Reproduction Abstracts

There are several key stages in the development of a reproductively competent ovary. These include: i) successful migration of the primordial germ cells and associated precursor somatic cells to the genital ridge, ii) the entry and maintenance of the developing germ cells in meiotic arrest, iii) the accumulation of pre-granulosa cells by oocytes to form primordial follicles, and iv) the maintenance of the primordial follicles in a quiescent state. This population of inactive p...

Introduction: A complex cocktail of poorly biodegradable chemicals is ubiquitous in the modern environment. Exposure to such chemicals contributes to diseases such as metabolic syndrome and infertility. Since the liver is the primary defence organ against xenotoxicants, we analysed the liver proteome of sheep continuously exposed (from pre-conception until early adulthood) to sewage sludge. Our aim was to identify dysregulated pathways and understand how a chemical cocktail ca...

Introduction: A complex cocktail of poorly biodegradable chemicals is ubiquitous in the modern environment and exposure to such chemicals contributes to diseases including thyroid dysfunction. The thyroid gland regulates growth and function of multiple organs and we previously showed that exposure to xenotoxicants (via maternal grazing on sewage sludge fertilised pastures) disturbed fetal sheep thyroid development. Our aim here was to assess whether the effects seen in fetal s...

Introduction: Normal function of the placenta, an essential conduit between mother and fetus, is crucial for a healthy pregnancy. Placental molecular transporters play essential gatekeeping roles, regulating the exchange of nutrients, gases, hormones and diverse molecules between the mother and developing fetus. Expression of some transporters change throughout pregnancy, which may alter fetal sensitivity to maternally-derived nutritional compounds, environmental contaminants ...