Impact of feeding native Caatinga pasture on the rumen histomorphometry of sheep raised in semi-extensive management.

In the northeastern region of Brazil, sheep and goat farming, encompassing around 20 million animals, is predominantly a subsistence activity. Forage quality plays a crucial role in animal productivity, posing a complex interplay between plant and animal aspects. The Caatinga biome, vital for livestock in the region, serves as a significant source for animal diet through pastures. This study aimed to conduct a histomorphometric evaluation of sheep rumens in a semi-extensive system, comparing those feeding on native Caatinga pastures to those on cultivated pastures. Histological processing followed standard protocols, with morphometry focusing on six viable rumen papillae and the submucosa and muscular layer thickness. Statistical correlation analysis revealed morphological differences in papillae across various rumen regions. Morphometric data indicated no significant difference in papillae area between the groups, with average values in Group A surpassing those in Group B, except for width. This study establishes a morphological and morphometric pattern for rumen regions linked to diet types-native or cultivated. The findings not only enhance understanding of the dietary foundation in the Caatinga's extensive system, but also contribute valuable insights for formulating nutritional strategies to enhance sheep production in the region. This research sheds light on the intricacies of forage-based animal nutrition, particularly in semi-extensive systems, offering a foundation for future studies and practices to optimise livestock management in the northeastern Brazilian context.

Characterization of Brazilian Buriti oil biomaterial: the influence on the physical, chemical properties and behaviour of Goat Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells.

The Brazilian Buriti oil presents low extraction costs and relevant antioxidant properties. Thus, this work aimed to analyze Buriti oil biomaterial (BB), within its physicochemical properties, biocompatibility and cellular integration, with the purpose to the use as a growth matrix for Goat Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells. Biomaterials were produced from Buriti oil polymer (Mauritia flexuosa), for it's characterization were performed Infrared Region Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG and DTG). The biointegration was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and histological techniques. In order to investigate biocompatibility, MTT (3-(4,5-dimetil-2-tiazolil)-2,5-difenil-2H-tetrazólio) test and hemolytic activity tests were performed. The activation capacity of immune system cellswas measured by phagocytic capacity assay and nitric oxide synthesis . The BB presented an amorphous composition, with high thermal stability and high water expansion capacity, a surface with micro and macropores, and good adhesion of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCWJ). We verified the absence of cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity, in addition, BB did not stimulate the activation of macrophages. Proving to be a safe material for direct cultivation and also for manufacturing of compounds used for in vivo applications.

Development of a new biomaterial based on cashew tree gum (Anarcadium occidentale L.) enriched with hydroxyapatite and evaluation of cytotoxicity in adipose-derived stem cell cultures.

Cashew tree gum is a polysaccharide material highly available in the Northeast region of Brazil. It has been explored for biocompatibility with human tissues. This research aimed to describe the synthesis and characterization of cashew gum/hydroxyapatite scaffold and evaluate the possible cytotoxicity in murine adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) cultures. ADSCs of the subcutaneous fat tissue of Wistar rats were collected, isolated, expanded, differentiated into three strains, and characterized immunophenotypically. The scaffolds were synthesized through chemical precipitation, lyophilized and characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG and DTG), and mechanical testing. The scaffold presented a crystalline structure and pores with an average diameter of 94.45 ± 50.57 µm. By mechanical tests, the compressive force and modulus of elasticity were like the cancellous bone. The isolated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) presented fibroblast morphology, adhesion capacity to plastic, differentiation in osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages, positive expression for the CD105 and CD90 markers and negative expression for the CD45 and CD14 markers. The MTT test showed increased cell viability, and the biomaterial showed a high level of hemocompatibility (<5 %). This study allowed the development of a new scaffold for future surgical applicability in tissue regeneration.

Renal Progenitor Cells Have Higher Genetic Stability and Lower Oxidative Stress than Mesenchymal Stem Cells during In Vitro Expansion.

In vitro senescence of multipotent cells has been commonly associated with DNA damage induced by oxidative stress. These changes may vary according to the sources of production and the studied lineages, which raises questions about the effect of growing time on genetic stability. This study is aimed at evaluating the evolution of genetic stability, viability, and oxidative stress of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCBMsu) and renal progenitor cells of the renal cortex (RPCsu) of swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) in culture passages. P2, P5, and P9 were used for MSCBMsu and P1, P2, and P3 for RPCsu obtained by thawing. The experimental groups were submitted to MTT, apoptosis and necrosis assays, comet test, and reactive substance measurements of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), nitrite, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase. The MTT test curve showed a mean viability of 1.14 ± 0.62 and 1.12 ± 0.54, respectively, for MSCBMsu and RPCsu. The percentages of MSCBMsu and RPCsu were presented, respectively, for apoptosis, an irregular and descending behavior, and necrosis, ascending and irregular. The DNA damage index showed higher intensity among the MSCBMsu in the P5 and P9 passages (p < 0.05). In the TBARS evaluation, there was variation among the lines of RPCsu and MSCBMsu, presenting the last most significant variations (p < 0.05). In the nitrite values, we identified only among the lines, in the passages P1 and P2, with the highest averages displayed by the MSCBMsu lineage (p < 0.05). The measurement of antioxidant system activity showed high standards, identifying differences only for GSH values, in the RPCsu lineage, in P3 (p < 0.05). This study suggests that the maintenance of cell culture in the long term induces lower regulation of oxidative stress, and RPCsu presents higher genetic stability and lower oxidative stress than MSCBMsu during in vitro expansion.

