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Intra-uterine programming of future fertility
Pascale Chavatte-Palmer1,2, Anne Couturier-Tarrade1,2, Delphine Rousseau-Ralliard1,2
1Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Reproduction in Domestic Animals = Zuchthygiene
|November 9, 2023
Summary
Parental environment impacts offspring fertility via fetal development. Maternal conditions can alter placental function, affecting fetal gonadal development and potentially causing inter-generational fertility issues in livestock.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
- Animal science
Background:
- The DOHaD concept links parental environment, fetal development, and adult non-communicable diseases.
- In mammals, the placenta mediates crucial exchanges between mother and fetus.
- Maternal environmental factors can disrupt placental function and efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of the intrauterine environment on offspring fertility in domestic animals.
- To highlight the role of placental development and function in programming fertility.
- To discuss potential inter-generational effects on fertility due to epigenetic modifications.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on DOHaD and its implications for fertility.
- Focus on mammalian placental development and function under various environmental conditions.
- Examination of epigenetic mechanisms and their role in transgenerational effects.
Main Results:
- Adverse maternal environments (undernutrition, overnutrition, contaminants) can impair placental efficiency.
- Suboptimal placental function negatively affects fetal gonadal development and maturation.
- Epigenetic modifications in gametes may lead to heritable effects on fertility.
Conclusions:
- Intrauterine programming significantly influences offspring fertility in domestic animals.
- Understanding these programming effects is crucial for developing sustainable breeding systems.
- Further research is needed to assess transgenerational impacts on fertility, especially concerning climate change adaptation.
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