Reproductive Hormonal Levels and Nitric Oxide Levels as Guides of Pubertal Reproductive Development in Relation to Testicular Width and Hemodynamics in Baladi Bucks
Reproductive Hormonal Levels and Nitric Oxide Levels as Guides of Pubertal Reproductive Development in Relation to Testicular Width and Hemodynamics in Baladi Bucks
Khlood G. Abdelkhalek*, Aly B. A. Badawy, Mohamed Fathi, Elshymaa A. Abdelnaby
ABSTRACT
Pubertal alterations in plasma levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol 17β (E2), testosterone (T), and serum nitric oxide metabolites (NOMs) were measured in 5 Baladi bucks weighting (13–15 kg; with a body condition score of 3.5 ± 0.01) from 4-months- to 10-months-old in relation to testicular hemodynamics. Testicular morphometry, scrotal circumference, Doppler examinations, image analysis, and blood sampling were performed on a weekly basis. Results showed that FSH level was elevated (P<0.05) firstly from 5-months to 6.5-months-old, and then a second elevation was reported at 9.5-months-old, both E2 and NOMs levels were increased significantly (P<0.05) from 8-months to 10-months-old. Testosterone level showed a significant (P<0.05) increase from 8.5-months to 10-months-old, while LH level was elevated from 6.5-months to 7.5-months-old. Both Doppler indices; resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) were negatively correlated with PSV (r=-0.52 and -0.68; P<0.05 ), FSH (r=-0.88 and -0.64), E2 (r=-0.82 and -0.71; P<0.001), LH (r=-0.74 and -0.84), testicular width (r=-0.55 and -0.71), and testicular colored area with blue color (r=-0.85 and -0.75; P<0.001) for both RI and PI, respectively, while there was a positive significant correlation between both indices and T (r=0.66 for RI and 0.85 for PI; P<0.05). NOMs was correlated positively with FSH (r=0.74), E2 (r=0.88), LH (r=0.82; P<0.001) and testicular colored area toward probe before puberty (r=0.61), while after puberty, there was a positive significant correlation between both Doppler indices and testicular colored area toward probe with red color (r=0.74 and 0.66), FSH (r=0.69 and 0.64), LH (r=0.51 and 0.54) for both RI and PI, respectively. In conclusion, pituitary hormones (FSH and LH) and steroids (E2 and T) were changed around age of puberty that likely reflects their roles in regulation of spermatogenesis with the attainment of buck sexual developmental capacity.
Keywords | Estradiol, LH, FSH, Resistive index, Testosterone
To share on other social networks, click on any share button. What are these?
