................................................................................................... 5 PUBLICATION LIST........................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................7 1. THE MAMMALIAN OVARY...............................................................

Abstract Background Growth differentiation factor 9 ( GDF9 ) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 BMP15 genes play important roles in folliculogenesis. Altered expression of the two have been found among patients with poor ovarian response (POR). In this prospective cohort study, we determined follicle fluid (FF) granulosa cells (GCs) derived from responders grouped by age, explored its correlatio...

ObjectiveTo characterize and evaluate the variation in serum concentrations of oocyte-secreted growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) throughout menstrual cycle women from young to advanced reproductive ages.DesignCross-sectional, observational, exploratory study.SettingMulticenter university-based clinical practices laboratories.Patient(s)Serum was collect...

Brazilian Santa Inês (SI) sheep are very well-adapted to the tropical conditions of Brazil and are an important source of animal protein. A high rate of twin births was reported in some SI flocks. Growth and Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF9) and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 (BMP15) are the first two genes expressed by the oocyte to be associated with an increased ovulation rate in sheep. All GDF...

Genes in the TGF9 signaling pathway play important roles in the regulation of ovarian follicle growth and ovulation rate. Mutations in three genes in this pathway, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and the bone morphogenetic protein receptor B 1 (BMPRB1), influence dizygotic (DZ) twinning rates in sheep. To date, only variants in GDF9 and BMP15, but n...

BACKGROUND Excessive nerve growth factor (NGF) is commonly found in the follicular fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Furthermore, oocytes from PCOS patients exhibit lower developmental competence. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between excessive NGF and low oocyte competence in vitro. METHODS Excessive NGF was added to mouse cumulus oocyte comp...

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is an ovarian defect characterized by the premature depletion of ovarian follicles before 40 years of age, representing one major cause of female infertility. Stem cells provide the possibility of a potential treatment for POF. In this study, rat embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were co-cultured with granulosa cells (GCs) to ...

BACKGROUND Improving human nuclear transfer (NT) efficiencies is paramount for the development of patient-specific stem cell lines, although the opportunities remain limited owing to difficulties in obtaining fresh mature oocytes. METHODS Therefore, the developmental competence of aged, failed-to-fertilize human oocytes as an alternate cytoplasmic source for NT was assessed and compared with ...

ATP is critical for oocyte maturation, fertilization, and subsequent embryo development. Both mitochondrial membrane potential and copy number expand during oocyte maturation. In order to differentiate the roles of mitochondrial metabolic activity and mtDNA copy number during oocyte maturation, we used two inhibitors, FCCP (carbonyl cyanide p-(tri-fluromethoxy)phenyl-hydrazone) and ddC (2'3-did...