Reproduction Abstracts

Over the last 30 years concerns have risen about the potential for environmental chemicals to cause reproductive effects on wildlife via disruption of endocrine signaling pathways. There are now hundreds of chemicals known to disrupt the endocrine system and a wide range of examples of adverse effects on wildlife, including the feminisation of fish in UK rivers, egg shell thinning in birds, demasculinisation of reptiles and imposex in mollusks.The aquati...

Introduction: Mineral oil is widely used to culture embryos in biomedicine, agriculture, and embryo/stem cell research, yet is poorly defined with significant batch variation causing detrimental effects. The highly hydrophobic nature of this petroleum product attracts polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other potentially harmful compounds. Industry requirements for screening oil utilize methods that lack the sensitivity necessary to avoid oil that is overtly embryotoxic...

Introduction: Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is mainly known to be involved in luteolysis. However, our recent studies indicate that PGF2α synthesis and its receptor (PTGFR) expression are up-regulated in the porcine endometrium during embryo implantation. Aims of present study were: i) to immunolocalize PTGFR protein in uterus; ii) to elucidate the involvement of PGF2α-PTGFR signaling in angiogenesis in the porcine endometrium.Methods: Se...

Introduction: The primary treatment of infertility is assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, removal of an oocyte from its natural environment and exposure to in vitro conditions diminishes oocyte quality during the process of ART. In our preliminary studies we have shown that oocytes express cytoprotective ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. Therefore, the aim of our study was to elucidate whether activation of these channels protects hu...

This study determined whether variation (representative of normal UK farm conditions) in pregnant ewe management is sufficient to alter the programing of the male reproductive axis. Between days 85 and 138 of pregnancy, twin-bearing ewes were managed to either mimic ‘poor husbandry’ (PH) with a high stocking density, reduced feeding space and repeated social mixing or according to ‘best practice’ (BP) with a lower stocking density, longer feed troughs, and ...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate fertility of vitrified rat matured-oocytes with surrounding cumulus cells after IVF with cryopreserved sperm. Oocytes with surrounding cumulus cells and cumulus cells denuded oocytes were vitrified with 30% (v/v) ethylene glycol+0.5 M sucrose+20% (v/v) FCS in PBS (PB1) by using Cryotop. After warming, oocytes were co-cultured with fresh or cryopreserved epididymal sperm for 10 h. Although the fertilization (two pronuclei formation: ...

Research conducted in recent years has led to great advances in our understanding of the participation of cGMP in meiosis. It is clear that increased intra-oocyte concentrations of cGMP inhibit meiosis in mouse models. Like cAMP, cGMP may also have a meiotic stimulatory function, possibly via cGMP/PKG. Abattoir derived gilt porcine ovaries were collected, antral follicles aspirated and oocytes collected and cultured in TCM-199+3 mg/ml BSA. Natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (N...

Introduction: Preventing spontaneous maturation in vitro by adding cAMP regulators is thought to maintain the communication between oocyte and cumulus cells via gap junction communication (GJC), hence promoting developmental competence. We aimed to assess the integrity of gap junction maintenance in cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) after pre-maturation with IBMX and Forskolin (FSK) and the influence on bovine embryo development.Materials...

Introduction: Previous studies suggest that progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) plays an essential role during bovine oocyte meiosis, since it i) localizes to the centromeres at metaphases I and II and ii) concentrates between the separating chromosomes at ana/telophase I. Moreover, injection of an antibody to PGRMC1 significantly impairs completion of meiosis. The aim of the present study is to expand these findings by using siRNA (RNAi)-mediated gene silencin...

The research in my laboratory is focused on defining the essential factors that regulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in women and men. To investigate this axis, we have been using multiple in vitro and in vivo strategies. In particular, we have created over 60 knockout mouse models, have begun to study over a dozen conditional knockout mouse lines, and have produced several important recombinant growth factors and small molecules. In the...