Prediction and improvement of oocyte competence are two critical issues in assisted reproductive technology to improve infertility therapy. The lack of reliable and objective predictors of oocyte developmental competence for oocyte/embryo selection during in vitro fertilization hampers the effectiveness of this technology. Likewise, the low pregnancy rate resulting from in vitro maturation of h...

Abstract Study question What are the developmental competence and clinical value in ICSI cycles of retrieved metaphase-I oocytes matured vitro (rescued-MI) to metaphase-II (MII) stage? Summary answer Rescued MI-oocytes showed lower but similar post-implantation than their sibling MII-oocytes, thereby contributing a + 9.5% relative-increase cumulative-live-birth rate per completed-cycle. is know...

background: it is important to protect oocytes and embryos from oxidative stress in the culture medium. melatonin has been shown to be a direct free radical scavenger. objective: effect of melatonin during in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo development of mouse oocytes was evaluated. materials and methods: oocytes from supper-ovulated mouse were divided to two groups: cumulus ...

In Drosophila, a single oocyte develops within a 16-cell germline cyst. Although all 16 cells initiate meiosis and undergo premeiotic S phase, only the oocyte retains its meiotic chromosome configuration and remains in the meiotic cycle. The other 15 cells in the cyst enter the endocycle and develop as polyploid nurse cells. A longstanding goal in the field has been to identify factors that are...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in repair of injured vascular endothelium and neovascularization. The present study was designed to determine the effect of EPCs transplantation on the regeneration of endothelium and recovery of endothelial function in denuded carotid arteries. METHODS Isolated mononuclear cells from rabbit peripher...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mechanical denudation of the endothelium of the carotid artery in animals produces a nonocclusive thrombus, but the brains of these animals have not been examined for the presence of embolic stroke. METHODS The endothelium of the right carotid artery of 16 Wistar rats was denuded using a balloon catheter. Phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin (PTAH) staining and scanning ele...

Two phases may be recognized in the development of congenital hydrocephalus in the hyh mutant mouse. During embryonic life the detachment of the ventral ependyma is followed by a moderate hydrocephalus. During the first postnatal week the cerebral aqueduct becomes obliterated and a severe hydrocephalus develops. The aim of the present investigation was to elucidate the cellular phenomena occurr...