Culture of goat preantral follicles in situ associated with mesenchymal stem cell from bone marrow.

This study aims to develop an in vitro co-culture system of in situ goat preantral follicles with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC), evaluating the influence of these cells on follicular growth, rate of activation and morphologically normal follicles. Fragments of ovarian cortex were cultured for 1 or 7 days in the presence of BM-MSC (BM-MSC+) and absence of BM-MSC (BM-MSC-). Histological sections of the fragments were analysed and data were obtained regarding morphological classification, survival rate of morphologically normal follicles and rate of follicular activation. Culture medium on days 1 and 7 was also sampled for nitrite concentration and reduced glutathione activity. There was a reduction (P < 0.05) in the percentage of morphologically normal follicles in the BM-MSC+ compared with the fresh control only on the seventh day of culture. When comparing treatments, on the seventh day of culture, a higher rate of morphologically normal preantral follicles was observed in BM-MSC+ (P < 0.05). In both treatments, primordial and developing follicle rates were similar to the fresh control (P > 0.05). When comparing treatments with each other, as well as with the fresh control, no differences were observed in follicular diameter (P > 0.05) or nitrite concentration (P > 0.05). The concentration of reduced glutathione was lower on the seventh day of co-culture in both treatments (P < 0.05). In conclusion, co-culture had no influence on follicular or oocyte development. However, it was critical to maintain the survival of preantral follicles during 7 days of culture.

Development of Composite Scaffolds Based on Cerium Doped-Hydroxyapatite and Natural Gums-Biological and Mechanical Properties.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a ceramic material composing the inorganic portion of bones. Ionic substitutions enhance characteristics of HAp, for example, calcium ions (Ca2+) by cerium ions (Ce3+). The use of HAp is potentialized through biopolymers, cashew gum (CG), and gellan gum (GG), since CG/GG is structuring agents in the modeling of structured biocomposites, scaffolds. Ce-HApCG biocomposite was synthesized using a chemical precipitation method. The obtained material was frozen (-20 °C for 24 h), and then vacuum dried for 24 h. The Ce-HApCG was characterized by X-Ray diffractograms (XRD), X-ray photoemission spectra (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). XRD and FTIR showed that Ce-HApCG was successfully synthesized. XRD showed characteristic peaks at 2θ = 25.87 and 32.05, corresponding to the crystalline planes (0 0 2) and (2 1 1), respectively, while phosphate bands were present at 1050 cm-1 and 1098 cm-1, indicating the success of composite synthesis. FESEM showed pores and incorporated nanostructured granules of Ce-HApCG. The mechanical test identified that Ce-HApCG has a compressive strength similar to the cancellous bone's strength and some allografts used in surgical procedures. In vitro tests (MTT assay and hemolysis) showed that scaffold was non-toxic and exhibited low hemolytic activity. Thus, the Ce-HApCG has potential for application in bone tissue engineering.

Neurochemical properties of neurospheres infusion in experimental-induced seizures.

Cell replacement through neural stem cells has been a promising alternative therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. It was evaluated the possible protect and/or prevent role of neurospheres in experimental models of epilepsy by the use of biomarkers of oxidative stress and histopathological analysis. After 1 h of the epileptic inductions by pilocarpine, pentylenotetrazole and picrotoxin, rats were infused with a suspension of 2 × 106 cells/0.25 mL, marked with Qtracker® 655, via caudal vein. In the control group epilepsy was not induced, but received the cell infusion under the same conditions of other groups. After 30 days, the rats were euthanized, and the removal of the brain was proceeded to later perform the assays oxidative stress and histopathology analysis. Thiobarbituric acid and nitrite levels were elevated in epileptic groups treated with neurospheres, and the levels of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase were reduced when compared to non-treated groups. The performance of oxidative enzymes from pilocarpine group treated with neurospheres showed slight increase. Histopathological evaluation observed distribution of neurospheres throughout the brain tissue, with viable cells and in process of differentiation in the pilocarpine group, but with differentiation and regeneration compromised in epilepsy by picrotoxin and pentylenetetrazole due to a microenvironment of oxidative stress. Neural stem cell therapy has a promising potential for protection in the pilocarpine epilepsy model, suggesting that the antioxidant system of neurospheres could reduce oxidative damage generated by seizure.

