Transgenerational transmission of post-zygotic mutations suggests symmetric contribution of first two blastomeres to human germline.

Little is known about the origin of germ cells in humans. We previously leveraged post-zygotic mutations to reconstruct zygote-rooted cell lineage ancestry trees in a phenotypically normal woman, termed NC0. Here, by sequencing the genome of her children and their father, we analyze the transmission of early pre-gastrulation lineages and corresponding mutations across human generations.

Changes in DNA repair compartments and cohesin loss promote DNA damage accumulation in aged oocytes.

Oocyte loss, a natural process that accelerates as women approach their mid-30s, poses a significant challenge to female reproduction. Recent studies have identified DNA damage as a primary contributor to oocyte loss, but the mechanisms underlying DNA damage accumulation remain unclear. Here, we show that aged oocytes have a lower DNA repair capacity and reduced mobility of DNA damage sites compared to young oocytes.

Use of federated learning to develop an artificial intelligence model predicting usable blastocyst formation from pre-ICSI oocyte images.

Research Question: Can federated learning be used to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model for evaluating oocyte competence using two-dimensional images of denuded oocytes in metaphase II prior to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)?

Results: The oocyte AI model demonstrated area under the curve (AUC) up to 0.65 on two blind test datasets. High sensitivity for predicting competent oocytes (83-88%) was offset by lower specificity (26-36%).

Theophylline derivatives promote primordial follicle activation via cAMP-PI3K/Akt pathway and ameliorate fertility deficits in naturally aged mice.

In elderly women and patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), activating their remaining dormant primordial follicles is challenging. In this study, we found that phosphodiesterase (PDE) subtypes were expressed mainly in primordial follicle oocytes. The specific PDE inhibitors and theophylline derivatives (aminophylline, dyphylline, and enprofylline) activated primordial follicles in neonatal mice by ovary culture and intraperitoneal injection.

In vitro maturation of oocytes: what is already known?†.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) involve the laboratory manipulation of gametes and embryos to help couples with fertility problems become pregnant. One of these procedures, controlled ovarian stimulation, uses pharmacological agents to induce ovarian and follicular maturation in vivo. Despite the effectiveness in achieving pregnancy and live births, some patients may have complications due to over-response to gonadotropins and develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

The subcortical maternal complex modulates the cell cycle during early mammalian embryogenesis via 14-3-3.

The subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) is essential for safeguarding female fertility in mammals. Assembled in oocytes, the SCMC maintains the cleavage of early embryos, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report that 14-3-3, a multifunctional protein, is a component of the SCMC.

Demography and predatory potential of on eggs of at two temperatures.

Background: The polyphagous predatory bug Poppius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is an active predator used to control many insect pests of agricultural crops. species are significantly affected by the type of food and temperature.

Method: A study of feeding on L.

Maternal supplementation of egg yolk modulates brain functional organization and functional outcomes of offspring.

Maternal nutrition during the perinatal stage is critical to offspring brain development. Egg yolks are a balanced and nutrient-dense food that is rich in bioactive components crucial to optimal neurodevelopment early in life. Egg consumption is often recommended to pregnant women to enhance both maternal and fetal health.

RAG-seq: NSR-primed and Transposase Tagmentation-mediated Strand-specific Total RNA Sequencing in Single Cells.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has transformed our understanding of cellular diversity with unprecedented resolution. However, many current methods are limited in capturing full-length transcripts and discerning strand orientation. Here, we present RAG-seq, an innovative strand-specific total RNA sequencing technique that combines not-so-random (NSR) primers with Tn5 transposase-mediated tagmentation.

Female-age-dependent changes in the lipid fingerprint of the mammalian oocytes.

Study Question: Can oocyte functionality be assessed by observing changes in their intracytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs) profiles?

Summary Answer: Lipid profile changes can reliably be detected in human oocytes; lipid changes are linked with maternal age and impaired developmental competence in a mouse model.

What Is Known Already: In all cellular components, lipid damage is the earliest manifestation of oxidative stress (OS), which leads to a cascade of negative consequences for organelles and DNA. Lipid damage is marked by the accumulation of LDs.

Impact of Hysteroscopic Instillation of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma on Pregnancy Outcomes in Patient With Recurrent Implantation Failure: A Case Report.

Recent advancements in assisted reproductive technology (ART) have enabled couples to achieve pregnancy, who were previously unable to conceive. However, recurrent implantation failure (RIF) remains a significant challenge. This case study exhibits the effective use of hysteroscopic-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) instillation in the treatment of a female patient aged 33 who was nulliparous and diagnosed with RIF and a thin endometrium, which resulted in primary infertility.

CHK1 controls zygote pronuclear envelope breakdown by regulating F-actin through interacting with MICAL3.

CHK1 mutations could cause human zygote arrest at the pronuclei stage, a phenomenon that is not well understood at the molecular level. In this study, we conducted experiments where pre-pronuclei from zygotes with CHK1 mutation were transferred into the cytoplasm of normal enucleated fertilized eggs. This approach rescued the zygote arrest caused by the mutation, resulting in the production of a high-quality blastocyst.

The mouse Balbiani body regulates primary oocyte quiescence via RNA storage.

In mammalian females, the transition from dormancy in primordial follicles to follicular development is critical for maintaining ovarian function and reproductive longevity. In mice, the quiescent primary oocyte of the primordial follicle contains a Balbiani body (B-body), an organelle aggregate comprised of a spherical structure of Golgi complexes. Here we show that the structure of the B-body is maintained by microtubules and actin.

Do sperm factors influence embryonic aneuploidy? Long live the oocyte.

Study Question: What is the impact of male age- and sperm-related factors on embryonic aneuploidy?

Summary Answer: Using a 3-fold analysis framework encompassing patient-level, embryo-level, and matching analysis, we found no clinically significant interactions between male age and sperm quality with embryo ploidy.

What Is Known Already: While the effect of maternal age on embryo chromosomal aneuploidy is well-established, the impact of male age and sperm quality on ploidy is less well-defined.

Study Design, Size, Duration: This retrospective cohort study analyzed autologous preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and frozen embryo transfer cycles from December 2014 to June 2021.

Quality of IVM ovarian tissue oocytes: impact of clinical, demographic, and laboratory factors.

Purpose: To determine how clinical, demographic, and laboratory characteristics influence ovarian tissue oocyte quality.

Methods: Immature cumulus-oocyte complexes were isolated from removed ovaries and cultured for 48-52 h in either monophasic standard or biphasic CAPA media for fertility preservation. A total of 355 MII oocytes from 53 patients were described for intracytoplasmic and extracytoplasmic anomalies.

Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Combination with Endometrial Scratching for Patients Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment.

Endometrium scratching is a process of intentionally injuring the endometrium, and after scratching the endometrium, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is inserted into the endometrial wall to improve pregnancy outcome. This case report revolves around a 33-year-old woman and her 38-year-old husband, who have been married for 3 years and were seeking treatment for their secondary infertility. The female had a history of hypothyroidism, and after the investigation, she was diagnosed with hyperprolactinemia.

Elucidating the Role of Sirtuin 3 in Mammalian Oocyte Aging.

The field of reproductive biology has made significant progress in recent years, identifying specific molecular players that influence oocyte development and function. Among them, sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) has attracted particular attention for its central role in mediating mitochondrial function and cellular stress responses in oocytes. So far, studies have demonstrated that the knockdown of SIRT3 leads to a decrease in blastocyst formation and an increase in oxidative stress within an embryo, underscoring the importance of SIRT3 in maintaining the cellular redox balance critical for embryonic survival and growth.