A cDNA clone, MdMADS1, containing MADS domain was isolated from the Fuji apple. The gene was expressed in all floral organs and young fruits but not in leaves. The expression was higher at the early stages of flower and fruit developments, suggesting that MdMADS1 plays a major role in the initiation of reproductive organ developments.

Ovary is a dynamic organ and generates excess amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during follicular growth, development, maturation and ovulation [1]. The increased level of ROS is scavenged by antioxidant systems [2]. A moderate increase of ROS could be beneficial for oocyte meiotic maturation and reproductive outcome [3-5]. Overproduction of ROS or depletion of enzymatic antioxidant syste...

Sex-dependent thermogenesis during reproductive organ development in the inflorescence is a characteristic feature of some of the protogynous arum species. One such plant, skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius), can produce massive heat during the female stage but not during the subsequent male stage in which the stamen completes development, the anthers dehisce, and pollen is released. Unlike...

The development of reproductive organs in Antirrhinum depends on the expression of an organ identity gene, plena, in the central domain of the floral meristem. To investigate the mechanism by which plena is regulated, we have characterised three mutants in which the pattern of plena expression is altered. In polypetala mutants, expression of plena is greatly reduced, resulting in a proliferatio...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs that can regulate the expression of complementary mRNA targets. Identifying tissue-specific miRNAs is the first step toward understanding the biological functions of miRNAs, which include the regulation of tissue differentiation and the maintenance of tissue identity. In this study, we performed small RNA library sequencing in adult mouse ...

The production of offspring is energetically costly and relies on incompletely understood mechanisms that generate a positive energy balance. In mothers of many species, changes in key energy-associated internal organs are common yet poorly characterised functionally and mechanistically. In this study, we show that, in adult Drosophila females, the midgut is dramatically remodelled to enhance r...

Reproductive organ identity in Arabidopsis is controlled by the B, C and SEPALLATA classes of floral homeotic genes. We have identified a recessive mutation in a novel gene, HUA ENHANCER2, which, when combined with mutations in two weak class C genes, HUA1 and HUA2, leads to the production of third whorl sepal-petal-stamens and fourth whorl sepal-carpels. Quadruple mutant analysis and in situ l...

INTRODUCTION In order to obtain information about the relationship between sleep disturbances and sperm parameters, we analyzed data from a study conducted in a Italian Fertility Clinic, in men of couples seeking help for infertility. PATIENTS AND METHODS Male partners with or without a medical history of reproductive organ diseases (cryptorchidism, varicocele, orchitis, testicular torsion) w...

Background: In traditional medicine, “kidney dominate reproduction”, kidney deficiency is the main cause of polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility. Objective: To survey on organ function characteristics according to medicine find out some related factors in infertile patients with syndrome. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study recruited 110 women who visited Center for Reproductive...