Glucocorticoids modulate ovarian function in cattle. However, their regulatory mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined gene expression of two glucocorticoid-metabolizing enzymes, a bidirectional 11β-HSD type 1 (11HSD1) and a dehydrogenase 11β-HSD type 2 (11HSD2), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in bovine follicles during follicular maturation and atresia. G...

Maturation of the rat fetal thyroid was studied with the aid of I(131) and of fluorescence and electron microscopy. The I(131) concentration of the fetal gland increased exponentially from day 17 to day 20 of gestation and was related to the weight of the fetus (and presumably the weight of the thyroid) and also to the quantity of I(131) accumulated by the fetus. In the 17-day gland, thyroglobu...

In order to investigate potential changes in insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) during human follicle maturation, we examined the IGFBP profiles in follicular fluid from follicles in different stages of maturation. Samples were obtained from ovaries of women with regular menstrual cycles and of subjects with cycle abnormalities and polycystic ovaries (diagnosed as polycystic o...

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression, mainly at mRNA post-transcriptional level. Functional maturation of most miRNAs requires processing of the primary transcript by Dicer, an RNaseIII-type enzyme. To date, the importance of miRNA function for normal organogenesis has been demonstrated in several mouse models of tissue-specific Dicer inactivation. However...

BACKGROUND Human follicular fluid contains several substances, such as cytokines and growth factors, which may affect follicular growth and maturation. The present study examines the relative contribution of macrophages and granulosa cells in the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adrenomedullin in the human ovulatory follicle. METHODS Both follicular fluid samples an...

Obesity in many species is associated with reduced fertility and increased risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular dysfunction in offspring. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is associated with obesity and characterized by insulin resistance, decreased adiponectin, and elevated insulin, leptin, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These alterations can potentially disrupt follicular development...

Fertilization marks the end of oogenesis and the beginning of embryogenesis. The legacy of oogenesis is, however, maintained by virtue of the stored nutritional and regulatory molecules that fuel, and in many cases direct, early development. The signal that stimulates the transition from oocyte to embryo is a sperm-induced increase in the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+. Thus successfu...

BACKGROUND Ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive technology (ART) overcomes the physiologic process to develop a single dominant follicle. However, following stimulation, egg recovery rates are not 100%. The objective of this study is to determine if the follicular fluid hormonal environment is associated with oocyte recovery. METHODS This is a prospective study involving patients und...