Artificial oocyte activation to overcome failed fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in human oocytes typically employs Ca2+ ionophores to produce a single cytosolic Ca2+ increase. In contrast, recombinant phospholipase Czeta (PLCz) causes Ca2+ oscillations indistinguishable from thoseoccurring during fertilization, but remains untested for its efficacy in a scenario of I...

Artificial oocyte activation to overcome failed fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in human oocytes typically employs Ca(2+) ionophores to produce a single cytosolic Ca(2+) increase. In contrast, recombinant phospholipase Czeta (PLCζ) causes Ca(2+) oscillations indistinguishable from those occurring during fertilization, but remains untested for its efficacy in a scenar...

During first gamete interaction, oligosaccharides on the glycoproteins present in oocyte envelopes of the rock shrimp, Rhynchocinetes typus, play an important role in spermatozoon recognition prior to the onset of penetration. These oligosaccharides have terminal monosaccharides that may be recognized by means of specific lectins. A variety of marine species have monosaccharides on their oocyte...

Glutathione (GSH) is thought to play critical roles in oocyte function including spindle maintenance and provision of reducing power needed to initiate sperm chromatin decondensation. Previous observations that GSH concentrations are higher in mature than immature oocytes and decline after fertilization, suggest that GSH synthesis may be associated with cell cycle events. To explore this possib...

background: there has been an increase in number of obese infertile females booked for advanced infertility treatment procedures like in vitro fertilization (ivf) and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (icsi). the knowledge of impact of body mass index (bmi) on reproductive outcome can help to counsel these patients. objective: to compare reproductive outcome in females of different bmi after ic...

objective: the present study aimed to simultaneously evaluate the association between expression of three potential factors [post-acrosomal sheath ww domain-binding protein (pawp), phospholipase cζ (plcζ), and truncated form of the kit receptor (tr-kit)] as candidates of oocyte activation with fertilization rate and early embryonic development. materials and methods: in this experimental study,...

The assessment of oocyte quality in human in vitro fertilization (IVF) is getting increasing attention from embryologists. Oocyte selection and the identification of the best oocytes, in fact, would help to limit embryo overproduction and to improve the results of oocyte cryostorage programs. Follicular fluid (FF) is easily available during oocyte pick-up and theorically represents an optimal s...

The oviduct plays a vital role in ensuring successful fertilization and normal early embryonic development. The male inseminates many thousands or even millions of sperm, but this alone does not ensure that fertilization will be successful. The female tract, particularly the oviduct, provides filters that select for normal vigorously motile sperm. In conjunction with molecules in the seminal pl...

The release of a mature healthy egg for fertilization is the center of the entire reproductive process. From the time of embryonic development till fertilization, the oocyte undergoes several stop-and-go periods. In most animals, oocytes are held in meiotic arrest in prophase I prior to ovulation. The ovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge promotes the resumption of meiosis of the arrested oo...