Supplementary dietary nitric oxide donor (sodium nitroprusside) or inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) depressed growth performance and ovarian primordial and primary follicles in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in a dose-dependent manner.

1. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) exogenous donor, and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), a NO inhibitor, on growth performance, some biochemical parameters and ovarian primordial and primary follicles of quail. 2. A total of 480 Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), one-day-old, including both males and females, were randomly allocated into one control group and 4 treatment groups each consisting of 96 birds. The control group was fed on the basal diet, whereas the experimental groups were fed on the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg SNP/kg, 200 mg SNP/kg, 50 mg L-NAME/kg or 200 mg L-NAME/kg. In the group receiving 200 mg SNP/kg, BW was lower on d 28 and d 42 compared to the control group and body weight gain (BWG) was lower between weeks 2 and 4 compared to the control group. In the same group, BWG and feed consumption were lower compared with the control group. 3. In the group receiving 200 mg L-NAME/kg, BW on d 42 and BWG were lower, whereas feed consumption and FCR was higher than in the control group. 4. In the groups supplemented with SNP at 50 and 200 mg/kg, serum total protein and albumin were higher than the control group; however, serum lipid profile, and liver and kidney enzymes were not affected by supplementation with SNP or l-NAME. 5. The numbers of ovarian primordial and primary follicles were greater in the group fed on the diet supplemented with 200 mg SNP/kg compared with the control group. Supplementation at 200 mg L-NAME/kg diet reduced the number of primary follicles compared to the controls, whereas the diameter of primordial and primary follicles increased. 6. In conclusion, supplementation with SNP and L-NAME depressed quail growth. Furthermore, the increase in NO following dietary supplementation with the NO-donor SNP delayed the growth process from primordial to primary and primary to secondary follicle transition in quail.

Subgross and macroscopic investigation of the coeliac artery in the chinchilla (chinchilla lanigera).

The knowledge of branching and variations of the coeliac artery is clinically important, especially in the surgical operations and non-surgical treatments.Moreover, the chinchillas abdominal region have been used as a model in some surgical experimental researches. In this frame, we have aimed to explain the branching of this artery in the chinchillas detailedly. A total of 10 adult, healthy,male chinchillas (chinchilla lanigera) were used to investigate the origin and the course of the coeliac artery and its branches. Coloured latex was injected into the carotid arteries, following conventional anatomical applications. The results indicated that the coeliac artery was divided into 4 branches such as left gastricartery, hepatic artery, splenic artery and gastrolienal artery. The left gastric artery was a continuity of the coeliac artery and the main vessel of the stomach. The hepatic artery was divided into the left lateral branch, the left medial branch and the right branch. The splenic artery was covered by the pancreas tissue and sent branches to the pancreas. The gastrolienal artery was supplying the fundus of the stomach and the dorsal extremity of the spleen. We believe that the findings will be of help to the researchers interested in the anatomical area, surgeons and experimental researches.

Renal expression and functions of aquaporin 1 and aquaporin 4 in cattle.

Aquaporin (AQP) 1 and AQP 4 are members of the aquaporin water channel family that play an important role in reabsorption of water from the renal tubular fluid to concentrate urine. Studies of renal AQPs have been performed in human, rodents, sheep, dogs and horses. We studied nephron segment-specific expression of AQP 1 and AQP 4 using immunohistochemical staining on paraffin sections of bovine kidneys. AQP 1 was moderately expressed in endothelium of the cortical capillary network, vasa recta, and glomerular capillaries. AQP 4 was moderately expressed only in cytoplasm of epithelial cells in proximal tubules. We concluded that AQP 1 and AQP 4 in the bovine kidney showed some differences from other species in renal trans-epithelial water transport.

Estimation of Purkinje cell quantification and volumetry in the cerebellum using a stereological technique.

Systematic sampling using the Cavalier's principle provides accurate, efficient, cheap, and simple quantitative estimates of objects within neuroanatomical structures like the cerebellum. We identified and isolated the Purkinje cell layer and used this information to extrapolate the stereological technique to estimate the total number of Purkinje cells and volume on light microscope in rabbits' cerebella. Volumes of the cell populations in the cerebellum have not been estimated previously. Using this method, we counted the Purkinje cells in the two right and three left hemicerebella of five male healthy rabbits and found the total number of Purkinje cells to have a mean of 671,597. The mean volume of the Purkinje cell was estimated at 2207 µm(3) for the entire cerebella. The contribution of the stereological method to cell quantification and volumetry was emphasised by the neuroanatomical experimental animal study. The method proved to be an excellent tool for evaluating the Purkinje cell numbers and volumes in the rabbits. The data may also support the significance of considering anatomical data when evaluating pathological changes in cerebella.