Randomized, assessor-blinded trial comparing highly purified human menotropin and recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone in high responders undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of highly purified human menotropin (HP-hMG) and recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) for controlled ovarian stimulation in a population of patients predicted to be high responders.

Design: Randomized, open-label, assessor-blinded, parallel-group, noninferiority trial.

Setting: Fertility centers.

Comparison of Human Oocyte Activation Between Round-Headed Sperm Injection Followed by Calcium Ionophore Treatment and Normal Sperm Injection in a Patient With Globozoospermia.

Fertilization failure is common in patients with round-headed sperm, a form of globozoospermia. Artificial oocyte activation is able to assist oocyte fertilization after sperm injection in these patients. Comparisons between oocyte fertilization with or without calcium ionophore have been reported in patients with round-headed sperm.

Assessment of aneuploidy formation in human blastocysts resulting from donated eggs and the necessity of the embryos for aneuploidy screening.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of aneuploidy in human blastocysts resulting from donated eggs and embryo implantation after transfer of normal euploid embryos. Also, to assess the necessity of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for embryos produced with donor eggs.

Methods: Blastocysts from donor-recipient cycles were biopsied for PGS (PGS group) and the samples were analyzed with DNA microarray.

Mosaic pregnancy after transfer of a "euploid" blastocyst screened by DNA microarray.

Background: High proportions of human embryos produced by in vitro fertilization are aneuploidy and mosaic. DNA microarray is one of the most practical screening methods to select euploid embryos for transfer. However, mosaic pregnancy is still possible due to embryonic mosacism.

Identification of chromosomal errors in human preimplantation embryos with oligonucleotide DNA microarray.

A previous study comparing the performance of different platforms for DNA microarray found that the oligonucleotide (oligo) microarray platform containing 385K isothermal probes had the best performance when evaluating dosage sensitivity, precision, specificity, sensitivity and copy number variations border definition. Although oligo microarray platform has been used in some research fields and clinics, it has not been used for aneuploidy screening in human embryos. The present study was designed to use this new microarray platform for preimplantation genetic screening in the human.

Optimized protocol for cryopreservation of human eggs improves developmental competence and implantation of resulting embryos.

Background: Successful egg cryopreservation has many potential benefits to a variety of patients. However, a superior standard protocol describing all aspects of oocyte cryopreservation has not yet been identified. Oocyte cryopreservation is still a technical challenge for many infertility clinics.

DNA microarray reveals that high proportions of human blastocysts from women of advanced maternal age are aneuploid and mosaic.

Trophectoderm (TE) biopsy and DNA microarray have become the new technologies for preimplantation genetic diagnosis in humans. In this study, we comprehensively examined aneuploid formation in human blastocysts produced in vitro with microarray and investigated the clinical outcome after transfer of euploid embryos. Biopsied cells from either TE or inner cell mass (ICM) were processed for microarray to examine the errors in 23 pairs of chromosomes and the consistency between TE and ICM.

Cetrorelix lowers premature luteinization rate in gonadotropin ovulation induction-intrauterine insemination cycles: a randomized-controlled clinical trial.

Attempting to compare the rates of premature luteinization (PL), clinical pregnancy, and cycle cancellation in ovulation induction-intrauterine insemination (OI-IUI) cycles with and without the GnRH antagonist, cetrorelix, a randomized-controlled trial was undertaken in which patients were randomized to one of two OI-IUI protocols. Those in the cetrorelix arm showed a significantly reduced rate of PL and no change in clinical pregnancy or cycle cancellation rate, leading to the conclusion that GnRH antagonists can decrease the rate of PL, but appear to have no effect on pregnancy or cycle cancellation in gonadotropin OI-IUI cycles.

Imatinib decreases endometrial stromal cell transmesothial migration and proliferation in the extracellular matrix of modeled peritoneum.

Objective: To characterize imatinib's effect on endometrial stromal cell (ESC) attachment, proliferation, and invasion in modeled peritoneum.

Design: In vitro study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

A potential role for colony-stimulating factor 1 in the genesis of the early endometriotic lesion.