Behavior and biocompatibility of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with bacterial cellulose membrane.

BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering has been shown to exhibit great potential for the creation of biomaterials capable of developing into functional tissues. Cellular expansion and integration depends on the quality and surface-determinant factors of the scaffold, which are required for successful biological implants. The objective of this research was to characterize and evaluate the in vitro characteristics of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) associated with a bacterial cellulose membrane (BCM). We assessed the adhesion, expansion, and integration of the biomaterial as well as its ability to induce macrophage activation. Finally, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and toxicity of the BCM. METHODS: Samples of rabbit bone marrow were collected. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from medullary aspirates to establish fibroblast colony-forming unit assay. Osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation was performed. Integration with the BCM was assessed by scanning electron microscopy at 1, 7, and 14 days. Cytotoxicity was assessed via the production of nitric oxide, and BCM toxicity was assessed with the MTT assay; phagocytic activity was also determined. RESULTS: The fibroblastoid colony-forming unit (CFU-F) assay showed cells with a fibroblastoid morphology organized into colonies, and distributed across the culture area surface. In the growth curve, two distinct phases, lag and log phase, were observed at 15 days. Multipotentiality of the cells was evident after induction of osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic lineages. Regarding the BM-MSCs' bioelectrical integration with the BCM, BM-MSCs were anchored in the BCM in the first 24 h. On day 7 of culture, the cytoplasm was scattered, and on day 14, the cells were fully integrated with the biomaterial. We also observed significant macrophage activation; analysis of the MTT assay and the concentration of nitric oxide revealed no cytotoxicity of the biomaterial. CONCLUSION: The BCM allowed the expansion and biointegration of bone marrow progenitor cells with a stable cytotoxic profile, thus presenting itself as a biomaterial with potential for tissue engineering.

Prevalence of scrotum bipartition in sheep in the Paraiba backwoods, Brazil.

Goats and sheep have morphological characteristics for adaptation to desert and semiarid regions. The appearance of scrotum division known as scrotum bipartition has already been reported in goats. This anatomy increases the surface of each testicle exposed to environmental temperature, favoring heat dissipation and improving reproductive efficiency. Considering that there are already studies on the goat species demonstrating the presence of this characteristic as an influence on reproductive parameters, the prevalence of scrotum bipartition was estimated in the sheep herds reared in the municipality of Patos, Paraiba backwoods, Brazil. A total of 331 rams were examined from farms in four municipalities in the micro-region of Patos, Paraiba, Brazil, and the same study was also carried out at the municipal slaughterhouse in this city, where 456 animals were examined. According to the analysis, 66.67% of the farms visited presented one or more sheep with scrotum bipartition, with a prevalence of 11.48% on the farms and 14.47% at the slaughterhouse. The degree of bipartition was 9.59 ± 1.035% of the total scrotum length for the animals in the field and 12.89 ± 0.749% for those from the slaughterhouse, characterizing bipartition of less than 50% of the scrotum length. The variables intensive rearing (OR = 16.6) and the Dorper breed (OR = 6.91) were identified as factors associated to the presence of scrotum bipartition. It was concluded that scrotum bipartition is a characteristic present in sheep reared in the municipality of Patos in the semiarid region of Paraiba state, northeastern Brazil, and high prevalence was observed of farms with bipartition sheep, but a low number of animals with scrotum bipartition was identified.

Morphology of laryngeal cartilage of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) Linnaeus, 1758.

Armadillos, Xenarthras representatives, known for adaptability to different ecosystems, own specific morphophysiological characteristics that are not known and deserve to be studied. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of cartilage of the larynx of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Five dead armadillos were donated by the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity (ICMBio-PI) to the Federal University of Piauí. The animals were fixed and dissected for removal of the larynx. The cartilages were identified and described, photodocumented, and schematized. Fragments with about 0.5 cm of each cartilage were collected and submitted to classical histology for Hematoxylin-Eosin coloring. The slides were assembled in enterlan and analyzed under a light microscope. The larynx of the armadillo (D. novemcinctus) is located in the mentonian region, ventral to the esophagus, and due to the total positioning of the tongue in the oral cavity, there is also a cranial cervical position in this species. The larynx has five cartilages, they are: a cricoid, a thyroid, an epiglottis, and two arytenoids. The corniculate process is present; however, the cuneiform process is absent. The epiglottis has a discrete bifurcation at its apex. In all cartilages epithelial variations are observed. The tissues are varied from squamoso stratified to cylindrical pseudostratified, with propria lamina rich in mucoserosas glands. With the exception of epiglottic cartilage, predominantly elastic, the rest are hyaline. The larynx of D. novemcinctus, although the same number of cartilages, differs morphologically and microscopically from the larynx of other species.

