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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Infertility of CD9-deficient mouse eggs is reversed by mouse CD9, human CD9, or mouse CD81; polyadenylated mRNA injection developed for molecular analysis of sperm-egg fusion.

CD9 is a membrane protein belonging to the tetraspanin family. Despite CD9's broad tissue distribution, the only abnormality observed in CD9-deficient mice was infertility of females, which was responsible for a defect in the sperm-egg fusion process. However, the function of CD9 in sperm-egg fusion is not clear at all because the technique to analyze the activity of molecules in sperm-egg fusion has not been established. We demonstrated that the exogenous mouse CD9, expressed by polyadenylated mRNA injection at the germinal-vesicle stage oocytes, was precisely localized to the egg plasma membrane, and the expression reversed the infertility of CD9(-/-) eggs. Then, two other tetraspanins, human CD9 and mouse CD81, overexpressed with this technique on CD9(-/-) eggs restored the fertilization rate up to approximately 90 and approximately 50% against that of wild type eggs, respectively. Moreover, in the presence of an anti-mouse CD9 mAb, which blocks sperm-egg fusion, expression of human CD9 or mouse CD81 on eggs also rescued the fusibility. These results suggested that human CD9 plays a crucial role in human fertilization, and mouse CD81 has the potential to compensate for CD9 function in sperm-egg fusion. In addition, the polyadenylated mRNA injection is effective for molecular analysis of sperm-egg fusion.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Schistosoma mansoni egg attachment to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells: an in vitro model of an early step of parasite egg excretion.

To model the attachment of Schistosoma mansoni eggs to the endothelium of the mesenteric vasculature, the interaction between S. mansoni eggs and cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro was investigated. S. mansoni eggs rapidly attached to monolayers of both HUVEC and bovine aortic endothelial cells but more slowly to monolayers of cultured fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. While both native and glutaraldehyde-fixed eggs attached equally well to HUVEC, eggs attached only to live, metabolically active HUVEC. Attachment was enhanced by both serum and plasma factors. In addition, platelet release products increased egg attachment by 75%. Preincubation of S. mansoni eggs with soluble egg antigens promoted attachment; in contrast, preincubation of HUVEC with the antigens inhibited attachment. These results suggest that interaction of S. mansoni eggs with HUVEC is an active process that can be modulated by molecules secreted by the egg and by platelets during egg extravasation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Dark nests and egg colour in birds: a possible functional role of ultraviolet reflectance in egg detectability.

Owing to the conspicuousness of ultraviolet (UV) colour in dark environments, natural selection might have selected UV egg coloration because it would enhance egg detectability by parents in murky nests. Here, we tested this hypothesis by using comparative and experimental approaches. First, we studied variation in egg coloration of 98 species of European passerines measured using UV-visible reflectance spectrometry (300-700nm) in relation to nesting habits. Analyses based on raw data and controlling for phylogenetic distances both at the species and the family levels revealed that hole-nester species produced eggs with higher UV reflectance than those nesting in open habitats. The experimental approach consisted of the manipulation of UV reflectance of the experimental eggs introduced outside the nest-cup of the hole-nester spotless starling Sturnus unicolor and the study of the retrieval of these eggs. Ultraviolet-reflecting eggs (controls) were more frequently retrieved to the nest-cup than non-reflecting (-UV) eggs. These results were not due to '-UV' eggs being recognized by starlings as parasitic because when a parasitic egg is detected, starlings removed it from the nest-box. Therefore, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that UV egg colours are designed to provide highly detectable targets for parent birds in dark nest environments.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Development and survival of Anopheles gambiae eggs in drying soil: influence of the rate of drying, egg age, and soil type.

Little is known about the contribution made by the egg stage of African malaria vectors to the rapid rise in adult populations following the onset of seasonal rains. To examine this issue, we evaluated the viability of Anopheles gambiae eggs in drying soil in the laboratory. Survival data were collected from field-caught mosquitoes kept in sandy loam soil and laboratory-reared colonies kept in sandy loam soil and black cotton soil. Under high, medium, and low soil-moisture regimes, egg viability declined sharply with increased duration of drying. Eggs remained viable in drying sandy loam soil for 1, 5, and 10 days, but not after 15 or 20 days. The most dramatic decline in hatching success occurred between drying days 1 (78-83% hatch) and 5 (20-23% hatch). In contrast, eggs reared in high-moisture black cotton soil remained viable for up to 15 days. Furthermore, after 5 drying days, high-, medium-, and low-moisture soils averaged 59, 47, and 31% hatching success, respectively. We recovered unhatched eggs from sandy loam soils to examine the developmental status of the embryos. A majority of the unhatched eggs that were recovered from days 15 and 20 in sandy loam soils contained fully developed late-stage embryos. Thus, unhatched eggs completed embryonic development but probably died before receiving an appropriate hatching stimulus. Our results suggest that the absolute moisture content of the soil does not alone determine hatching success of anopheline eggs. Rather, soil moisture, together with the rate of drying, physiological factors associated with the age of the egg, and the type of soil in which the egg rests likely influence survival.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Chemical method for determination of carbon dioxide content in egg yolk and egg albumen.

The safety, quality, and shelf life of shell eggs is a function of carbon dioxide content. A commercial process was recently developed for rapidly cooling shell eggs by using cryogenic CO2. The benefit of this new process over existing cooling processes is that the CO2 addition during cryogenic cooling provides additional safety and quality enhancements. In order for these benefits to be fully developed into a process that can be adopted by the egg industry, and thus realized by the consumer, the amount of CO2 absorbed by the egg during this process needs to be quantified. Because the albumen pH of rapidly cooled eggs was reduced to pH <6.5, existing titrametric methods were not adequate for determining CO2 content. They did not prevent CO2 loss during neutralization. A simple and accurate method for determining CO2 content in acidified egg albumen and yolk samples was developed. This method involves the liberation of CO2 from an acidified egg sample into a standardized, dilute sodium hydroxide solution inside a sealed jar. The egg sample and a small beaker containing the standardized sodium hydroxide solution are placed in a glass jar and sealed. Next, a concentrated acid phosphate solution is injected through a rubber septum in the cap of the jar onto the egg sample, while avoiding contact with the sodium hydroxide solution. The sample is then stored at 37 C for 24 h. During this storage period, the carbon dioxide is released from the egg sample and is absorbed into the sodium hydroxide solution. Afterwards, the dilute sodium hydroxide solution is removed and titrated to the phenolphthalein endpoint using a dilute, standardized hydrochloric acid solution. The amount of hydrochloric acid solution required for neutralization can be directly related to CO2 content in the sample.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Research note: effect of tu-chung leaf (Eucommia ulmoides) on egg production performance, egg quality, and fat metabolism in laying hens at a late production stage.

The effects of tu-chung leaf (Eucommia ulmoides) supplementation on egg production performance, egg quality, and fat metabolism were investigated in laying hens at a late production stage. White Leghorn laying hens at 20 mo of age were provided ad libitum access to a practical diet with or without tu-chung leaf supplement for 3 mo. During the experimental period, egg production rate, egg weight, and feed intake were recorded every day. Egg samples from the last 3 days were collected to measure Haugh units and cholesterol concentration in the egg yolk. Plasma cholesterol concentration and abdominal fat weight were also determined. The results showed that no significant improvement in egg production was observed with tu-chung leaf addition. No significant effect of tu-chung was observed on Haugh units, plasma cholesterol, or egg yolk cholesterol, whereas abdominal fat weight was greater in hens fed the tu-chung diet than in those given the unsupplemented control diet. It was concluded that the beneficial effects of tu-chung leaf supplementation on egg production performance and egg quality were ambiguous and of little practical significance.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Rapid growth of Salmonella enteritidis in egg white reconstituted from industrial egg white powder.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of the egg white-drying process on egg white ability to limit Salmonella Enteritidis growth in addition to the elucidation of the factors involved. We observed rapid growth of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated in egg white reconstituted from industrial powder in comparison with that observed in liquid egg white collected in the laboratory: Salmonella cell counts rose from 10(3) to 10(8) cells/ml of egg white from powder during 24 h incubation at 30 degrees C. This rapid growth was observed in powder from all egg-breaking factories investigated, and it was comparable to that observed in optimum medium (tryptone soy broth). In view of the mechanism of egg white resistance and the major role played by iron availability and by ovotransferrin, we investigated several hypotheses to explain this rapid growth: iron provided during the drying process and/or denaturation of protein (especially ovotransferrin). The rapid growth observed in egg white reconstituted from powder was in relation to egg white protein denaturation and especially ovotransferrin denaturation during powder pasteurization that enhanced the availability of iron necessary for Salmonella growth. The major role played by ovotransferrin and iron deficiency on Salmonella growth in egg white was illustrated in this study.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of ts-11 strain Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccination in commercial layers on egg production and selected egg quality parameters.

