title: Pregnancy following homologous prepubertal ovarian transplantation in the dog.
abstract: In several canine models of hereditary human disease the homozygote dogs die prior to puberty, or have substantially reduced fertility. To create a clinically healthy animal that can be bred, but can also transmit the gene of interest, a model of homologous ovarian transplantation in prepubertal dogs was developed. Six dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) identical littermates underwent transplantation of ovarian cortical strips (n = 2) or the entire ovary (n = 4). Immunosuppression was maintained with cyclosporine and MMF in the immediate post-operative period and cyclosporine alone thereafter. All 6 dogs entered puberty and normal semiannual estrus cycles as demonstrated by both physical changes and increasing serum progesterone. Four dogs were bred to a proven stud male, and one became pregnant. Three viable fetuses with observable heart-beats were detected on ultrasound examination. Although the dog eventually aborted the litter, this work represents the first pregnancy achieved following a prepubertal ovarian transplant in the dog.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA. jennifer.pullium@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Pullium
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tuma