Reproductive performance primarily depends on the female genotype in a two-factorial breeding experiment using high-fertility mouse lines
Mouse models showing an improved fertility phenotype are barely described in the literature. In the present study, we further characterized two outbred mouse models that have been selected for the phenotype ‘high fertility’ for more than 177 generations (fertility lines (FL) 1 and 2). In order to delineate the impact of males and females on fertility parameters, we performed a two-factorial breeding experiment by mating males and females of the three different genotypes (FL1, FL2, unselected control (Ctrl)) in all 9 possible combinations. Reproductive performance, such as number of offspring per litter or total...
Source: Reproduction - January 16, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Langhammer, M., Michaelis, M., Hartmann, M. F., Wudy, S. A., Sobczak, A., Nurnberg, G., Reinsch, N., Schon, J., Weitzel, J. M. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Integrins functioning in uterine endometrial stromal and epithelial cells in estrus
Here, as a basic study in the construction of a non-cellular niche that supports artificial organization of three-dimensional endometrial tissue, we defined the types of integrin heterodimers that are expressed transcriptionally, translationally and functionally in endometrial stromal (ES) and endometrial epithelial (EE) cells isolated from the mouse uterus in estrus. Gene and protein expression of integrin subunits were analyzed at the transcriptional and translational level by real-time PCR and fluorescent immunoassay, respectively. Moreover, the functionality of integrin heterodimers was confirmed by attachment and anti...
Source: Reproduction - January 16, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Park, H. J., Park, J. E., Lee, H., Kim, S. J., Yun, J. I., Kim, M., Park, K. H., Lee, S. T. Tags: Research Source Type: research
miR-361-3p regulates FSH by targeting FSHB in a porcine anterior pituitary cell model
FSH plays an essential role in processes involved in human reproduction, including spermatogenesis and the ovarian cycle. While the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying its synthesis and secretion have been extensively studied, little is known about its posttranscriptional regulation. A bioinformatics analysis from our group indicated that a microRNA (miRNA; miR-361-3p) could regulate FSH secretion by potentially targeting the FSHB subunit. Herein, we sought to confirm these findings by investigating the miR-361-3p-mediated regulation of FSH production in primary pig anterior pituitary cells. Gonadotropin-relea...
Source: Reproduction - January 9, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Ye, R.-S., Li, M., Li, C.-Y., Qi, Q.-E., Chen, T., Cheng, X., Wang, S.-B., Shu, G., Wang, L.-N., Zhu, X.-T., Jiang, Q.-Y., Xi, Q.-Y., Zhang, Y.-L. Tags: Research Source Type: research
A novel embryo culture media supplement that improves pregnancy rates in mice
The preimplantation embryo in vivo is exposed to numerous growth factors in the female reproductive tract, which are not recapitulated in embryo culture media in vitro. The IGF2 and plasminogen activator systems facilitate blastocyst development. We hypothesized that the addition of IGF2 in combination with urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen could improve rates of blastocyst hatching and implantation in mice. B6BcF1 and CBAB6F2 mouse embryos were divided into one of four supplemented culture media treatment groups: (1) control (media only); (2) 12.5 nM IGF2; (3) 10 µg/mL uPA and 5 µg/mL plasm...
Source: Reproduction - January 9, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Highet, A. R., Bianco-Miotto, T., Pringle, K. G., Peura, A., Bent, S., Zhang, J., Nottle, M. B., Thompson, J. G., Roberts, C. T. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Urinary triclosan concentrations and early outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer
The objective of our study was to investigate whether high urinary TCS concentration is adversely associated with early reproductive outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2015 to June 2016, including 156 infertile women undergoing their first IVF-ET cycle. Two spot urine samples were collected prior to oocyte retrieval for TCS detection using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Linear regression model and binary logistic regression model were used to e...
Source: Reproduction - January 9, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Hua, R., Zhou, Y., Wu, B., Huang, Z., Zhu, Y., Song, Y., Yu, Y., Li, H., Quan, S. Tags: Research Source Type: research