Greater rhea (Rhea americana) external morphology at different stages of embryonic and fetal development.

Knowledge of wild species embryonic development is important for their maintenance in captivity or the wild. The objective of the present study was to characterize the external morphology and define the biometry of greater rhea embryos and fetuses at different stages of development. A total of 41 embryos and fetuses were analyzed to describe their external morphology using a stereoscopic microscope. The crown-rump (CR), total length (TL), cephalocaudal length (CCL), biparietal diameter (BPD), beak, humerus and tibio-tarsal lengths were measured by digital pachymeter, millimetric scale ruler and cotton thread. The weight of the embryos and fetuses was measured on digital scales. The greater rhea embryos at 5, 6 and 7 days incubation presented a "C" shape. At 9, 10 and 11 days the eyes were big and pigmented. At 11, 12 and 13 days the eyelid covered more than half the eye, resulting in an oval slit. In 14 and 15 day-old embryos, the skin was still thin and the ribs evident, but at 18 days this structure was thicker. In embryos at 21 and 27 days of development closed eyelids were observed forming an eyelid slit, and the eye ball was less pronounced at 27 days. Weight gain presented an exponential growth curve, while measurements such as TL, DBP, beak, humerus and tibio-tarsal length had linear growth over time. Thus it was possible to characterize the greater rhea embryos and fetuses at several incubation ages using their external morphology and morphometric analyses.

Hematopoietic progenitor constituents and adherent cell progenitor morphology isolated from black-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta prymnolopha, Wagler 1831) bone marrow.

Stem cells are present in the adult tissues of most diverse species. Bone marrow is recognized to be the most exploited site to obtain stem cells and cell progenitors. The objective of the present study was to characterize hematopoietic progenitor (HP) morphology and analyze the performance of adherent cell progenitors (ACPs) cultivated in vitro from black-rumped agouti bone marrow (Dasyprocta prymnolopha). Bone marrow aspirates were obtained from tibia crest and used to prepare histological slides and identify cell morphology. Cells were also scattered on culture plates for later isolation, expansion, and quantification. Smears obtained from bone marrow demonstrated HPs at different stages of maturity. In culture, these cells showed fibroblastoid morphology and a strong tendency to form colonies, demonstrated by the presence of cell aggregates, cytoplasmic elongations lying side by side. An 80% cell confluence was observed at 18 days in culture and progressive reduction in the percentage of nonadherent mononuclear cells. After eight passes, a mean cell viability of 96.07% was observed, from a pool of 1.6 × 10(7) cells (ACP). Thirteen 25-cm(2) culture bottles were trypsinized, resuspended in freezing medium, stored in 14 criotubes at a concentration of 1 × 10(6) cells per milliliter, and placed in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. Agouti bone marrow demonstrated high plasticity, moreover different HP lines, and a population of adherent cells demonstrated morphology similar to mesenchymal stem cells in culture.

Morphological and morphometric characterization of agoutis' peripheral blood cells (Dasyprocta prymnolopha, Wagler, 1831) raised in captivity.

Thirty adult agoutis (Dasyprocta primnolopha) from the Nucleus of Study and Preservation of Wild Animals at the Federal University of Piauí were used. Blood scrubs of these animals were colored by the Leishman method and analyzed in light microscopy. The cells had been measured using programs that analyze images (Leica QWin - Image Processing and Analysis Software). Mature erythrocytes, basophil reticulocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes, and thrombocytes were identified. Agoutis' erythrocytes presented elliptical form, without nucleus with an average diameter of 5.64 micromeres ± 0.38. The lymphocytes are spherical cells with scarce cytoplasm, dense and with a very centralized rounded nucleus measuring an average diameter of 13.20 micromeres ± 0.35. The monocytes are slightly basophilic, with a spherical nucleus, central constriction, and an average diameter of 20.59 micromeres ± 0.32. The neutrophils are spherical, with a polymorphic lobulated nucleus, with an average diameter of 11.2 micromeres ± 0.20. The eosinophils are spherical with lobulated nucleus and with an average diameter of 14.25 micromeres ± 0.36. Only five basophils were observed, with abundance of cytoplasmic granules with 9.8 micrometers of diameter ± 0.30. Thrombocytopenic pleomorphism was frequent. There were similarities in the cellular constituents in peripheral blood of agoutis and of other rodents and humans. The cellular types from the peripheral blood, the morphology, and morphometry of the blood's cells did not vary according to sex.