Reproduction Abstracts

Previous studies have assessed the effects of melatonin on cultured granulosa cells under 5% CO2 in air, and focused on its antioxidant properties. Effects of melatonin under more physiological oxygen tensions are not known. Here we cultured granulosa cells from antral follicles (4–6 mm diameter) in fibronectin-coated 12-well plates (at 600 000 cell/ml) in TCM199, with melatonin added at one of four concentrations (0, 20, 200, 2000 pg/ml) under either i) low ox...

In recent years, advances in molecular biology and reproductive engineering make generation of knockout (KO) animals possible. KO animals are useful and powerful tools for agriculture as well as biomedical research. Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) genome editing technology enables site directed engineering of the genome. The aim of the present study was to ZFN and TALEN system could work on editing genome of cultured porcin...

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: The zona pellucida (ZP) is an extracellular matrix that surrounds mammalian oocytes. Marsupial ZP has been considered formed by three proteins. However, the recent description of four glycoproteins (ZP1, ZP2, ZP3, and ZP4) in the ZP of some species of eutherian (rat, human, hamster, rabbit) suggests the need for a reanalysis of the ZP composition in marsupials.Material and methods: Complementary DNA was obtained from ovaries from one Austra...

Introduction: Oocytes acquire developmental competence with progressive folliculogenesis. Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) from small antral follicles are commonly used in IVM but have inherent low competence and are poorly responsive to amphiregulin (AREG) which normally mediates oocyte maturation. Here we examined effects of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), and dbcAMP on the maturation and subsequent developmental competence ...

Introduction: Bacterial epididymitis is a common disorder in urological outpatient clinics and usually results from ascending infections originating in the urinary tract often involving uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) as causative pathogen. In 40% of patients with acute epididymitis, impaired semen parameters persist even after antibiotic treatment. Members of the TGFβ cytokine superfamily, such as activin A, have recently been identified in the epididymis and are c...

Introduction: Uterine fibroids cause pain, pressure symptoms and heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Fibroid growth is sex steroid dependent. The selective progesterone receptor (PR) modulator (SPRM), ulipristal acetate (UPA) reduces fibroid size and alleviates HMB in 90% of women. UPA has both agonist and antagonist properties and induces (S)PRM-associated endometrial changes (PAEC). The mechanism of UPA action and aetiology of PAEC are unknown. We propose that modulation of ster...

Early embryo development is an exquisitely sensitive period of the developmental continuum, profoundly influencing neonatal and adult health. Maternal and paternal hyperglycaemia is associated with long-term health complications including increased risk of miscarriage, altered birth weight, and increased incidence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adult life. The mechanisms underlying this intergenerational transmission of disease remain unclear. New evidence has implicate...

Disruptions during epigenetic reprogramming in developing germ cells may result in the introduction of germline epimutations. These epimutations may cause aberrant gene expression in the developing germline and in the parent’s offspring. This project investigates the impacts of functionally depleting the essential epigenetic modifier polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) on germline formation and development in the next generation. To achieve this we are examining a mouse ...

Introduction: Peptide-YY (PYY) is a satiety hormone secreted by the colon. We have previously shown that PYY significantly increases in early lactation in rats, despite hyperphagia. Increased PYY may be associated with significantly increased gut growth by late lactation in dams with average-sized litters. Our aim was to determine whether feeding different litter sizes influences postpartum changes occurring during the maternal adaptation to lactation.Ma...