Articles

Potential action of androstenedione on the proliferation and apoptosis of stromal endometrial cells

Hyperandrogenic conditions have been associated with a high prevalence of endometrial pathologies related to cell survival. However, the action of androgens on proliferation and apoptosis in endometrial cells ...

Authors: Manuel A Maliqueo, Susana Quezada, Marisa Clementi, Ketty Bacallao, Mabel Anido, Cecilia Johnson and Margarita Vega

Functional effects of 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) on human myometrial contractility in vitro

17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) administration reportedly improves outcome for women with a previous spontaneous preterm delivery. This study, using in vitro strips of human uterine smooth muscle, a...

Authors: Donal J Sexton, Michael W O'Reilly, Anne M Friel and John J Morrison

Melatonin blocks inhibitory effects of prolactin on photoperiodic induction of gain in body mass, testicular growth and feather regeneration in the migratory male redheaded bunting (Emberiza bruniceps)

Little is known about how hormones interact in the photoperiodic induction of seasonal responses in birds. In this study, two experiments determined if the treatment with melatonin altered inhibitory effects o...

Authors: Amit K Trivedi, Sangeeta Rani and Vinod Kumar

The role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) during ovarian follicular development in sheep

Recently, several members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily have been shown to be essential for regulating the growth and differentiation of ovarian follicles and thus fertility.

Authors: Jennifer L Juengel, Adrian H Bibby, Karen L Reader, Stan Lun, Laurel D Quirke, Lisa J Haydon and Kenneth P McNatty

cDNA microarray analysis of bovine embryo gene expression profiles during the pre-implantation period

After fertilization, embryo development involves differentiation, as well as development of the fetal body and extra-embryonic tissues until the moment of implantation. During this period various cellular and ...

Authors: Koichi Ushizawa, Chandana B Herath, Kanako Kaneyama, Satoshi Shiojima, Akira Hirasawa, Toru Takahashi, Kei Imai, Kazuhiko Ochiai, Tomoyuki Tokunaga, Yukio Tsunoda, Gozoh Tsujimoto and Kazuyoshi Hashizume

Uterine extracellular matrix components are altered during defective decidualization in interleukin-11 receptor α deficient mice

Implantation of the embryo and successful pregnancy are dependent on the differentiation of endometrial stromal cells into decidual cells. Female interleukin-11 receptor α (IL-11Rα) deficient mice are infertil...

Authors: Christine A White, Lorraine Robb and Lois A Salamonsen

Role of tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm capacitation / acrosome reaction

Capacitation is an important physiological pre-requisite before the sperm cell can acrosome react and fertilize the oocyte. Recent reports from several laboratories have amply documented that the protein phosp...

Authors: Rajesh K Naz and Preeti B Rajesh

Factors involved in the inflammatory events of cervical ripening in humans

Cervical ripening is an inflammatory reaction. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mediates glucocorticoid anti-inflammatory reactions, whereas nuclear factor (NF)kappaB is a key pro-inflammatory transcription fa...

Authors: Ylva Stjernholm-Vladic, Denis Stygar, Christopher Mansson, Britt Masironi, Sonja Akerberg, Hong Wang, Gunvor Ekman-Ordeberg and Lena Sahlin

Transmembrane carbonic anhydrase isozymes IX and XII in the female mouse reproductive organs

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) classically catalyses the reversible hydration of dissolved CO₂ to form bicarbonate ions and protons. The twelve active CA isozymes are thought to regulate a variety of cellular functions ...

Authors: Piritta Hynninen, Jonna M Hämäläinen, Silvia Pastorekova, Jaromir Pastorek, Abdul Waheed, William S Sly, Eija Tomas, Pertti Kirkinen and Seppo Parkkila

Leptin receptor in the chicken ovary: potential involvement in ovarian dysfunction of ad libitum-fed broiler breeder hens

In hens, the ovarian follicles committed to ovulation are arranged in an ordered follicular hierarchy. In standard broiler breeders hens genetically selected for high growth rate the reproductive function is c...

Authors: Sandrine Cassy, Sonia Metayer, Sabine Crochet, Nicole Rideau, Anne Collin and Sophie Tesseraud

Cloning of a novel inhibin alpha cDNA from rhesus monkey testis

Inhibins are dimeric gonadal protein hormones that negatively regulate pituitary FSH synthesis and secretion. Inhibin B is produced by testicular Sertoli cells and is the primary circulating form of inhibin in...

Authors: Daniel J Bernard, Teresa K Woodruff and Tony M Plant

Comparison of Misoprostol and Dinoprostone for elective induction of labour in nulliparous women at full term: A randomized prospective study

The objective of this randomized prospective study was to compare the efficacy of 50 mcg vaginal misoprostol and 3 mg dinoprostone, administered every nine hours for a maximum of three doses, for elective indu...

