EARLY PLACENTAL DEVELOPMENT IN CATTLE

Embryonic mortality is one of the primary contributors to economic loss in cattle. Most efforts have been directed toward understanding mechanisms associated with early embryonic mortality prior to day 20 of gestation. However, recent reports indicate that substantial embryonic losses also occur during early placental development after conceptus elongation. The long-term goals of this research are to 1) elucidate the cellular, histological and metabolic processes taking place in the developing bovine placenta from Days 20 to 50 of gestation; and 2) use this fundamental knowledge to develop management strategies to decrease reproductive loss. Specific objectives of this proposal are to: 1) perform multi-transcriptomic analyses to characterize novel invasive trophoblast lineages in the caruncular endometrium during early placentomal development; and 2) perform confocal, Airyscan super-resolution, and multiphoton microscopic analyses to examine the microanatomy of the uterine-placental interface during the early stages of placentation. Gaining knowledge in this area will lead to a better understanding of the causes of and potential strategies to prevent embryonic loss, which is a major economic problem for the beef and dairy industries. Eventual efforts will focus on improving fertility to increase the sustainability of animal production and ensure that this aspect of American agriculture remains competitive.