Reproductive senescence is a hallmark of aging. The molecular mechanisms regulating reproductive senescence and its association with the aging of somatic cells remain poorly understood. From a full genome RNA interference (RNAi) screen, we identified 32 Caenorhabditis elegans gene inactivations that delay reproductive senescence and extend reproductive lifespan. We found that many of these gene...

Population and insemination studies indicate that women experience declining fertility with ageing. The question therefore arises whether older women are suitable oocyte donors. This study addresses this issue by examining the relationship between oocyte donor age and clinical outcome in a large oocyte donation programme. We retrospectively reviewed data from 458 consecutive oocyte donation cyc...

BACKGROUND Although cryopreservation of semen is a routine procedure for preserving male gametes, an efficient method of preserving fertility through oocyte freezing has only recently become available for women. In view of the limited female reproductive lifespan, oocyte freezing can now offer women some protection against the decline in fertility with aging. METHODS A survey was performed in...

Recent advances in the basic sciences and epidemiology indicate that impacts of classically described cannabinoid genotoxicity may be much more clinically significant than previously supposed. Here we summarize evidence from epigenomics, recent epidemiological studies other areas exploring exponential many cannabinoids on cancer, congenital anomalies aging. Together these findings transgenerati...

In vitro maturation (IVM) is being increasingly used to treat human infertility, especially as rescue therapy for patients of polycystic ovarian syndrome and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Quality control and the determination of optimal fertilization conditions—important to increase the use of IVM oocytes for embryo production and improve pregnancy success rates—require a detailed understa...

After reaching metaphase II, in vitro matured oocytes undergo the complex processes referred to as oocyte aging. Under our culture conditions, some aged oocytes remained at the stage of metaphase II, some underwent spontaneous parthenogenetic activation and others underwent cellular death, either through apoptosis (fragmentation) or lysis. We investigated the effect of c-Jun N-terminal kinases ...

In this study, microRNA (miRNA) profiles in postovulatory aging mouse oocytes were analyzed by microarray screening and RT-qPCR. Hierarchical cluster analysis on the microarray data and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on the mRNAs targeted by differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between two adjacent egg-ages suggest that while only a mild alteration in miRNA expression occurred from 13 to 18 h...