Objective: To investigate the role(s) of colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) on the development of early endometriosis in a murine model by comparing rate of lesion formation in mice [1] homozygous for a CSF-1 mutation versus syngeneic controls and [2] after treatment with imatinib, a commercially available tyrosine kinase inhibitor that alters interaction(s) between CSF-1 and its receptor, c-fms.

Design: Prospective, placebo-controlled animal study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Modeling the early endometriotic lesion: mesothelium-endometrial cell co-culture increases endometrial invasion and alters mesothelial and endometrial gene transcription.

Objective: To determine the role of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) in the process of endometrial invasion into the peritoneum and to evaluate gene expression after endometrial-PMC co-culture.

Design: In vitro study.

Setting: University laboratory.

Reduction of postoperative adhesions after laparoscopic gynecological surgery with Oxiplex/AP Gel: a pilot study.

Objective: To determine whether Oxiplex/AP Gel (FzioMed, San Luis Obispo, CA) was safe and preliminarily effective in reducing postsurgical adhesions after adnexal surgery by laparoscopy.

Design: Prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, U.S.

Prior fertility in the male partner does not predict a normal semen analysis.

A history of male fertility is not an accurate predictor of a normal semen analysis result. The semen analysis should remain part of the evaluation of the infertile couple even in cases where a history of male fertility is reported.

A novel in vitro model of the early endometriotic lesion demonstrates that attachment of endometrial cells to mesothelial cells is dependent on the source of endometrial cells.

Objective: To characterize the source of variability in endometrial stromal cell (ESC) binding to peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMC).

Design: In vitro study.

Setting: University medical center.

Cell adhesion molecules and endometriosis.

The pathogenesis of endometriosis remains poorly defined. The interaction of endometrium with peritoneum is an important aspect of the disease process. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are transmembrane receptors that facilitate intercellular binding and cellular interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM).

Pathogenesis of endometriosis--current research.

Proliferative, secretory and menstrual endometrial cells of both the stroma and epithelium adhere to intact peritoneal mesothelium and mesothelial monolayers. Endometrial attachment to the mesothelium appears to occur rapidly (within 1 h) and transmesothelial invasion occurs between 1 and 18-24 h. These results demonstrate that the mesothelium is not a 'no-stick' surface and indicates that molecules present at the surface of the mesothelium are involved in the pathogenesis of the early endometriotic lesion.

Time series analysis of transmesothelial invasion by endometrial stromal and epithelial cells using three-dimensional confocal microscopy.

Objective: To evaluate endometrial adhesion and invasion of peritoneal mesothelium.

Design: Descriptive study using confocal laser-scanning microscopy.

Setting: University-based laboratory.

Culture of menstrual endometrium with peritoneal explants and mesothelial monolayers confirms attachment to intact mesothelial cells.

Background: To evaluate adhesion of menstrual endometrium (ME) to intact peritoneal mesothelium.

Methods: Explants of peritoneum were cultured for 1 h with ME (n = 6). Specimens were serially sectioned for haematoxylin and eosin stain and immunohistochemistry using an anti-cytokeratin antibody to label mesothelium.

The alpha(2)beta(1) and alpha(3)beta(1) integrins do not mediate attachment of endometrial cells to peritoneal mesothelium.

Objective: To evaluate the possible role of mesothelial alpha(2)beta(1) and alpha(3)beta(1) integrins in the attachment of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) and endometrial epithelial cells (EECs).

Design: In vitro study.

Setting: University medical center.

An in vitro model to study the pathogenesis of the early endometriosis lesion.

Objective: To determine if whole fragments of endometrium can adhere to peritoneum with intact mesothelium.

Design: Tissue culture and immunohistochemical study.

Setting: University Medical Center.

Pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Various theories have been promulgated to explain the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Interest in the genesis of the endometriotic lesion has been a focus since the earliest investigations. More recently, investigators have addressed aspects of the immune system and local peritoneal factors that may be involved with both the histogenesis of endometriosis as well as its sequelae.

Endometriosis and infertility: is there a cause and effect relationship?

An association between endometriosis and infertility has long been noted. Endometriosis affects approximately 5% of the general population. In infertile women, the prevalence may be as high as 30%.