Maturation of high-affinity B lymphocytes is precisely controlled during the germinal center reaction. This is dependent on CD4(+)CXCR5(+) follicular helper T cells (TFH) and inhibited by CD4(+)CXCR5(+)Foxp3(+) follicular regulatory T cells (TFR). Because NFAT2 was found to be highly expressed and activated in follicular T cells, we addressed its function herein. Unexpectedly, ablation of NFAT2...

BACKGROUND Follicular aspirates represent a snapshot in time of conditions within the follicle at oocyte retrieval in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. This clinical material has been much investigated and yet its cellular composition remains unclear. In this study we investigated the origin and profile of leukocytes found within follicular aspirates. METHODS We per...

Background Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a) was increasingly used for triggering oocyte maturationfor the prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Studies suggest that GnRH-a might be used as a better trigger agent since it causes both Luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone release from a physiologic natural cycle. Objective The aim of this study was to e...

Preovulatory rise in progesterone Dear Sir, We read with great interest the article by Eldar-Geva et al. (1998). In the late follicular phase of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist/human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG)-stimulated cycles they showed a concomitant increase of serum progesterone and luteinizing hormone (LH), both of which were reversible by the administration of dexameth...

Oocyte maturation and embryo development are controlled by intra-ovarian factors such as steroid hormones. Progesterone (P4) exists in the follicular fluid that contributes to normal mammalian ovarian function and has several critical functions during embryo development and implantation, including endometrial receptivity, embryonic survival during gestation and transformation of the endometrial...

Progestins, progesterone derivatives, are the most critical signaling steroid for initiating final oocyte maturation (FOM) and ovulation, in order to advance fully-grown immature oocytes to become fertilizable eggs in basal vertebrates. It is well-established that progestin induces FOM at least partly through a membrane receptor and a non-genomic steroid signaling process, which precedes proges...

background: the interaction between follicular cells and oocyte leads to a change in gene expression involved in oocyte maturation processes. objective: the purpose of this study was to quantify the expression of more common genes involved in follicular growth and oocyte developmental competence. materials and methods: in this experimental study, the expression of genes was evaluated with qrt-p...

Oocytes matured in vitro are useful for assisted human and farm animal reproduction. However, the quality of oocytes is usually lower than that vivo oocytes, possibly due to absence some important signal regulators vitro. In this study, untargeted metabolomics was used detect changes metabolites follicular fluid (FF) during pig oocyte maturation culture medium maturation. Our results showed tot...

Background: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has become a useful technology to produce foals when availability of semen is limited or when in-vitro fertilization is desired, as is the need for subfertile mares. However, its application into clinical practice is challenging. The purpose of this review was to discuss some fundamental molecular aspects of oocyte maturation that should be co...