Roles of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like factor in the ovulation process
Abstract
Luteinizing hormone (LH) surge stimulates preovulatory follicles to induce the ovulation process, including oocyte maturation, cumulus expansion, and granulosa cell luteinization. The matured oocytes surrounded by an expanded cumulus cell layer are released from follicles to the oviduct. However, LH receptors are dominantly expressed in granulosa cells, but less in cumulus cells and are not expressed in oocytes, indicating that the secondary factors expressed and secreted from LH-stimulated granulosa cells are required for the induction of the ovulation process. Prostaglandin and progesterone are...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - February 15, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Uterine anatomy and function on cine magnetic resonance imaging
Abstract
The female reproductive organ undergoes dynamic morphological changes under the influence of hormonal stimuli, and particularly those mediated by estrogen and progesterone. The uterus changes both its morphological appearance and its functional movements in function of these influences. Functionally, the uterus is known to exert two kinds of inherent contractility: sustained uterine contractions and uterine peristalsis. The former is focal and consists of the sporadic bulging of the myometrium, while the latter is rhythmic and manifests itself as the subtle stripping movement in the subendometria...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - February 13, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Management of non-obstructive azoospermia
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is defined as no sperm in the ejaculate due to failure of spermatogenesis and is the most severe form of male infertility. The etiology of NOA is either intrinsic testicular impairment or inadequate gonadotropin production. Chromosomal or genetic abnormalities should be evaluated because there is a relatively high incidence compared with the normal population. Although rare, NOA due to inadequate gonadotropin production is a condition in which fertility can be improved by medical treatment. In contrast, there is no treatment that can restore spermatogenesis in th...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - January 18, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Age-associated events in bovine oocytes and possible countermeasures
Abstract
Maternal aging profoundly affects oocyte quality. This has become common knowledge in industrialized countries and extensive studies addressing the causes and possible countermeasures against age-associated deterioration of oocytes suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction is a causal factor in infertility. However, almost all studies addressing age-associated events in oocytes have used mice as an animal model, and the reproductive life of mice is very short, making it difficult to study the gradual decline in fertility observed in humans. In the present review, age-associated changes in the qualit...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - January 8, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Observation of human embryonic behavior in vitro by high-resolution time-lapse cinematography
Abstract
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has yielded vast amounts of information and knowledge on human embryonic development in vitro; however, still images provide limited data on dynamic changes in the developing embryos. Using our high-resolution time-lapse cinematography (hR-TLC) system, we were able to describe normal human embryonic development continuously from the fertilization process to the hatched blastocyst stage in detail. Our hR-TLC observation also showed the embryonic abnormality of a third polar body (PB)-like substance likely containing a small pronucleus being extruded and resul...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - January 5, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Twin pregnancy in a 51-year-old woman who underwent autologous cryopreservation at the age of 36 years: case report
We report a case of a successful dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy achieved using autologous fertilized cryopreserved oocytes in a climacteric woman. A 51-year-old woman became pregnant using autologous fertilized oocytes that had been frozen for 15 years. On her first visit, multiple leiomyoma of the uterus and gestational diabetes mellitus were diagnosed, and proteinuria began to appear at 30 weeks. In spite of our concerns these complications did not exacerbate and the clinical course for both mother and neonates was favorable. This is the first report of a live twin birth achieved using autologous cryopreserved o...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - January 5, 2016 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Testicular function among testicular cancer survivors treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy
Conclusions
These findings help to predict whether spermatogenesis will recover and its timing. They may also help clinicians identify and manage TC patients at a higher risk of prolonged azoospermia after chemotherapy. (Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology)
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - December 31, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection into oocytes matured in vitro and early embryonic development in the owl monkey ( Aotus lemurinus )
Conclusions
Although we successfully produced owl monkey embryos after ICSI, the embryos did not develop to the blastocyst stage. Many parameters need to be studied further, including superovulation, selection of culture media, and selection of good quality sperm in order to achieve successful ICSI in the owl monkey. (Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology)
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - December 16, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
The development of surgical sperm extraction and new challenges to improve the outcome
Abstract
Surgical sperm extraction with intracytoplasmic sperm injection has become widespread worldwide and is regarded as the sole option for patients with azoospermia. However, the sperm retrieval rate remains unsatisfactorily low, particularly for men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Therefore, the technical challenges associated with improving the sperm retrieval rate for men with NOA are being addressed. The most successful method developed to date is microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE), which is rapidly becoming recognized as a useful technique due to its relatively high...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - November 27, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Anti-Müllerian hormone as a marker of ovarian reserve: What have we learned, and what should we know?
