Biology subjects

Ortiz-Leal, I.

Publications and source records attributed to Ortiz-Leal, I..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Neurochemical Features and Glycan Patterns in the Wapiti Vomeronasal Pathway

The vomeronasal system (VNS) plays a central role in mammalian chemical communication, mediating critical social and reproductive behaviors. In the wapiti (Cervus canadensis), a cervid species with complex social structures and pronounced chemical signaling during the rut, the VNS had not been previously characterized. This study provides the first comprehensive anatomical and neurochemical analysis of the VNS in wapiti using histological, lectin-histochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) exhibited clear rostrocaudal differentiation, with distinct sensory and respiratory epithelia, a complex glandular distribution, and region-specific expression of neural markers. Lectin binding patterns confirmed functional compartmentalization along the epithelium, and immunoreactivity for markers such as OMP, PGP9.5, CR, and G-protein subunits (Gi2, G{gamma}8, and G0) revealed detailed molecular organization. Notably, G0-positive neurons in the epithelium did not project to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), suggesting alternative targets, possibly within transitional zones. The AOB showed all canonical layers, including well-defined glomeruli and expression of markers such as calbindin, CR, GFAP, and LEA lectin. Novel findings include the presence of large white matter tracts and region-specific lectin distribution. Confocal double immunofluorescence and autofluorescence imaging were also employed, allowing high-resolution visualization of neuroepithelial architecture and glomerular domains. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the vomeronasal system in wapiti is highly developed and functionally specialized. These findings contribute to a better understanding of chemosensory communication in wild ungulates and provide a comparative framework for future studies in cervid behavior, reproduction, and conservation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Neuroanatomy of the Accessory Olfactory Bulb in the Fossorial Water Vole

The accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) plays a key role in processing chemical signals crucial for species-specific social and reproductive behaviors. While extensive research has focused on the vomeronasal system of laboratory rodents, less is known about wild species, particularly those that rely heavily on chemical communication. This study aims to characterize the morphological and neurochemical organization of the AOB in the fossorial water vole (Arvicola scherman), a subterranean rodent species from the family Cricetidae. We have employed histological techniques, including Nissl and hematoxylin staining, as well as immunohistochemical and lectin-histochemical markers, to assess the AOB structure. Our findings reveal that the AOB of the water vole exhibits a distinct laminar organization with prominent mitral cells in the mitral-plexiform layer, as well as dense labeling of periglomerular and short-axon cells in the glomerular layer. Lectin histochemistry further confirmed zonation patterns analogous to those seen in other rodent species. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated significant expression of PGP 9.5, suggesting its involvement in maintaining neuronal activity within the AOB. In contrast, the absence of SMI-32 labeling in the AOB, compared to its strong expression in the main olfactory bulb, highlights functional distinctions between these two olfactory subsystems. These structural and neurochemical characteristics suggest that the AOB of the fossorial water vole is adapted for enhanced processing of chemosensory signals, which may play a pivotal role in its subterranean lifestyle. Our results provide a foundation for future studies exploring the functional implications of these adaptations, including potential improvements in the integrated management of these vole populations.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

The Histopathology of Cephenemyia stimulator-Induced Nasopharyngeal Myiasis in Roe-Deers (Capreolus capreolus)

Nasopharyngeal myiasis in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is a pathological condition caused by the larval stages of Cephenemyia stimulator, a fly from the Oestridae family. These larvae reside in the hosts upper respiratory tract for months, inducing significant tissue damage and clinical symptoms. The lifecycle of Cephenemyia stimulator is complex, involving three larval stages before maturation into adult flies, with each stage contributing to the progressive pathology observed in the host. Despite their prevalence, the histopathological effects of these larvae in the nasopharyngeal and nasal cavities have been understudied. Our study fills this knowledge gap by providing a detailed histopathological analysis of the affected tissues, using various staining techniques to reveal the extent and nature of the damage caused by these parasitic larvae. This histopathological examination reveals significant alterations within the nasopharyngeal mucosa and nasal cavity, including erythematous changes, mucosal metaplasia, fibrosis, and tissue necrosis. Parasitic cysts and eosinophilic infiltration further characterize the infestations impact, compromising not only the mucosal integrity but also potentially the olfactory function of the affected animals. This research is crucial for understanding the impact of myiasis on the health of roe deer populations and could have significant implications for wildlife management and conservation.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2023

Do Fossorial Water Voles have a Functional Vomeronasal Organ? A Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

The fossorial water vole, Arvicola scherman, is a herbivorous rodent that cause significant agricultural damages. The application of cairomones and alarm pheromones emerges as a promising sustainable method to improve its integrated management. These chemical signals would induce stress responses that could interfere with the species regular reproductive cycles and induce aversive reactions, steering them away from farmlands and meadows. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the water vole vomeronasal system, both in its morphological foundations and its functionality, making it imperative to understand the same for the application of chemical communication in pest control. This study fills the existing gaps in knowledge through a morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of the fossorial water vole vomeronasal organ. The study is primarily microscopic, employing two approaches: histological, using serial sections stained with various dyes (Hematoxylin-Eosin, PAS, Alcian Blue, Nissl), and immunohistochemical, applying various markers that provide morphofunctional and structural information. These procedures have confirmed the presence of a functional vomeronasal system in fossorial water voles, characterized by a high degree of differentiation and a significant expression of cellular markers indicative of active chemical communication in this species.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Exploring the vomeronasal organ in an endangered antelope species

The dama gazelle is a threatened and scarcely studied species of northern Africa. Human pressure has depleted the population of dama gazelles from tens of thousands to a few hundred individuals. Since 1970, after deriving from a founder population of the last 17 surviving individuals in the Western Sahara, it has been reproduced naturally in captivity. Although certain aspects of the reproductive biology of the dama gazelle have been established in preparation for the future implementation of assisted reproductive technology there is a lack of information regarding the role of semiochemical-mediated communication in the sexual behavior of the dama gazelle. This is partially due to the lack of a neuroanatomical and morphofunctional characterization of the dama gazelle vomeronasal organ (VNO); the sensory organ responsible for the processing of pheromones. This study aims to determine the presence in the dama gazelle of a VNO fully equipped to carry out its neurosensory function and to contribute to the understanding of the interspecific variability of the VNO of ruminants. Employing histological, lectin-histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques we have performed a detailed morphofunctional evaluation of the dama gazelle VNO along its entire longitudinal axis. The findings suggest that studies of the VNO should take a similar approach, as there are significant structural and neurochemical transformations that the organ exhibits as a whole. This study contributes to the understanding of the VNO in dama gazelles and provides a basis for future studies on semiochemical-mediated communication and reproductive management of this species.

neuroscience↗