Relationship between cytokine concentration in serum and preovulatory follicular fluid and in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome.

Differences in follicle cell function and follicular fluid biochemistry have been suggested to influence the developmental potential of human oocytes at both cellular and chromosomal levels. Follicular fluids provide the environment in which oocyte maturation occurs. Therefore, follicular fluids may affect fertilization and early embryonic development. In humans, it has been shown that follicular fluid exerts chemotactic activity towards neutrophilic granulocytes and that the concentrations of this activity are related to the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The present study focuses on growth and cytokine presence in serum and follicular fluid of patients of reproductive age and their role in ovarian follicles, fertilization, embryo development, and implantation and to find out which growth factor could be a useful predictive parameter of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome.