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Animals
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Ovarian, Uterine, and Embryo Dynamics in Horses and Innovative Research...
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Ovarian, Uterine, and Embryo Dynamics in Horses and Innovative Research Methods in Equine Reproductive Studies and Practice

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1154

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dariusz J. Skarzynski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Animal Reproduction with Large Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Environmental and Live Sciences, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland
2. Team of Reproductive Pathology and Translation Medicine, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-683 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: corpus luteum; uterus; estrous cycle; early pregnancy; early embryo mortality; endometritis; endometriosis; adenomyosis; mastitis; cytokines; prostaglandins; equine reproduction
Prof. Dr. Graça Maria Ferreira Dias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Morphology and Function, CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: mare reproduction; corpus luteum; oviduct; endometrium; endometritis; endometriosis; endocrinology; cytokines; fibrosis; epigenetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Joanna Jaworska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Molecular Basis of Equine Reproduction Team, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-683 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: immunology; placenta; cytokine; pregnancy; endometrium; endometrial disorders; endometritis; endometriosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reproductive biology in horses continues to represent a pivotal area of investigation, underpinning advances in breeding management and animal health and welfare. The equine reproductive system is characterized by intricate interactions among ovarian function, uterine physiology, and embryonic development. Understanding these relationships is fundamental in improving fertility, refining assisted reproductive techniques, and mitigating common reproductive disorders, such as endometritis, endometriosis, luteal insufficiency, and embryo loss.

This Special Issue of Animals will present contemporary research addressing ovarian, uterine, and embryo and placenta dynamics in mares, alongside methodological innovations that enhance both scientific inquiry and clinical practice in equine reproduction. The contributions featured here employ advanced imaging technologies, molecular and genomic analyses, and innovative in vitro and in vivo models to elucidate the mechanisms underlying reproductive function and pathology.

By combining classical reproductive physiology with emerging research tools and translational approaches, this compilation of scientific articles will provide novel insights into the regulation of fertility and reproductive health in mares. It is our hope that these studies will inspire continued collaboration among researchers, veterinarians, and breeders and promote further progress in equine reproductive science and practice.

Prof. Dr. Dariusz J. Skarzynski
Prof. Dr. Graça Maria Ferreira Dias
Dr. Joanna Jaworska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mare fertility
  • ovarian follicular dynamics and disorders
  • assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs)
  • corpus luteum function
  • uterine physiology and pathology
  • endometritis and endometriosis
  • embryo and fetus development
  • early embryonic loss
  • implantation and placenta
  • molecular and genomic profiling in mare reproduction
  • translational reproductive research

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 1548 KB  
Article
Characterization of the Endometrial Microbiota of Healthy Mares Across the Estrous Cycle
by Gian Guido Donato, Denis Necchi, Fabrizia Gionechetti, Ugo Ala, Patrizia Nebbia, Patrizia Robino, Maria Cristina Stella, Hilde Vandaele, Alberto Pallavicini and Tiziana Nervo
Animals 2026, 16(4), 618; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16040618 - 15 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 716
Abstract
In the past, bacteria detected in the mare’s uterus were generally interpreted as a sign of endometritis, since the uterus was considered a sterile environment. This assumption has been challenged by the introduction of culture-independent molecular techniques, particularly 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, which [...] Read more.
In the past, bacteria detected in the mare’s uterus were generally interpreted as a sign of endometritis, since the uterus was considered a sterile environment. This assumption has been challenged by the introduction of culture-independent molecular techniques, particularly 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, which have demonstrated that healthy mares harbor an endometrial microbiota. The aim of this study was to characterize the endometrial microbiota of healthy mares and to determine whether microbial composition differs between estrus and diestrus. Endometrial samples were collected from eleven healthy Standardbred mares during estrus and diestrus and analyzed by sequencing the V1–V2 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. A total of 24 bacterial phyla and 599 genera were identified. At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota accounted for most of the relative abundance, while the most abundant genera were Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Sphingomonas, Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Clostridium, and Pseudomonas. Alpha diversity was significantly higher during estrus, likely due to hormonally mediated changes in cervical opening and local immunity. Beta diversity analyses showed substantial overlap between estrus and diestrus samples. The phase of the cycle had a weak effect on microbiota structure, while inter-individual differences between mares explained a larger proportion of the observed variation. These findings suggest that the uterine microbiota of healthy mares is largely stable across the estrous cycle, with phase-dependent and mare-specific fluctuations in microbial composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ovarian, Uterine, and Embryo Dynamics in Horses and Innovative Research Methods in Equine Reproductive Studies and Practice)
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