Enhancing the scope of in vitro maturation for fertility preservation: transvaginal retrieval of immature oocytes during endoscopic gynaecological procedures.

Study Question: Could in vitro maturation (IVM) following transvaginal oocyte retrieval during gynaecological surgery (IVM-surgery) be an effective and safe strategy for fertility preservation?

Summary Answer: IVM-surgery on unstimulated ovaries is a novel option that can be considered for fertility preservation for women requiring gynaecological surgery, but more research is needed to identify appropriate patients who may benefit and to determine the cost-effectiveness of such an approach.

What Is Known Already: IVM followed by oocyte/embryo cryopreservation has been useful as a safe reproductive strategy for some infertile women.

Study Design, Size, Duration: This prospective cohort study comprised 158 consecutive women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who underwent laparoscopy or hysteroscopy for other reasons and had concomitant transvaginal oocyte retrieval followed by IVM between 2014 and 2016.

Effect of exogenous gonadotropin on the transcriptome of human granulosa cells and follicular fluid hormone profiles.

Background: Superovulation treatment had some adverse effects on maturity and development of oocytes. Can superovulation dose of gonadotropins (Gns) affect the transcriptome of granulosa cells and follicular fluid (FF) hormone levels?

Methods: One leading pre-ovulatory follicle per subject was used from three natural-cycle and four Gn-stimulated patients. Granulosa cells and FF samples were collected from the same leading follicle of each patient.

Current perspectives on in vitro maturation and its effects on oocyte genetic and epigenetic profiles.

In vitro maturation (IVM), the maturation in culture of immature oocytes, has been used in clinic for more than 20 years. Although IVM has the specific advantages of low cost and minor side effects over controlled ovarian stimulation, the prevalence of IVM is less than 1% of routine in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer techniques in many reproductive centers. In this review, we searched the MEDLINE database for all full texts and/or abstract articles published in English with content related to oocyte IVM mainly between 2000 and 2016.

Gonadotropin-mediated dynamic alterations during bovine oocyte maturation in vitro.

Gonadotropins have been widely used in human-assisted reproduction and animal science for the past four decades. However, the effects of gonadotropins on oocyte maturation at the molecular and biochemical levels are poorly understood. To determine the effects of gonadotropins (recombinant follicle stimulating hormone and urinary human menopausal gonadotropin) on oocyte maturation, we used the bovine oocyte in vitro maturation model.

Assessment of numerical chromosomal abnormalities of the sperms before and after radiotherapy in seminoma patient.

Objective: To assess numerical sex chromosomal abnormalities of the sperms before and after radiotherapy in seminoma patients and to evaluate their reproduction risks.

Methods: Three color Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on sperms harvested from one seminoma patient before and after radiotherapy and before surgery. The numerical sex chromosomal abnormalities were compared.

The root of reduced fertility in aged women and possible therapentic options: current status and future perspects.

It is well known that maternal ageing not only causes increased spontaneous abortion and reduced fertility, but it is also a high genetic disease risk. Although assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have been widely used to treat infertility, the overall success is still low. The main reasons for age-related changes include reduced follicle number, compromised oocyte quality especially aneuploidy, altered reproductive endocrinology, and increased reproductive tract defect.

High FSH decreases the developmental potential of mouse oocytes and resulting fertilized embryos, but does not influence offspring physiology and behavior in vitro or in vivo.

Study Question: Do different concentrations of FSH in the assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure in vitro or in vivo affect the developmental competence of oocytes, the embryos and the offspring conceived from these embryos?

Summary Answer: Improper FSH treatment (200 IU/l in vitro, 10 IU/ml in vivo and 200 IU/ml in vivo) impairs the development competence of oocyte and embryo, but does not influence offspring physiology and behavior.

What Is Known Already: Exogenous FSH has been widely used in the field of ART. However, the effects of different concentrations of FSH on the developmental competence of oocytes, embryos and the offspring conceived from these embryos, are still unknown.

In vitro maturation of cumulus-partially enclosed immature human oocytes by priming with gonadotropin.

Objective: To investigate the effect(s) of exogenous gonadotropin on the cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation of cumulus-partially enclosed immature human oocytes in vitro derived from ovarian stimulation cycles.

Design: Experimental human study.

Setting: University-based laboratory.

Effect of curettage and copper wire on rabbit endometrium: a novel rabbit model of endometrial mechanical injury.

Background: It remains almost a helpless situation for the recurrent implantation failure and pregnancy loss caused by endometrial injury at present. The purpose of this study was to develop a rabbit model of endometrial mechanical injury that could provide a research platform for this difficult clinical predicament.

Methods: Three experiments were conducted.

Evaluation of the developmental potential of metaphase I oocytes from stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the developmental potential and clinical application value of metaphase I (MI) oocytes obtained from stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. ICSI was performed on MI oocytes immediately after denudation (Group A), or on in vitro-matured (IVM) oocytes following culture; oocytes in culture were further divided into two groups, being cultured for either 3-5 h (Group B) or 24-28 h (Group C). Metaphase II oocytes from the same cycle(s) isolated for ICSI served as the control group (Group D).

Alteration of ERβ gene RsaI polymorphism may contribute to reduced fertilization rate and embryonic developmental competence.

This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) gene RsaI polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited: in vitro fertilization (IVF) group, including 374 couples who underwent conventional IVF; intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) group, including 294 couples who underwent an ICSI procedure using ejaculated sperm; and azoospermic group, consisting of 197 couples who underwent ICSI using either testis or epididymis sperm. RsaI polymorphism in the ERβ gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique; fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were evaluated for each group.

Evaluation of the immature human oocytes from unstimulated cycles in polycystic ovary syndrome patients using a novel scoring system.

Objective: To establish a novel scoring system for human immature oocytes and estimate its prognostic effects on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and developmental potential of human immature oocytes.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Hospital-based IVF center.

Mutations of t-complex testis expressed gene 5 transcripts in the testis of sterile t-haplotype mutant mouse.

Aim: To determine the possible roles of the t-complex testis expressed gene 5 (Tctex5) on sperm functions, the full-length sequence of mRNA was studied and compared in the testis between the normal wild-type and the sterile t-haplotype mutant mice.

Methods: We applied rapid amplification of cDNA ends, Northern blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to analyze the full length of Tctex5 mRNAs isolated from testes of the wild-type and the t-haplotype mice. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to semi-quantitatively compare expression of Tctex5 transcripts in the 16 tissues and 9.

Confocal microscopic analysis of the spindle and chromosome configurations of human oocytes matured in vitro.

Objective: To assess the potential effects of in vitro maturation (IVM) of human oocytes on the meiotic spindle and associated chromosome configuration.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Hospital-based IVF center.

In vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection split: an insemination method to prevent fertilization failure.

Objective: To determine whether the performance of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in cases of unexplained infertility and of borderline semen parameters can prevent fertilization failure.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Hospital-based assisted reproductive technology program.