The developmental potential of mature oocytes derived from rescue in vitro maturation.

Objective: To examine the developmental competence of immature oocytes in stimulated cycles, that matured after rescue in vitro maturation (IVM) compared with their sibling in vivo matured oocytes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: IVF clinic.

Transcriptomics of cumulus cells - a window into oocyte maturation in humans.

Background: Cumulus cells (CC) encapsulate growing oocytes and support their growth and development. Transcriptomic signatures of CC have the potential to serve as valuable non-invasive biomarkers for oocyte competency and potential. The present sibling cumulus-oocyte-complex (COC) cohort study aimed at defining functional variations between oocytes of different maturity exposed to the same stimulation conditions, by assessing the transcriptomic signatures of their corresponding CC.

The impact of hyaluronan-enriched culture medium and intrauterine infusion of human chorionic gonadotropin on clinical outcomes in blastocyst transfer cycles.

Over the last few decades, advances in ovarian hormonal stimulation, embryology laboratory technologies and embryo genetic testing, have significantly enhanced clinical outcomes in human assisted reproduction technologies (ART). However, embryo implantation remains a major bottleneck in achieving better pregnancy and live birth rates. Thus, there is growing interest in establishing new approaches to enhance implantation efficiency after embryo transfer.

Comprehensive profiling of Small RNAs in human embryo-conditioned culture media by improved sequencing and quantitative PCR methods.

Embryo implantation depends on two primary factors: the quality of the embryo and endometrial receptivity. Small RNAs have been shown to be potent epigenetic regulators influencing cell proliferation, differentiation, and communication even in the context of early embryonic development. However, previous reports are limited to miRNAs and lack sensitivity.

Triggering method in assisted reproduction alters the cumulus cell transcriptome.

Research Question: How does the choice of triggering final oocyte maturation affect the cumulus cell transcriptome?

Design: Sixty patients undergoing gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) IVF cycles were recruited for this nested case-control study. Patients were stratified into three subgroups based on their ovarian reserve (high, normal and low). Triggering final oocyte maturation was accomplished by either single trigger (with human chorionic gonadotrophin [HCG] only or gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist [GnRH-ag] only) or dual trigger combining HCG and GnRH-ag.

Ultrastructural identification of CD9 positive extracellular vesicles released from human embryos and transported through the zona pellucida.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are highly specific and multi-purpose vesicular structures that are released by various cell and tissue types in the body. However, the secretion of EVs from mammalian embryos, especially human, has not been well characterized. Thus, the aim of this study was to 1) identify EVs in human preimplantation embryos at different stages of their development using scanning and electron microscopy, and 2) investigate whether EVs can cross the zona pellucida (ZP) and be released from human embryos cultured .

Impact of multinucleated blastomeres on embryo developmental competence, morphokinetics, and aneuploidy.

Objective: To study the effect of human embryo multinucleation on the rate of aneuploidy, in vitro developmental morphokinetics, and pregnancy outcome.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: University-affiliated fertility center.

The use of coenzyme Q10 and DHEA during IUI and IVF cycles in patients with decreased ovarian reserve.

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare the combination of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) (D + C) with DHEA alone (D) in intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles among patients with decreased ovarian reserve.

Methods: We retrospectively extracted data from patients charts treated by DHEA with/without CoQ10 during IUI or IVF between February 2006 and June 2014. Prestimulation parameters included age, BMI, day 3 FSH and antral follicular count (AFC).

Sperm-derived WW domain-binding protein, PAWP, elicits calcium oscillations and oocyte activation in humans and mice.

Mammalian zygotic development is initiated by sperm-mediated intracellular calcium oscillations, followed by activation of metaphase II-arrested oocytes. Sperm postacrosomal WW binding protein (PAWP) fulfils the criteria set for an oocyte-activating factor by inducing oocyte activation and being stored in the perinuclear theca, the sperm compartment whose content is first released into oocyte cytoplasm during fertilization. However, proof that PAWP initiates mammalian zygotic development relies on demonstration that it acts upstream of oocyte calcium oscillations.

Sperm content of postacrosomal WW binding protein is related to fertilization outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

Objective: To determine the levels of postacrosomal WW binding protein (PAWP) in the spermatozoa of men that were used clinically for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and to correlate them with infertility treatment outcomes.

Design: Prospective clinical and laboratory study.

Setting: University-based laboratory and infertility clinic.

Expression of survivin in human oocytes and preimplantation embryos.

Objective: To determine whether [1] survivin is expressed in human oocytes and embryos; [2] embryos grown in vitro secrete survivin protein; and [3] survivin levels are correlated with embryo cleavage rates.

Design: Experimental.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF clinic.

Is the zona pellucida thickness of human embryos influenced by women's age and hormonal levels?

Objective: To evaluate whether zona pellucida thickness (ZPT) of human embryos is correlated with maternal age, patient's hormonal status, embryo quality, and IVF outcomes.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF clinic.

Laser zona thinning in women aged

The objective of this prospective randomized double-blind clinical trial was to evaluate whether laser zona pellucida thinning of human embryos improves clinical outcomes in women View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Secretion of human leukocyte antigen-G by human embryos is associated with a higher in vitro fertilization pregnancy rate.

Objective: To investigate whether secretion of soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) by human embryos is associated with embryo development and IVF pregnancy outcome.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: In vitro fertilization program affiliated with a university research center.

Time-dependent capability of human oocytes for activation and pronuclear formation during metaphase II arrest.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the fertilization rate and developmental potential of human oocytes in relation to the duration of their metaphase II (MII) arrest stage following the extrusion of the first polar body (1PB).

Methods: Immature metaphase I oocytes (MI; study oocytes, n = 468) that underwent meiotic maturation during brief in vitro culture and their matured in vivo, MII siblings (control oocytes, n = 3293) were subjected to ICSI. Fertilization and early cleavage were evaluated in both study and control groups.

Calcium-binding proteins and calcium-release channels in human maturing oocytes, pronuclear zygotes and early preimplantation embryos.

Background: The study aim was to investigate the presence and localization of Ca2+-binding proteins and Ca2+-release receptor channels in human maturing oocytes, pronuclear zygotes and preimplantation embryos.

Methods: Immunocytochemical analysis, using specific antibodies against the proteins being studied, followed with confocal laser microscopy, was performed on human oocytes and embryos.

Results: Calreticulin and calsequestrin (the two major calcium storage proteins of somatic cells), two types of calcium release receptors, the inositol trisphosphate and ryanodine receptors (InsP(3)R-2, RyRs-1,2,3), and the molecular chaperone, calnexin, were identified in all investigated cell types.

Morphological and cytogenetic analysis of human giant oocytes and giant embryos.

Background: Giant binuclear oocytes occur with considerable frequency in human ovaries, but their ultimate fate remains unknown. We report the morphology, cytogenetics and developmental potential of human giant oocytes from patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies.

Methods And Results: A total of 44 giant oocytes was collected from patients aged 22-44 years old, with an overall frequency of 0.