Reproduction Abstracts

In humans, mutation of the ATRX gene leads to improper methylation of repetitive DNA sequences. By performing a meta-analysis on published microarray data across several model species we previously identified ATRX as a potential biomarker of oocyte quality. The aim of the present study was to determine the expression and regulation of ATRX at a protein level, in the bovine cumulus oocyte complex (COC).ATRX protein was found to be expressed during oogenes...

The advent of site-specific nucleases and improved conditions for human iPSC culture now permits efficient engineering of human stem cells. CRISPR-Cas9 technology, in particular, provides a facile tool for the generation of a range of alleles in human stem cells with little risk of off-target damage. We established a high-throughput pipeline for the generation of homozygous knockout human iPSCs. We construct short arm targeting vectors and sgRNA expression plasmids in 96-well ...

Introduction: For two decades, an antibody recognizing germ cell nuclear antigen (GCNA) has been widely used to identify mouse germ cells. The antigen, highly germ cell specific and expressed coincident with a key developmental transition as migrating germ cells enter the gonad, has heretofore not been identified. Here, we reveal GCNA as the founding member of a novel, ancient family of germ cell enriched proteins found across eukaryotes, including all major animal classes, pl...

Introduction: The use of the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide in pregnancy is considered to be relatively safe during the second and third trimesters. However, the drug does have detrimental effects on oocytes undergoing meiosis II. Similar effects on oocytes in meiosis I may have a clinical impact on the fertility of women exposed to the drug in utero, during critical stages of ovarian development. This study aims to examine the effects of etoposide exposure during e...

Introduction: Billions of sperm are used during porcine artificial insemination (AI) but only a few thousand are able to reach ampullary-isthmic junction of the oviduct to facilitate fertilization. One of the mechanisms which reduce this sperm population is the inflammatory reaction that takes place within the uterus following insemination. Prostaglandin J2, also known as 15-deoxy-Delta-12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) is a recently discovered...

Introduction: Following IVF, blastocysts produced from oocytes recovered from gilts fed a high fibre diet for the preceding 19 days contained more cells than blastocysts from oocytes of control-fed gilts. Oocytes were collected on day 19 of the gilts’ third oestrous cycle and matured in 10% of their own follicular fluid (FF), suggesting that FF may confer the reproductive benefits. The current study compared the protein composition of pooled FF from six high fibre-fed pig...

Introduction: This study compared uterine and placental expression of genes implicated in placental attachment and angiogenesis in two prolific (hLW and MS) and one control (LW-LD) pig breeds.Methods: Placental and endometrial tissues supplying the smallest and a normal-sized foetus within the same litter were collected from five LW-LD, five hLW and four MS gilts on days 40–45 of pregnancy. RNA was isolated and qPCR for SPP1, VEGFA...

Mating is a source of signals to the female reproductive tract to ensure reproductive success. Previously, we reported that mating induces the expression of carbohydrate sulfotransferase 10 (CHST10) in the rat endosalpynx. This enzyme participates in the sulfation of the carbohydrate motif named human natural killer 1 (HNK1), synthesized over membrane proteins and lipids. Both molecules, CHST10 and HNK1, are involved in cell-to-cell interactions. Herein, we determined the effe...

Embryo dormancy (embryo diapause) is a reproductive strategy used by ~100 different mammals to avoid the risk of exposing their offsprings to unfavourable environmental conditions by delaying embryo implantation. The blastocysts from domestic sheep, rabbit or cattle enter into diapause after being transfer into mouse uteri induced to have delayed implantation. The observation suggests that blastocysts from all mammals, including that of human, may have an ability to enter into...

In a previous study, following IVF, oocytes from gilts fed a high fibre diet for the first 19 days of their third oestrous cycle, produced blastocysts with more cells than oocytes from control-fed gilts. We hypothesise that FF protein composition is altered by the diet and that this confers the reproductive benefits.The current study compared the protein composition of pooled Day 19 FF from 12 high fibre-fed pigs and 12 control-fed pigs in search of biom...