficiency and other factors, such as uterine crowding. Researchers from AZ have determined that, in a model of placental insufficiency-induced fetal growth restriction (PI-FGR), providing a balanced mixture of oxygen and glucose to the fetus can reverse the impacts of fetal growth restriction. Additionally, work from the AZ group indicates that shifted peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations in PI-FGR fetuses may contribute to fetal endothelial dysfunction. KY researchers have used a surgical approach to determine that uterine overcrowding drastically alters neonatal phenotypes in pigs. The CT group evaluated the effects of betaine in the context of maternal nutrient restriction in sheep and results indicate that betaine, suggesting it could play a modulatory role. Collectively, this work demonstrates a novel approach for mitigating the effects of placental insufficiency on fetal growth, provides clear evidence of the effects of uterine overcrowding on fetal/neonatal development, and identifies betaine as a potential therapeutic supplement. 10. Male fertility is a key driver of reproductive efficiency in ruminant livestock production systems, yet the impacts of management strategies and other interventions have not been comprehensively studied. Work from the IA group determined that overnutrition of bulls during the peri-pubertal period can induce metabolic dysregulation that impairs semen quality. And MS researchers demonstrated that supplementation of melatonin to bulls from fall to winter had both acute and long-term impacts on sperm kinematic and flow cytometric parameters. Factors related to motility were improved without negatively affecting scrotal temperatures. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that nutritional management strategies employed for yearling bulls can impact spermatogenesis and that there are opportunities for developing practical interventions to enhance sperm viability. 11. A significant proportion of pregnancy loss in cattle occurs during the peri-implantation period, a time that coincides with maternal recognition of pregnancy and maintenance of the corpus luteum (CL). The FL group has identified changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance in the uterine lumen during the second week of the estrous cycle that may be associated with embryonic developmental milestones. FL researchers have also determined, by culturing uterine cells from individual cows, that cows with a lower ability to retain pregnancies have an exacerbated response to inflammatory signals. Work at OH has investigated luteal responses to prostaglandin F₂α before and after maternal recognition of pregnancy. Results support a re-evaluation of the role of conceptus-derived interferon-tau beyond its traditional function. The OH group has also integrated in vivo and molecular approaches to determine how variation in conceptus developmental capacity influences trophoblast differentiation, uterine receptivity, and placental function. CO researchers determined that ISGylation appears to target cholesterol synthesis, which may stabilize steroidogenesis for sustained production of progesterone from the CL during pregnancy. Additionally, the TX group identified shifts in uterine microbiota that were related to pregnancy and circulating levels of pregnancy associated glycoproteins during days 20-26 of gestation. These findings extend our knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate uterine receptivity, conceptus development, and CL function during the peri-implantation period. 12. Embryo transfer (ET) is an assisted reproductive technology that can effectively enhance the rate of genetic gain, yet despite its increased utilization in recent years outcomes with ET, particularly for embryos produced in-vitro (IVP), can be quite variable. The NM group found that intra-uterine administration of the chemokine ligand, CXCL12, at the time of ET enhanced reproductive outcomes in sheep. FL researchers have discovered changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance in the uterine lumen, expression of molecular markers in blood cells, and abundance of endocrine markers in the blood that are associated with pregnancy outcome to embryo transfer and ability of individual cows to retain pregnancy. The CO group identified mRNA transcripts that were upregulated in grade 3 (poor quality) vs grade 1 (good quality) embryos. Work from MO indicates that IVP affects IGF-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling in a tissue-specific manner and alters the relation of some proteins with fetal weight. The group is designing a machine learning model to predict fetal weight in a sex-specific manner. And IA researchers, using a porcine model of IVP, identified sperm zinc signatures as actionable IVP outcome predictors and are being translated to bovine IVP systems. These collective research efforts can lead to the development of tools, embryo selection criteria, and applied strategies that enhance the efficacy of ET. 13. Ovulation is driven by the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which