Reproduction Abstracts

Short-term effects of cryopreservation on embryo development, survival and after embryo transfer (ET), resulting pregnancy rate have been documented. However, long-term effects on offspring remain relatively unexplored.Materials and methods: Using a mouse model, we investigated the effect of vitrification on blastocyst trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers by differential staining and postnatal growth and cardiovascular and metabolic ...

Introduction: Maternal depletion of insulin in serum and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in uterine luminal fluid occurs in response to dietary protein undernutrition during the periconceptional period which leads to adverse offspring growth and cardiovascular phenotype (e.g. high blood pressure). This study aimed to determine whether insulin and/or BCAA depletion might be inductive in vivo factors for postnatal phenotype using an in vitro embryo culture mo...

Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy is detrimental to fetal development and increases the risk of many chronic diseases in later life i.e. neurological consequences such as increased risk of schizophrenia. Previous studies have shown maternal protein malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation compromises brain development in late gestation and after birth, affecting structural, biochemical, and pathway dynamics with lasting consequences for motor and cognitive function. Ho...

Globally, malnutrition is the single greatest threat to public health. Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy is detrimental to foetal development and increases the risk of many chronic diseases in later life. Neurological consequences include increased risk of schizophrenia and abnormal anxiety-related behaviour. Previous studies have shown that maternal protein restriction has a negative effect on foetal brain development in vivo and we previously showed an effect o...