Label Retaining Stromal Cells Are Involved in Uterine Remodeling after Parturition

Oral 1: Uterus: abstract no. P009postprin

Identification of endometrial label retaining cells in postpartum mice

DMM 2011 entitled: Re-engineering Regenerative MedicinePoster Session - Stem Cell Biology: no. 50A well known technique for understanding stem cell niche is label-retaining cell (LRC) approach. Using animal models, quiescent cells (a property of somatic stem cells) which retain the DNA synthesis label (bromodeoxyuridine, BrdU) for a long period of time has shown to contain adult stem cells 1-2. In mice, endometrial epithelial and stromal cells undergo proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Endometrial LRCs have been identified from normal cycled mice 3-4. However the presence of LRCs during extensive remodeling has not been investigated. In this study, endometrial epithelial and stromal LRCs during pregnancy and postpartum was …postprin

The oviduct and development of the preimplantation embryo

Fertilization and early embryo development take place in the oviduct in vivo. Relative to studies in other reproductive organs, the importance of the oviduct has been ignored for many years because pregnancies can be obtained in assisted reproduction treatment using in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer to the uterus without involving the Fallopian tube. After the reports on the beneficial effect of oviductal cells on embryo development in sheep and subsequently in human, and a practical need to improve the success rates in clinical assisted reproduction, there was a period when more research was performed on the Fallopian tube. Many of these studies used in vitro coculture systems to emulate the in vivo environment in vitro, and to search for oviduct-derived embryotrophic factors. With the recent development of sequential culture to improve embryo development in vitro, the use of coculture in assisted reproduction and its related research declined because routine use of coculture is laborious and experience-dependent.published_or_final_versio

Comparison of two dosages of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone in Chinese women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation: Prospective randomised double-blind study

Objective: To compare two dosages of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone for controlled ovarian stimulation. Design: Prospective, randomised double-blind study. Setting: Tertiary assisted reproduction unit, Hong Kong. Participants: Forty subfertile Chinese women aged 24 to 38 years undergoing in vitro fertilisation. Entry criteria included good physical and mental health, and a body mass index between 18 and 29 kg/m2. Exclusion criteria were subfertility caused by an endocrine abnormality, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or absent ovarian function; previous assisted reproduction treatment in which fewer than three oocytes were retrieved; prior hospitalisation due to severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome; chronic cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, or pulmonary disease; alcohol or drug abuse; and the administration of investigational drugs within the previous 3 months. Intervention: Injection of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone, 100 IU/d or 200 IU/d. Main outcome measures: The number of oocytes, total dose of drug used, and pregnancy rates. Results: Compared with the 20 women receiving 200 IU/d, the 20 who received 100 IU/d had a significantly lower median number of oocytes retrieved and median total dose of drug used (7.5 versus 15.0 [P<0.001] and 1200 IU versus 2000 IU [P<0.001], respectively). The pregnancy rates in the fresh cycles were similar (20%) in both groups, but the cumulative pregnancy rates in the 100 IU/d and 200 IU/d groups were 20.0% and 45.0% per stimulated cycle, respectively. The incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in the 100 IU/d and 200 IU/d groups was 5.0% and 20.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Use of 100 IU/d of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone requires a lower total dose but results in the harvest of half the number of oocytes compared with when a dosage of 200 IU/d is used.published_or_final_versio

Glycodelin-A primes zona pellucida-induced acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa via downregulation of extracellular signal regulated kinases and enhancement of zona pellucida-induced calcium influx

Conference Theme: The Intersection Between Genetics, Genomics, and Reproductive BiologypostprintThe 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR), Milwaukee, WI., 30 July-3 August 2010. In Meeting Abstracts, 2010, p. 38, abstract no. 17

Spatial and temporal characterization of endometrial mesenchymal stem-like cells activity during the menstrual cycle

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Olfactomedin1 (Olfm1) in fallopian tube may modulate tubal ectopic pregnancy in humans: evidence from Immunohistochemistry and an in vitro coculture model

Conference Theme: The Intersection Between Genetics, Genomics, and Reproductive BiologyOlfactomedins are secretary glycoprotein constituted in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of various cell types. Recent studies suggested that Olfm-1 is down-regulated during the window of implantation (WOI) in the human endometrium and up-regulated in pathological condition like endometriosis and recurrent spontaneous abortions. Ectopic pregnancy is a gynaecological emergency and fertility threatening phenomenon which occurs in 1-2% of normal pregnancies and shows an increasing trend. Yet, tubal ectopic pregnancy accounts for more than 98% of the cases ...postprintThe 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Preproduction (SSR), Milwaukee, WI., 30 July-3 August 2010. In Biology of Reproduction, 2010, v. 83 n. Meeting abstracts, p. 27-28, abstract no. 13

Prognostic factors for successful outcome in patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination

Objective. To determine the prognostic factors associated with successful outcome following controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination. Design. Retrospective analysis. Setting. University-based assisted reproductive technology centre, Hong Kong. Patients and methods. Patients included 292 couples undergoing 600 treatment cycles, following a standard protocol of human menopausal gonadotrophin injections. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which demographic and sperm parameters gave the maximum discrimination to predict pregnancy. Results. One hundred and eleven pregnancies resulted from treatment. The pregnancy rates were 18.5% per cycle and 37.9% per couple. The age of the women was significantly lower for pregnant cycles, and the serum oestradiol levels and number of follicles greater than 16 mm in diameter were significantly higher, compared with non-pregnant cycles. The sperm concentration and number of motile spermatozoa were also significantly increased in pregnant cycles. Pregnancy rate was significantly increased when the raw semen sample contained 20 million/mL or more spermatozoa, normal forms comprised 7% or more, and when the number of motile spermatozoa in inseminated samples was 1 million or greater. Conclusion. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, age of the women and serum oestradiol level had the maximum power to predict pregnancy following ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination.published_or_final_versio

Nanoparticle labeling identifies slow cycling human endometrial stromal cells

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Disruption of the Vad1.3 gene causes defective spermatogenesis and loss of preimplantation embryo

Conference Theme: The Intersection Between Genetics, Genomics, and Reproductive BiologySubfertility affects 10-15 percent of couples worldwide, and male factor is one of the dominant causes accounted for one third of these cases. Notably 40-90 percent male subfertility is due to idiopathic defective sperm production. Today, hundreds of genes have been shown to be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis. Previously, we identified from the rat testis a novel acrosome-specific gene Vad1.3 in a retinol-treated ...postprintThe 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR), Milwaukee, WI., 30 July-3 August 2010. In Biology of Reproduction, 2010, v. 83 Meeting abstracts, p. 88, abstract no. 39