Caracterización y producción de β-NGF y su papel en la fisiología reproductiva del conejo

Abstract

The beta nerve growth factor (β-NGF) is a neurotrophin that was first discovered in the nervous system and then in other systems, such as the reproductive tract in many different species. In this system, it participates in the spermatogenesis and foliculogenesis, in gamete maturation and in the process of ovulation. In fact, it has been demonstrated that β-NGF is the ovulating-induction factor (OIF) in some reflex ovulator species, such as camelids. In rabbits, this factor and its two receptors (β-NGF system) are present in some tissues of male (testes, prostate and seminal glands) and female (ovary, oviduct, uterus and cervix) reproductive tract in adult animals. However, its role during sexual development and its relationship to some important hormones in reproduction, such as testosterone, are still unknown in this species. Furthermore, the ovulation in rabbits is induced by copulation but there is no clear evidence that β-NGF provokes the ovulation like in camelids, since neither murine β-NGF nor homologous or heterologous seminal plasma (SP) are able to trigger an appropriate ovarian response...