Routine endometrial receptivity array in first embryo transfer cycles does not improve live birth rate.

Objective: To compare the live birth rate between patients who undergo personalized embryo transfer (pET) after endometrial receptivity array (ERA) versus frozen embryo transfer (FET) with standard timing in first single euploid FET cycles. To report the rate of displacement of the window of implantation (WOI) in an infertile population without a history of implantation failure.

Design: Prospective cohort study of patients who underwent their first single euploid programmed FET.

Increased blastomere number in cleavage-stage embryos is associated with higher aneuploidy.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between blastomere number and aneuploidy.

Design: Historical cohort study.

Setting: In vitro fertilization clinic.

The effect of timing of embryonic progression on chromosomal abnormality.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between aneuploidy and timing of blastocyst formation.

Design: Historical cohort study.

Setting: Private IVF clinic.

Relative expression of genes encoding SMAD signal transduction factors in human granulosa cells is correlated with oocyte quality.

Purpose: To determine the expression of SMAD transcripts in human granulosa cells.

Methods: Luteinized mural granulosa cells were harvested from forty women undergoing oocyte retrieval, and RNAs were isolated. SMAD expression levels were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (q-RTPCR).

Centromere protein A dynamics in human pluripotent stem cell self-renewal, differentiation and DNA damage.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) hold significant promise for use in regenerative medicine, or as a model to understand human embryo development. However, the basic mechanisms required for proliferation and self-renewal of hPSCs have not been fully uncovered. Proliferation in all eukaryotes is dependent upon highly regulated expression of the histone H3 variant Centromere protein A (CENP-A).

Induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells are distinguished by gene expression signatures.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) outwardly appear to be indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). A study of gene expression profiles of mouse and human ESCs and iPSCs suggests that, while iPSCs are quite similar to their embryonic counterparts, a recurrent gene expression signature appears in iPSCs regardless of their origin or the method by which they were generated. Upon extended culture, hiPSCs adopt a gene expression profile more similar to hESCs; however, they still retain a gene expression signature unique from hESCs that extends to miRNA expression.

Aneuploidy and early human embryo development.

Human embryo development occurs through a process that encompasses reprogramming, sequential cleavage divisions and mitotic chromosome segregation and embryonic genome activation. Chromosomal abnormalities may arise during germ cell and/or pre-implantation embryo development, and are a major cause of spontaneous miscarriage or birth defects. Nonetheless, model systems suitable for the study of human germ cell and embryo development have been limited until recently.