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Table 2 Experimental design

From: Fertility in a high-altitude environment is compromised by luteal dysfunction: the relative roles of hypoxia and oxidative stress

Experimental day

Experimental procedure

0

Transfer of low-altitude native sheep to a high altitude experimental station and formation of the experimental groups (HH: n=6; HHV: n=6; LH: n=6; LHV: n=6; LL: n=6; LLV: n=6)

5

Start treatment with vitamins C and E in groups HHV, LHV and LL

5

Surgery for installation of the arterial and venous catheters

6

Administration of the first dose of cloprostenol for estrus synchronization

15

Administration of the second dose of cloprostenol for estrus synchronization

15

Introduction of vasectomized males for detection of females in estrus

17-18

First estrus after synchronization treatment

34-36

Second estrus after synchronization treatment

34-54

Daily sampling of arterial blood for evaluation of oxygenation status and venous blood for the measurement of progesterone and biomarkers of oxidative stress (n=6 each group)

34-54

Daily ultrasound examinations for evaluation of preovulatory follicle size and corpus luteum growth (n=6 each group)

51-54

Third estrus after synchronization treatment

56-59

Laparoscopic removal of corpora lutea for assessment of growth factors and vascularization (n=6 each group)

  1. In the representation of the experimental groups, the first letter of the acronym is the altitudinal origin and the second letter is the altitude where the animals stayed during the study (H for high altitude, L for low altitude). If the animal were supplemented with vitamins, the letter V was added. Therefore, there are three unsupplemented groups (HH, LH and LL) and three vitamin-supplemented groups (HHV, LHV and LLV).