is regulated by the sex steroid estradiol and neuronal regulation of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The CO group has assessed the transcriptional response of ovine gonadotropes to estradiol and found that transcription factors downstream of insulin signaling, particularly FOXO1, may play a role in GnRH receptor and LH subunit beta transcription. CO researchers have also found that no population of catecholamine neuron in the ovine brainstem was activated during the LH surge and, instead, other (non- catecholamine) cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract and the dorsal lateral medulla were activated. Additionally, CO has worked to develop approaches to enrich gonadotropes from dissociated sheep pituitary cells using magnetic cell separation. Using the cell surface marker calcium-activated potassium channel subunit alpha-1 (KCNMA1) resulted in an approximately 5-fold enrichment of gonadotropes as compared to no antibody controls. Together, this work provides new insights into estradiol regulation of gene transcription in gonadotrope cells and the role of brainstem neurons in the generation of the preovulatory LH surge. 14. Bovine viral diarrhea virus is a globally prevalent pathogen causing severe detriment to the cattle industry. Vertical infection occurring before the development of the fetal adaptive immune response, before 125 days of gestation, results in an immunotolerant, persistently infected (PI) calf. Researchers from CO hypothesized that epigenetic alterations observed in the splenic tissue of persistently infected fetuses at gestational day 245 would persist in the postnatal period. Analysis revealed 8,367 differentially methylated sites contained within genes associated with the immune and cardiac system, as well as hematopoiesis. Investigation of the PI methylome provides a new perspective on the mechanisms of pathologies and provides potential biomarkers for the rapid identification of PI cattle. 15. Excess androgen exposure disrupts ovarian function by impairing follicular progression and ovulation, ultimately leading to subfertility or infertility. The NE group has determined that heifers with excess ovarian androstenedione (A4) production exhibit early and persistent hematologic changes consistent with low-grade systemic inflammation, and whole blood indices, particularly, red blood cell-associated parameters. Additionally, NE researchers determined that cows with high A4 have an altered theca cell transcriptome with increased androgen production, cell cycle arrest, and fibrosis in ovaries, exhibiting a polycystic ovary syndrome-like phenotype. These findings provide new insight into how high intrafollicular A4 in cows alters theca cell function and demonstrate the potential for identification of biomarkers that allow for the early identification of high A4 females prior to breeding. 16. Somatic cells within the follicle (i.e., theca, granulosa, and cumulus cells) are important regulators of follicle development and oocyte competence. The WY group previously determined that conditional ablation of progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (Pgrmc1) and/or Pgrmc2 or conditional overexpression of Pgrmc1 resulted in subfertility that progressed to premature reproductive senescence. In recent work, WY researchers identified disrupted PGRMC homeostasis in peri-ovulatory granulosa and large luteal cells as a driver of accelerated premature ovarian insufficiency. The WI group demonstrated that epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and extracellular pyruvate concentrations modulate cumulus cell metabolism, influencing glucose transport, glycolytic flux, and fatty acid oxidation. And NE researchers found that transforming growth factor-β together with other signaling molecules produced by follicular cells may play a role in reprogramming granulosa cells to become senescent as the follicle develops. This research deepens our understanding of the signaling molecules and pathways that regulate, either positively or negatively, the function of follicular somatic cells. 17. Successful pregnancy establishment is dependent upon uterine secretion of factors that support early development as well as the embryo’s capacity to respond to these signals. The IL group has shown that uterine epithelial cells release extracellular vesicles that carry nutrients that can be taken up by the embryo and that progesterone stimulated the breakdown of glucose, which was used to make lipids, a critical nutrient source for embryonic growth. Researchers at WY demonstrated that zygotic ablation of the membrane associated progesterone receptor, PGRMC1, impaired bovine embryo development in vitro and altered cell allocation and differentiation in the resulting blastocysts. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the role of sex steroids in driving uterine cells to provide nutrients to support embryo development and demonstrate that failure of embryos to express receptors for important signaling molecules can lead to alterations in embryo development and differentiation.

Back to top