CONTEXT Previous studies showed that nerve growth factor (NGF) induces the expression of functional FSH receptors (FSHR) in preantral follicles of the developing rat ovary. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether NGF can affect granulosa cell (GC) function in human periovulatory follicles using intact human ovaries and isolated human GCs. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS Hu...

To completely avoid ice crystal formation and thus get a higher survival rate, vitrification methods have been commonly used for cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos. However, currently used vitrification methods for oocytes and embryos are not suitable for the cryopreservation of preantral follicles (PFs). In the present study, stainless steel mesh was fabricated into mini mesh cups to vitr...

In vitro follicle growth is a potential approach to preserve fertility for young women who are facing a risk of premature ovarian failure (POF) caused by radiation or chemotherapy. Our two-step follicle culture strategy recapitulated the dynamic human follicle growth environment in vitro. Follicles developed from the preantral to antral stage, and, for the first time, produced meiotically compe...

The clock gene Period 1 (Per1) may be a prolificacy gene, because it localized to the mouse oocyte and Per1-null drosophila shed fewer eggs. Because Per1 mapped to a region of mouse chromosome 11 syntenic to bovine chromosome 19 where a quantitative trait loci (QTL) for ovulation rate existed, we hypothesized that Per1 influenced folliculogenesis and ovulation rate in ruminants. Ovarian cortex ...

Background: Evaluation of maturation genes expression and their pattern during in vitro culture of vitrified preantral follicles is an essential and could promote either vitrification procedure or culture condition. Materials and Methods: Preantral follicles (with 100- 130 μm diameter) isolated mechanically from 12-14 days old NMRI mice ovaries and divided into vitrification and control groups....

BACKGROUND We investigated at what stage early cultured preantral mouse follicles become dependent on a minimal effective FSH dose (10 mIU/ml) and analysed the influence of implementing FSH at several time-points during in vitro culture. METHODS Two-layered mouse follicles were cultured for 12 days under seven different FSH exposure regimens and ovulated on day 13 by hCG/EGF. Ovulated cumulus...

The mammalian ovary contains a large number of follicles that are in various developmental stages. The largest portion of them are primordial follicles. However, throughout the female reproductive lifespan only a small proportion of these follicles will produce oocytes competent to undergo successful maturation and ovulation. The rest of the ovarian oocytes (>99.9%) undergo atresia. It would be...