Abstract
Ovarian reserve reflects the quality and quantity of available oocytes. This reserve has become indispensable for the better understanding of reproductive potential. Measurement of the serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level allows quantitative evaluation of ovarian reserve. It has been applied to a wide range of clinical conditions, and it is well established that the measurement of serum AMH levels is more useful than qualitative evaluation based on the menstrual cycle. AMH levels are monitored during infertility treatments; in patients undergoing medically assisted reproductive technology; a...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - November 23, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis: an update on current technologies and ethical considerations
Abstract
The aim of reproductive medicine is to support the birth of healthy children. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies and genetic analysis have led to the introduction of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for embryos. Indications for PGD have been a major topic in the fields of ethics and law. Concerns vary by nation, religion, population, and segment, and the continued rapid development of new technologies. In contrast to the ethical augment, technology has been developing at an excessively rapid speed. The most significant recent technological development provides the abilit...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - November 14, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Update of Wnt signaling in implantation and decidualization
Abstract
Embryonic development into an implantation-competent blastocyst, synchronized uterine transformation into a receptive stage, and an intimate cross-talk between the activated blastocyst and the receptive uterus are essential for successful implantation, and therefore for subsequent pregnancy outcome. Evidence accumulating during recent years has underlined the importance of the Wnt signaling pathway in mammalian implantation and decidualization. Herein, this review focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding Wnt signaling in multiple implantation and decidualization events: pre-implantatio...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - November 9, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Sperm dysfunction and ciliopathy
Abstract
Sperm motility is driven by motile cytoskeletal elements in the tail, called axonemes. The structure of axonemes consists of 9 + 2 microtubules, molecular motors (dyneins), and their regulatory structures. Axonemes are well conserved in motile cilia and flagella through eukaryotic evolution. Deficiency in the axonemal structure causes defects in sperm motility, and often leads to male infertility. It has been known since the 1970s that, in some cases, male infertility is linked with other symptoms or diseases such as Kartagener syndrome. Given that these links are mostly caused by deficiencies ...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - October 14, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Epigenetics of sex determination in mammals
Abstract
Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene function that cannot be explained by changes in DNA sequence. A mammalian body contains more than two hundred types of cells. Since all of them are derived from a single fertilized egg, their genotypes are identical. However, the gene expression patterns are different between the cell types, indicating that each cell type has unique own “epigenotype”. Epigenetic gene regulation mechanisms essentially contribute to various processes of mammalian development. The essence of epigenetic regulation is the structural change of chromatin to modulate gene a...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - September 22, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
Molecular and cellular events involved in the completion of blastocyst implantation
Abstract
Blastocyst implantation is an interactive process between the embryo and the uterus. The synchronization of embryonic development with uterine differentiation to a receptive state is essential for a successful pregnancy. The period of uterine receptivity for implantation is limited. Although implantation involves the interaction of numerous signaling molecules, our understanding of the hierarchical mechanisms that coordinate with the embryo–uterine dialogue is not yet sufficient to prevent infertility caused by implantation failure. This review highlights our knowledge on uterine receptivity an...
Source: Reproductive Medicine and Biology - August 14, 2015 Category: OBGYN Source Type: research
