A self-gelling hydrogel based on thiolated hyaluronic acid for three-dimensional culture of ovine preantral follicles.

Three-dimensional (3D) ovarian follicle culture offers a promising option for fertility preservation in patients who cannot receive ovarian tissue transplantation. Our research evaluated the potential of a hydrogel composed of thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) for ovine preantral follicle development compared to routinely used alginate hydrogel (ALG). Synthesized via a carbodiimide reaction, HA-SH facilitated a self-crosslinking hydrogel through disulfide bond formation.

The effect of agar substrate on growth and development of cryopreserved-thawed human ovarian cortical follicles in organ culture.

Objective: To preserve human ovarian tissue structure and improve follicular growth and survival during in-situ culture, various biomaterials are used. In this study we aimed to compare agar as a cultivation substrate with matrigel-coated insert in order to achieve an optimum system for in-situ human follicle culture.

Study Design: Frozen-thawed human ovarian cortical tissues were cultured on either matrigel-coated inserts or agar-soaked substrates.

The combination of basic fibroblast growth factor and kit ligand promotes the proliferation, activity and steroidogenesis of granulosa cells during human ovarian cortical culture.

Different factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and kit ligand (KL), are used in ovarian cortical culture to promote activation of primordial follicles. In the present study, the effects of bFGF and KL, alone and in combination, were evaluated on human follicular activation and growth during in-situ cortical culture. Slow frozen-thawed human ovarian cortical tissues (n = 6) were cultured in 4 different groups: 1) control (base medium), 2) KL (base medium; BM + 100 ng/ml KL), 3) bFGF (BM + 100 ng/ml bFGF) and 4) bFGF + KL (BM + 100 ng/ml KL + 100 ng/ml bFGF) for a week.

Comparison of apoptosis pathway following the use of two protocols for vitrification of immature mouse testicular tissue.

Our objective was to evaluate the apoptosis incidence in immature mouse testicular tissue after two different protocols of vitrification and short-term culture. Testes of 7-day-old Naval Medical Research Institute mice were isolated and distributed into control and vitrification groups. In vitrification 1 group, testes were vitrified using a combination of ethylene glycol and DMSO in three steps, and in vitrification 2 group, testes were vitrified using a combination of ethylene glycol and sucrose in five steps.

Mouse preantral follicle development in two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture systems after ovarian tissue vitrification.

Objectives: This work on follicle culture and evaluation of expression of oocyte maturation genes helps to better understand the complicated processes of folliculogenesis and to develop new approaches for infertility treatment.

Study Design: Ovaries of 12-day-old female NMRI mice were divided into control and vitrification groups. After vitrification and warming procedures, ovarian tissue morphologies were histologically evaluated and compared to those of the control group.

Effect of ovarian tissue vitrification method on mice preantral follicular development and gene expression.

Vitrification is considered a viable method for cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and selection of methods that minimize follicular damage is important. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of two vitrification methods on ovarian tissue morphology, preantral follicles survival rate during in vitro culture, and relative expression of genes associated with oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion. Ovaries from 12-day-old mice were vitrified in media containing ethylene glycol, dimethyl sulphoxide, and sucrose.