Live Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) vaccines have been USDA approved and licensed for use in commercial layer chickens since 1988; however, egg production and egg quality data exist only for the F strain of MG. Information pertinent to the effects of ts-11 MG on egg and eggshell quality parameters, as well as egg size distribution, is lacking. In this study, pullets were inoculated at 10 wk of age with ts-11 strain MG and placed in biological isolation units at 10 birds/unit. Hen-day egg production, eggshell strength, Haugh unit score, pimpling incidence, and blood/meat spot incidence were monitored and recorded in each trial through a 45-wk production cycle. Further, eggs from all treatments were collected daily, Monday-Thursday, and individually weighed. Results of this study indicate that no significant difference was observed between the treatments for the parameters measured or for egg size distribution. Therefore, these data should lessen producers' concerns pertaining to the impact of ts-11 strain MG on egg production, egg and eggshell quality parameters, and egg size distribution.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The cholesterol content of eggs produced by Australian egg-laying strains.

1. Eggs laid by the various strains entered in the 25th New South Wales Random Sample Layer Test were analysed for cholesterol content when the hens were 30, 45 and 60 weeks of age. 2. The strains differed in cholesterol content per gram of yolk and per egg. However most of the variation in cholesterol content per egg was attributable to strain differences in egg weight and in the proportion of yolk per egg. 3. Since 1 g of yolk contains approximately 6.7 times more energy and requires approximately four times the deposition energy of 1 g of albumen, the relation between the proportion of yolk within an egg and efficiency of egg production from food was considered. 4. It is recommended that comparisons of egg-laying strains and investigations into the efficiency of egg production from food should include an estimate of the proportion of yolk in the eggs.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of four distinct groups of hen egg allergens binding IgE in the sera of children with egg allergy.

BACKGROUND: There appears to be a lack of agreement in the literature on the allergenicity of hen egg proteins. This may be partly due to the use of impure proteins in some cases. Egg yolk proteins have also been largely ignored in such studies. We therefore set out to determine, using especially purified proteins, their relative allergenicity, and to observe whether there were any relationships between their potency and the sensitivity of patients to them. METHODS AND RESULTS: The sera of 40 patients with clinically observed hen egg hypersensitivity were tested for specific IgE binding to purified egg white and egg yolk proteins using the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Statistical treatment by correspondence analysis of the percent radioactive uptakes in the RAST to the 8 proteins demonstrated that there were four distinct groups of patients reacting in a similar way to four discrete sets of proteins. CONCLUSIONS: The first three sets of allergens consisted of egg white proteins as follows: firstly, lysozyme and ovalbumin; secondly, ovomucoid; and thirdly, ovomucin. The fourth set contained the egg white protein ovotransferrin and the egg yolk proteins apovitellenins I and VI and phosvitin. The existence of patient groups may explain why various workers have reported different allergens to be important in egg hypersensitivity. A sufficiently large number of patients must be examined so as to give a representative distribution across each group, otherwise the results may be biased towards one allergen.

Allergens↗
PubMed1998

Enrichment of hen eggs with n-3 long-chain fatty acids and evaluation of enriched eggs in humans.

Eggs enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were produced by hens fed diets containing fish oil or a combination of fish and vegetable oils. In a sensory evaluation, 78 untrained volunteers could not distinguish between ordinary and enriched eggs. Storage life was also not significantly different between egg types. A food intake survey of 4 groups of 14 subjects each who consumed 7 eggs/wk for 24 wk showed that intakes of the major dietary components were not significantly different for 4 different egg types. Mean (n = 56) plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations were not significantly different at the start and finish of the study. Body weight and HDL concentrations increased during the study (P < 0.05). For the last 2 wk of the experiment (weeks 23-24), mean egg consumption was increased from a total of 14 to a total of 21 eggs, resulting in a small increase in plasma triacylglycerols only. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in body weight, blood pressure, or plasma lipid components among treatment groups consuming the 4 different egg types. Blood samples taken after 16 and 22 wk from fasted subjects showed significant increases in eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and total n-3 PUFAs in subjects consuming enriched eggs compared with controls. In addition, the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs in plasma was significantly reduced from 12.2:1 to 6.5-7.7:1 in subjects consuming enriched eggs compared with controls. Consumption of only one enriched egg daily can contribute substantially to the recommended daily intake of n-3 PUFAs.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of embryos and chicks that developed as single individuals in double yolk eggs with those that developed in single yolk eggs.

Body weight and muscle characteristics of 18- to 20-d-old broiler strain embryos developing in double yolk eggs (DY) that contained one embryo and one infertile ovum were compared with embryos in single yolk eggs (SY). Similar comparisons were made in the posthatching period. In some DY eggs, the embryos were bathed in a watery yolk-like fluid with no distinct second yolk present (Type 1 embryo). In others, the second yolk was contained within the vitelline membrane and surrounded by a vascularized membrane (Type 2). These embryos were heavier than Type 1 or embryos in SY eggs by 20 d of incubation. Their Pectoralis superficialis were heavier and had significantly more protein and DNA. Chicks that hatched from the DY eggs were heavier than those that hatched from SY eggs and they had heavier P. superficialis through at least 14 d of age. Pectoralis superficialis myofibers of chicks from DY eggs had greater cross-sectional area than those from SY eggs. Myofibers in the Semimembranosus of 7- and 14 d-old chicks from DY eggs tended to be larger than those from SY eggs, but the differences were not significant. There was no difference in apparent myofiber number in the Semimembranosus of the two types of chicks. The difference in BW between the two types of chicks diminished over time, so that by 42 d of age they were virtually identical. In summary, a nutritionally enriched in ovo environment resulted in embryos and chicks with enhanced growth and muscle mass, but the effects of enrichment diminished during posthatching life and eventually disappeared.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Vitamin E and selenium supplementation to alleviate cold-stress-associated deterioration in egg quality and egg yolk mineral concentrations of Japanese quails.

The effects of vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and selenium (Se; Na2-SeO3) on egg production, egg quality, and mineral content of egg yolk in Japanese quails reared under a low ambient temperature (6 degrees C) were evaluated. Birds (n=300; 7 wk old) were randomly assigned to 12 treatment groups, 25 birds per group. The birds in a 3 x 2 factorial design received either three levels of vitamin E (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg diet) or two levels of selenium (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg diet). After 2 wk on feed, six groups of the birds were maintained at 18 degrees C (thermoneutral temperature [TN]), and the other half were acclimated over 3 d to a decreased environmental temperature of 6 degrees C (cold stress [CS]). The performance, egg quality, and mineral content of egg yolk were not influenced by supplemental vitamin E and selenium in quails not exposed to cold stress (p > or = 0.09). Two hundred fifty and 500 mg vitamin E/kg diet compared with 125 mg/kg diet and higher dietary selenium inclusions (0.2 vs 0.1 mg/kg) resulted in a better body weight, egg production, and feed efficiency (p = 0.01) in quails reared under CS. Similarly, egg weight, egg specific gravity, eggshell thickness, and Haugh unit were positively influenced with vitamin E (p = 0.01) and selenium (p < or = 0.05) supplementation. Egg yolk concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Mn were higher with higher dietary vitamin E (p = 0.01) and selenium (p = 0.05). There was no interaction detected for parameters measured in the present study (p > or = 0.3). The results of the present study showed that a combination of 250 or 500 mg vitamin E and 0.2 mg selenium per kilogram of diet provides the greatest effects on performance and egg quality of Japanese quails reared under cold stress and suggest that such a supplementation can be considered as a protective management practice in Japanese quail diets to reduce the detrimental effects of cold stress.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The effect of dietary manipulations of energy, protein, and fat during the growing and laying periods on early egg weight and egg components.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of dietary energy, protein, and fat during the latter parts of the growing period and the early parts of the laying cycle on early egg weight and egg components. In Experiment 1, pullets were fed diets containing two levels of energy (2,816 and 3,036 kcal ME/kg), two levels of protein (14 and 18%), and two levels of fat (0 and 4%) in factorial arrangement from 14 to 18 wk of age. From 18 to 34 wk of age, pullets from all of the growing regimens were fed a 16.5% protein diet. In Experiment 2 (18 to 34 wk of age), six diets were used. The energy, supplemental fat, and protein content of the diets were: T1:2,816 kcal/kg, 0%, 17%; T2:2,816 kcal/kg, 0%, 21%; T3:2,816 kcal/kg, 4%, 17%; T4:2,816 kcal/kg, 4%, 21%; T5:3,036 kcal/kg, 4%, 17%; and T6:3,036 kcal/kg, 4%, and 21%. The data were analyzed factorially with energy constant and fat and protein variable (T1 to T4) and with fat constant and energy and protein variable (T3 to T6). In Experiment 1, 18-wk body weight increased slightly (P < .05) due to increasing the energy or adding fat to the diets, whereas egg weight during the early stages of egg production was increased modestly (P < .05) only due to increasing the energy level. In Experiment 2, when energy was constant, egg weight was increased due to increasing the protein level or adding fat to the diets (P < .05). When fat was constant, egg weight was increased only due to increasing the protein level (P < .05). The increased egg weight under these conditions was due mainly to increasing the albumen weight. The results indicated that egg weight during the early stages of the egg production cycle can be increased due to increasing the protein level from 17 to 21% or by adding 4% fat to the conventional layer diets, and that the beneficial effect of fat on egg weight is independent from its energy effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The effect of broiler breeder flock age and length of egg storage on egg albumen during early incubation.

The objective of these two experiments was to determine the temporal changes in albumen during storage and early incubation as a means of understanding some of the effects of egg storage on early embryonic development. Eggs from 30- or 50-wk-old broiler breeder hens were incubated (37.5 C dry bulb, 30 C wet bulb) after storage for 0 (fresh) or 5 d (18 C, 75% RH) in Experiment 1. Albumen height, albumen pH, and egg weight loss were recorded at 2, 24, 48, and 66 h of incubation. The same measurements were taken on another group of eggs from 43-wk-old hens stored for 0 (fresh), 4, 8, or 12 d in Experiment 2. All hens were of the same strain. Egg weight loss during incubation was significantly greater in fresh eggs than in stored eggs in Experiment 1. Fresh eggs had significantly greater albumen height and significantly lower albumen pH than stored eggs in both experiments. These differences diminished with length of incubation. Because the blastoderm is located adjacent to the albumen, changes in the viscosity or pH of the albumen may play an integral role in determining the viability of the embryo during the very early stages of development. Incubation of fresh eggs without storage appears to expose the developing embryo to an inappropriate trans-vitelline membrane pH gradient and a thick albumen that may slow vital gas diffusion and limit nutrient availability. These conditions may cause an increased incidence of embryonic death.

Aging↗
PubMed1994

Kinetics of egg production and egg excretion by Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum in mice infected with a single pair of worms.

Individual male and female schistosomes approximately three weeks of age were implanted into the portal venous system of C57Bl/6 mice to produce infections with a single pair of Schistosoma mansoni or S. japonicum. Mice were killed between seven and 54 weeks after infection. Worm fecundity was measured by counting eggs accumulating in the tissues and eggs passed in the feces. Schistosoma mansoni worm pairs laid approximately 350 eggs per day with no change in the apparent rate of egg laying between eight and 52 weeks after infection and approximately one-third of the eggs were passed in the feces. Schistosoma japonicum worm pairs laid approximately 2,200 eggs per day initially and this decreased to 1,000 eggs per day by the end of the experiment, with one-third to one-half of the eggs being passed in the feces. There was marked variability in the fecundity of individual worm pairs, but the number of eggs passed in the feces of individual mice correlated well with the number of eggs in the intestines at all time points in S. mansoni-infected mice and at the seventh and tenth week of S. japonicum infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Salmonella and raw shell eggs: results of a cross-sectional study of contamination rates and egg safety practices in the United Kingdom catering sector in 2003.

This study was prompted by epidemiological investigations of the unusual number of Salmonella Enteritidis outbreaks associated with the use of eggs in catering premises in England and Wales during 2002. The aims of the study, performed between April and May 2003, were to establish the rate of Salmonella contamination in raw shell eggs from catering premises, investigate any correlation between the origin and type of eggs and the presence of particular serotypes or phage types (PTs) of Salmonella, and examine the use of raw shell eggs in catering premises in the United Kingdom. A total of 34,116 eggs (5,686 pooled samples of six eggs) were collected from 2,104 catering premises, most of which were eggs produced in the United Kingdom (88%). Salmonella was isolated from 17 pools (0.3%) of eggs. Of these, 15 were Salmonella Enteritidis, which were further characterized to PTs as follows: PT6 (0.1%), PT4 (0.07%), PT12 (0.04%), PT1 (0.04%), and PT14b (0.02%). Salmonella Livingstone and Salmonella Typhimurium definitive type 7 resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfonamides, and tetracycline were also isolated. The Salmonella contamination rate of eggs produced in the United Kingdom appears to have decreased significantly since 1995 and 1996. This trend is reflected in the decrease of Salmonella Enteritidis and, in particular, Salmonella Enteritidis PT4. The impact of the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency's advice on the use of eggs, issued in January 2003, is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Ahemeral lighting of turkey breeder hens. 1. Cycle length effects on egg production and egg characteristics.

A study was conducted to determine the effective range of light-dark cycle lengths for reproductive performance in turkey hens. The treatments consisted of seven different light-dark cycle lengths: 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, and 30 h each with a 15-h photophase per cycle. Data were collected for BW, feed intake, livability, onset and rate of egg production, egg weight (EW), shell thickness, and weight of egg components. The results indicate that turkey hens can be induced to lay eggs with light-dark cycle lengths other than 24 h (ahemeral) with practical extremes being about 23 to 28 h. Egg production in the ahemeral treatments never significantly exceeded that occurring in the 24 h group and the percentage of floor eggs increased at cycle lengths greater than 26 h and at 21 h. Cycle lengths of 21 and 30 h provided the most extreme deviations in the quantity and quality of eggs from those obtained on a 24 h cycle length. Shell thickness increased consistently as cycle lengths increased from 23 to 30 h. Egg weight increased in a curvilinear manner as cycle lengths increased or decreased from 24 h. This increase was associated with increases in shell, yolk, and albumen weight; however, the contribution by each was inconsistent, varying by cycle length as well as time on treatment. It may be concluded that an effective practical range of light-dark cycles for turkeys is 23 to 28 h and that 28 h is a reasonable limit to maximize EW and shell thickness while minimizing a reduction in egg production.

Animals↗