Progress in understanding human ovarian folliculogenesis and its implications in assisted reproduction.

Purpose: To highlight recent progress in understanding the pattern of follicular wave emergence of human menstrual cycle, providing a brief overview of the new options for human ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval by making full use of follicular physiological waves of the patients either with normal or abnormal ovarian reserve.

Methods: Literature review and editorial commentary.

Results: There has been increasing evidence to suggest that multiple (two or three) antral follicular waves are recruited during human menstrual cycle.

Clinical and metabolic features of polycystic ovary syndrome among Chinese adolescents.

Objectives: To explore the clinical and metabolic features exhibited by Chinese adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to determine the differences between nonobese and obese adolescent patients with PCOS.

Design: Clinical cross-sectional study.

Setting: Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Center.

Regulation of AMH and SCF expression in human granulosa cells by GnRH agonist and antagonist.

With the progress of cancer treatment, fertility preservation has become an urgent requisition. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) and antagonist (GnRH-ant) have been used to protect fertility for these patients. However, studies showed that although GnRH-a and GnRH-ant had a comparable down-regulating effect on the pituitary, GnRH-ant could not preserve ovarian function.

Regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor-I expression in the pituitary and ovary by a GnRH agonist and antagonist.

The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) and antagonist (GnRH-ant) on the expression of GnRH receptor-I (GnRHR-I) in pituitary and ovaries in cyclophosphamide (CTX) chemotherapeutic rats and to investigate the possible mechanism of interventions of GnRH-a and GnRH-ant in CTX-induced ovarian damage. In total, 36 female rats were distributed into 6 groups at random: normal saline (NS) group, CTX group, GnRH-a + NS group, GnRH-a + CTX group, GnRH-ant + NS group, and GnRH-ant + CTX group. After the rats were killed, the expression of GnRHR-I messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and proteins in pituitary and ovaries were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively.