Exploring the Developmental Potential of Human Germinal Vesicle Oocytes Aiming at Fertility Preservation: Can We Increase the Yields of Competent Oocytes through IVM Combined with Vitrification?

The rescue in vitro maturation (rIVM) of germinal vesicle oocytes (GVs) has been proposed to improve the total number of mature oocytes in women undergoing fertility preservation. Currently, there is no consensus about the clinical utility of this practice, and heterogeneity in the protocols used may influence the final outcomes. This study investigated the developmental potential of mature metaphase II (MII) human oocytes obtained from GVs after rIVM and the impact of applying vitrification at different timepoints either before or after rIVM.

Live birth after robotic-assisted live donor uterus transplantation.

Introduction: The proof-of-concept of uterus transplantation, as a treatment for absolute uterine factor infertility, came with the first live birth after uterus transplantation, which took place in Sweden in 2014. This was after a live donor procedure, with laparotomy in both donor and recipient. In our second, ongoing trial we introduced a robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery of the donor to develop minimal invasive surgery for this procedure.

Impact of first-line cancer treatment on the follicle quality in cryopreserved ovarian samples from girls and young women.

Study Question: Does first-line chemotherapy affect the quality of ovarian pre-antral follicles and stromal tissue in a population of young patients?

Summary Answer: Exposure to first-line chemotherapy significantly impacts follicle viability, size of residual intact follicles, steroid secretion in culture and quality of the stromal compartment.

What Is Known Already: First-line chemotherapy is considered to have a low gonadotoxic potential, and as such, does not represent an indication for fertility preservation. Studies investigating the effects of chemotherapy on the quality of ovarian tissue stored for fertility preservation in young patients are limited and the results sometimes contradictory.

Novel PRD-like homeodomain transcription factors and retrotransposon elements in early human development.

Transcriptional program that drives human preimplantation development is largely unknown. Here, by using single-cell RNA sequencing of 348 oocytes, zygotes and single blastomeres from 2- to 3-day-old embryos, we provide a detailed analysis of the human preimplantation transcriptome. By quantifying transcript far 5'-ends (TFEs), we include in our analysis transcripts that derive from alternative promoters.

Effect of Previous Chemotherapy on the Quality of Cryopreserved Human Ovarian Tissue In Vitro.

Background: Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue has been widely accepted as an option for fertility preservation among cancer patients. Some patients are exposed to chemotherapy prior to ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Consequently, assessment of the developmental capacity of human ovarian tissue after chemotherapy is of primary importance.

Minimal residual disease of leukemia and the quality of cryopreserved human ovarian tissue in vitro.

Auto-transplant of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in leukemia patients carries a risk to reintroduce malignant cells. Maturation of ovarian follicles in vitro is a promising strategy to overcome the leukemic cell contamination. The follicle development and survival in 14 cryopreserved ovarian tissues with leukemia-specific PCR marker was evaluated after 7 or 14 days culture.

Full-term newborn after repeated ovarian tissue transplants in a patient treated for Ewing sarcoma by sterilizing pelvic irradiation and chemotherapy.

We report the first successful transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian cortical tissue into heavily irradiated tissues in a patient who had received sterilizing pelvic radiotherapy (54 Gy) and 40 weeks of intensive high-dose chemotherapy for the treatment of Ewing's sarcoma 14 years earlier. Repeated transplantation procedures were required to obtain fully functional follicular development. Enlargement of the transplants over time and increase of the size of the uterus were demonstrated on sequential ultrasonographic examinations.

Clonal culturing of human embryonic stem cells on laminin-521/E-cadherin matrix in defined and xeno-free environment.

Lack of robust methods for establishment and expansion of pluripotent human embryonic stem (hES) cells still hampers development of cell therapy. Laminins (LN) are a family of highly cell-type specific basement membrane proteins important for cell adhesion, differentiation, migration and phenotype stability. Here we produce and isolate a human recombinant LN-521 isoform and develop a cell culture matrix containing LN-521 and E-cadherin, which both localize to stem cell niches in vivo.

Preservation of human ovarian follicles within tissue frozen by vitrification in a xeno-free closed system using only ethylene glycol as a permeating cryoprotectant.

Objective: To study the preservation of follicles within ovarian tissue vitrified using only one or a combination of three permeating cryoprotectants.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: University hospital.

Apoptosis of human ovarian tissue is not increased by either vitrification or rapid cooling.

This study evaluated the incidence of morphological changes, as assessed by light microscopy, and apoptosis in vitrified and rapidly cooled human ovarian tissue. Apoptosis was assessed 30 min and 24h after warming using transmission electron microscopy, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUDP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay and DNA fragmentation, as determined by gel electrophoresis. The results showed no significant changes in morphology, chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation or TUNEL-positive cells in follicles attributable to cryopreservation or exposure to the cryoprotectant solutions alone.

Clinical grade vitrification of human ovarian tissue: an ultrastructural analysis of follicles and stroma in vitrified tissue.

Background: Cancer therapy is one of many conditions which may diminish the ovarian reserve. Banking of human ovarian tissue has become an option for the preservation of female fertility. We have shown that vitrification is an excellent method to cryopreserve ovarian tissue.