Publications by authors named "R Mazzarella"
The oviduct and uterus provide an optimal environment for early embryo development, where effective communication between the embryo and the maternal reproductive tract is crucial for establishing and maintaining pregnancy. Oviductal and uterine-derived EVs play pivotal roles in this maternal-embryonic communication and in facilitating early embryo development. However, despite the ability of in vitro culture methods to produce viable embryos, the lack of exchange between the embryo and the mother often results in lower-quality embryos than those derived in vivo.
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- In vitro embryo production (IVP) is crucial for the porcine industry, but remains inefficient despite numerous research efforts.
- Nobiletin (Nob) has been shown to enhance embryo development in other species, and this study investigates its potential benefits on pig embryos by examining various developmental and quality parameters.
- Results indicate that supplementation with 2.5 μM Nob improves embryo development rates, mitochondrial activity, and total cell number while reducing reactive oxygen species and glutathione levels compared to control groups, suggesting Nob may positively impact pig embryo quality.
Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) present in oviductal (OF) and uterine fluid (UF) have been shown to enhance bovine embryo quality during in vitro culture by reducing lipid contents and modulating lipid metabolism-related genes (LMGs), while also influencing cell proliferation, suggesting their involvement on the regulation of different biological pathways. The regulation of signaling pathways related to cell differentiation, proliferation, and metabolism is crucial for early embryo development and can determine the success or failure of the pregnancy. Bioactive molecules within EVs in maternal reproductive fluids, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), may contribute to this regulatory process as they modulate gene expression through post-transcriptional mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sperm migration by thermotaxis is a guidance mechanism that operates along the oviduct and it has proved to be a valid method for selecting spermatozoa with low DNA fragmentation (SDF) in mice, humans, and stallions. This study aimed to analyse if bull spermatozoa could be selected by thermotaxis and to assess their quality in terms of SDF as well as determine the presence of a specific sperm subpopulation based on sperm morphometry and assess their fertilizing capacity by ICSI.
Methods: We used frozen-thawed sperm from 6 bulls and sperm selection by thermotaxis was performed with TALP medium supplemented with 25 mmol/L of HEPES and 5 mmol/L of caffeine.