Human oocyte capacitation culture: Essential step toward hormone-free assisted reproductive technology.

Background: In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) is not a novel concept; however, its wide-scale practice has been limited because of the lower clinical outcomes compared to conventional assisted reproductive technologies.

Methods: This comprehensive review addresses the significant advances made in oocyte in vitro maturation with the biphasic capacitation (CAPA)-IVM strategy applied to small ovarian antral follicles in humans over the last 10 years. CAPA-IVM consists of a prematuration phase wherein immature oocytes are temporarily meiotically arrested to gain competence before undergoing meiotic resumption.

To rescue or not to rescue immature oocytes: Prospects and challenges.

In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes has been explored for research and clinical purposes since the dawn of assisted reproduction technologies. Oocyte maturation is a highly specific process, based on complex mutual relationships between the germ and somatic cell compartments. The complexity of this relationship has made the quest for achieving oocyte maturation in vitro arduous.

Could metabolic imaging and artificial intelligence provide a novel path to non-invasive aneuploidy assessments? A certain clinical need.

Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) via embryo biopsy helps in embryo selection by assessing embryo ploidy. However, clinical practice needs to consider the invasive nature of embryo biopsy, potential mosaicism, and inaccurate representation of the entire embryo. This creates a significant clinical need for improved diagnostic practices that do not harm embryos or raise treatment costs.

Multispectral Imaging of Collagen, NAD(P)H and Flavin Autofluorescence in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Undergoing Trilineage Differentiation.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of differentiation is important for regenerative medicine and developmental biology. This study aims to characterise the role of the glycolysis/oxidative phosphorylation balance as a driver of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation. Cells were maintained in normal conditions or stimulated towards the MSC trilineage cell types over 21 days.

Hormone-free vs. follicle-stimulating hormone-primed infertility treatment of women with polycystic ovary syndrome using biphasic in vitro maturation: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare oocyte maturation rates and pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing biphasic in vitro maturation (capacitation in vitro maturation [CAPA-IVM]) with vs. without follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) priming.

Design: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial.