Embryo selection and democratic control
AbstractRecently, American colleagues called for a systematic collection of anonymized data on how many embryos and foetuses are deselected per institution per year, and for which conditions. These authors argued that if this information would be reported to a government agency or international body, the information would provide a baseline against which jurisdiction-specific trends in selection could be assessed. People who have disabilities, together with other key stakeholders, laypeople and experts, would then be in a position to assess the social impact of human selecting technologies and to make recommendations for a...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - February 2, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Metaphase II oocytes from human unilaminar follicles grown in a multi-step culture system
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONCan complete oocyte development be achieved from human ovarian tissue containing primordial/unilaminar follicles and grownin vitro in a multi-step culture to meiotic maturation demonstrated by the formation of polar bodies and a Metaphase II spindle?SUMMARY ANSWERDevelopment of human oocytes from primordial/unilaminar stages to resumption of meiosis (Metaphase II) and emission of a polar body was achieved within a serum free multi-step culture system.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYComplete development of oocytesin vitro has been achieved in mouse, wherein vitro grown (IVG) oocytes from primordial follicles have...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 30, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Oviductal extracellular vesicles (oviductosomes, OVS) are conserved in humans: murine OVS play a pivotal role in sperm capacitation and fertility
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONSAre extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the murine oviduct (oviductosomes, OVS) conserved in humans and do they play a role in the fertility ofPmca4−/ − females?SUMMARY ANSWEROVS and their fertility-modulating proteins are conserved in humans, arise via the apocrine pathway, and mediate a compensatory upregulation of PMCA1 (plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1) inPmca4−/ − female mice during proestrus/estrus, to account for their fertility.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYRecently murine OVS were identified and shown during proestrus/estrus to express elevated levels of PMCA4 which they can deliver to sperm. PMCA4 ...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 23, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Epididymal cysteine-rich secretory proteins are required for epididymal sperm maturation and optimal sperm function
This study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Victorian Cancer Agency and a scholarship from the Chinese Scholarship Council. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 18, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Inhibiting trophoblast PAR-1 overexpression suppresses sFlt-1-induced anti-angiogenesis and abnormal vascular remodeling: a possible therapeutic approach for preeclampsia
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONIs it possible to improve vascular remodeling by inhibiting the excessive expression of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) in trophoblast of abnormal placenta?SUMMARY ANSWERInhibition of trophoblast PAR-1 overexpression may promote placental angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, offering an alternative therapeutic approach for preeclampsia.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYPAR-1 is high-affinity receptor of thrombin. Thrombin increases sFlt-1 secretion in trophoblast via the activation of PAR-1. It is reported that the expression of both thrombin and PAR-1 expression are increased in placentas of preeclampsia p...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 9, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
People are very open-minded about new things, as long as they are exactly like the old ones †
(Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 5, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Dynamics, ultrastructure and gene expression of human in vitro organized testis cells from testicular sperm extraction biopsies
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONIs it possible to inducein vitro reorganization of primary human testis cells from testicular sperm extraction (TESE) biopsies, maintain their long-term cultivation in a 2D system and identify cellular compositions?SUMMARY ANSWERIn vitro reorganization of primary human testis cells from TESE biopsies and their long-term cultivation on uncoated cell culture dishes is feasible and the cellular compositions can be uncovered through gene expression and microscopic analyses.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYIt has been shown in the rodent model that mixtures of testicular cell types are able to reassemble into clusters...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - January 3, 2018 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Preclinical validation of a targeted next generation sequencing-based comprehensive chromosome screening methodology in human blastocysts
This study is limited to whole chromosome aneuploidy, as mosaicism and segmental aneuploidy have not been investigated.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSThese data show an accurate, high throughput method, and with the greater depth of each amplicon sequenced in comparison to commercial kits, there is greater application available for single nucleotide polymorphism based analysis for quality control.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTSThis study was funded through intramural research funds provided by the Foundation for Embryonic Competence. There are no competing interests. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 25, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Increased 27-hydroxycholesterol production during luteolysis may mediate the progressive decline in progesterone secretion
This study provides functional evidence of a novel mechanism via increased 27OH synthesis during luteolysis, which subsequently represses progesterone secretion. Increased 27OH may also facilitate the progression of luteolysis in domestic animal species.STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTEREST(S)The authors have nothing to disclose. Support was provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health& Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), award number R00HD067678 to R.L.B. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 21, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Endothelin-1 promotes human germinal vesicle-stage oocyte maturation by downregulating connexin-26 expression in cumulus cells
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONDoes endothelin-1 (ET-1) promote human oocyte maturation and by what mechanism?SUMMARY ANSWERAddition of ET-1 to the medium in which human germinal vesicle (GV)-stage immature oocytes are cultured enhances the GV breakdown (GVBD) rate; the resumption of meiosis may be initiated by ET-1 downregulating the expression of connexin-26 (Cx26) in cumulus cells via endothelin receptor type B (ETRB), leading to decreased cAMP levels in the oocyte.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYThe paracrine factor ET-1 is secreted by ovarian somatic cells in pre-ovulatory follicles and regulates oocyte maturation in mice. Connexins, or ...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 8, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Proteomic analysis of germinal vesicles in the domestic cat model reveals candidate nuclear proteins involved in oocyte competence acquisition
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONDo nuclear proteins in the germinal vesicle (GV) contribute to oocyte competence acquisition during folliculogenesis?SUMMARY ANSWERProteomic analysis of GVs identified candidate proteins for oocyte competence acquisition, including a key RNA processing protein –heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2B1).WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYThe domestic cat GV, which is physiologically similar to the human GV, gains the intrinsic ability to resume meiosis and support early embryo development during the pre-antral-to-antral follicle transition. However, little is known about nuclear proteins that contr...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 8, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Zona pellucida-binding protein 2 (ZPBP2) and several proteins containing BX7B motifs in human sperm may have hyaluronic acid binding or recognition properties
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONAre there novel hyaladherins in human sperm?SUMMARY ANSWERZona pellucida-binding protein 2 (ZPBP2), containing a Link-like hyaluronic acid (HA)-binding domain, and several other proteins containing BX7B motifs, such as ADAM32 and Midkine, may be novel hyaladherins with HA-binding properties.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYHA-binding proteins (hyaladherins), which can bind HA surrounding the cumulus-oophorus complex, are distinct from hyases such as PH 20 (SPAM1) and are expressed by mature spermatozoa. Although HABP1 and CD44 are reasonably well characterized hyaladherins and the former has been implicated in sp...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 8, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Naringenin induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress by regulating MAPK and AKT signal transduction pathways in endometriosis cells
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONDoes the flavonoid naringenin inhibit proliferation of human endometriosis cells?SUMMARY ANSWERNaringenin suppresses proliferation and increases apoptosis via depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human endometriosis cells.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYFor management of endometriosis, hormonal therapy is commonly used to decrease production of estrogens by the ovaries, but that has limitations including undesirable side effects with long-term therapies. To overcome these limitations, it is important to discover novel compounds which have no advers...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - November 7, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Protein profile of mouse ovarian follicles grown in vitro
This study allowed a general view of proteins implicated in follicle developmentin vitro and it represents the most complete catalog of the whole follicle proteome available so far. Not only were well known proteins of the oocyte identified but also proteins that are probably expressed only in granulosa cells.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT (PhD fellowship SFRH/BD/65299/2009 to A.A.), the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation (PR 2014-0144 to K.A.R-.W.) and Stockholm County Council to K.A.R-.W. The authors of the study have no conflict o...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - October 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Regulatory mechanisms of sperm flagellar motility by metachronal and synchronous sliding of doublet microtubules
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONWhat is the role of metachronal and synchronous sliding in sperm flagellar motility?SUMMARY ANSWERBoth metachronal and oscillatory synchronous sliding are essential for sperm flagellar motility, while the change in mode of synchronous sliding between the non-oscillatory synchronous sliding of a specific pair of the doublet microtubules and the oscillatory synchronous sliding between most pairs of doublet microtubules modulates the sperm flagellar motility.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYMetachronal and synchronous sliding of doublet microtubules are involved in sperm flagellar motility and regulation of these sl...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - October 11, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