Authors: Evangelos G Papanikolaou, Nikos Plachouras, Aikaterini Drougia, Styliani Andronikou, Christina Vlachou, Theodoros Stefos, Evangelos Paraskevaidis and Konstantinos Zikopoulos

Ubiquitin is associated with the survival of ectopic stromal cells in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition that affects women of reproductive age, where the glandular and/or stromal tissues from the eutopic endometrium implant in ectopic locations. It is well established that the surviv...

Authors: Romina S Ilad, Steven D Fleming, Catherine R Bebington and Christopher R Murphy

Methods to find out the expression of activated genes

This review deals with the methods of identifying genes that have been activated by inner or outer impulses. The activation and subsequent expression of a gene can be detected by its transcription into a corre...

Authors: Sten Z Cekan

Analysis of Maxi-K alpha subunit splice variants in human myometrium

Large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium (Maxi-K) channels are implicated in the modulation of human uterine contractions and myometrial Ca²⁺ homeostasis. However, the regulatory mechanism(s) governing the ...

Authors: Michael Curley, John J Morrison and Terry J Smith

Comparison in gene expression of secretory human endometrium using laser microdissection

The endometrium prepares for implantation under the control of steroid hormones. It has been suggested that there are complicated interactions between the epithelium and stroma in the endometrium during menstr...

Authors: Atsushi Yanaihara, Yukiko Otsuka, Shinji Iwasaki, Keiko Koide, Tadateru Aida and Takashi Okai

The C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase variant and third trimester obstetrical complications in women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein

The C677T MTHFR variant has been associated with the same third trimester pregnancy complications as seen in women who have elevations of maternal serum α-fetoprotein (MSAFP). We hypothesized that these women ...

Authors: Natalie K Björklund, Jane A Evans, Cheryl R Greenberg, Lorne E Seargeant, Carol E Schneider and Bernard N Chodirker

Glucose-stimulated insulin response in pregnant sheep following acute suppression of plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations

Elevated non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations in non-pregnant animals have been reported to decrease pancreatic responsiveness. As ovine gestation advances, maternal insulin concentrations fall and...

Authors: Timothy RH Regnault, Hutton V Oddy, Colin Nancarrow, Nadarajah Sriskandarajah and Rex J Scaramuzzi

Immature rats show ovulatory defects similar to those in adult rats lacking prostaglandin and progesterone actions

Gonadotropin-primed immature rats (GPIR) constitute a widely used model for the study of ovulation. Although the equivalence between the ovulatory process in immature and adult rats is generally assumed, the m...

Authors: María Gaytan, Carmen Bellido, Concepcion Morales, Marcelino Gonzalez-Padilla, Jose E Sanchez-Criado and Francisco Gaytan

17beta-estradiol induced vitellogenesis is inhibited by cortisol at the post-transcriptional level in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus)

This study was performed to investigate stress effects on the synthesis of egg yolk precursor, vitellogenin (Vtg) in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). In particular the effect of cortisol (F) was determined since...

Authors: Hakan Berg, Carina Modig and Per-Erik Olsson

Antimicrobial actions of the human epididymis 2 (HE2) protein isoforms, HE2alpha, HE2beta1 and HE2beta2

The HE2 gene encodes a group of isoforms with similarities to the antimicrobial beta-defensins. We demonstrated earlier that the antimicrobial activity of HE2 proteins and peptides is salt resistant and struct...

Authors: Suresh Yenugu, Katherine G Hamil, Frank S French and Susan H Hall

In vitro fertilization and artificial activation of eggs of the direct-developing anuran Eleutherodactylus coqui

Although much is known about the reproductive biology of pond-breeding frogs, there is comparatively little information about terrestrial-breeding anurans, a highly successful and diverse group. This study inv...

Authors: Esteban Toro and Scott F Michael

Expression and importance of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and -9) in human trophoblast invasion

The aim of this study was to examine the invasiveness of first trimester trophoblasts according to the secretion profile of MMP-2 and -9 at different gestational stages, and to test the similarity between prim...

Authors: Elsebeth Staun-Ram, Shlomit Goldman, Diana Gabarin and Eliezer Shalev

Endometrial glands as a source of nutrients, growth factors and cytokines during the first trimester of human pregnancy: A morphological and immunohistochemical study

The maternal circulation to the human placenta is not fully established until 10–12 weeks of pregnancy. During the first trimester the intervillous space is filled by a clear fluid, in part derived from secret...

Authors: Joanne Hempstock, Tereza Cindrova-Davies, Eric Jauniaux and Graham J Burton

Association of sperm protein 17 with A-kinase anchoring protein 3 in flagella

Sperm protein 17 (Sp17) is a three-domain protein that contains: 1) a highly conserved N-terminal domain that is 45% identical to the human type II alpha regulatory subunit (RII alpha) of protein kinase A (PKA...

Authors: Isabel A Lea, Esther E Widgren and Michael G O'Rand

The student and the ovum: The lack of autonomy and informed consent in trading genes for tuition

Rising tuition costs have forced university students to become creative in finding ways to fund their education. Some female university students have decided that ova donation may be an acceptable alternative ...

Authors: Thomas J Papadimos and Alexa T Papadimos

Human chorionic gonadotropin administration is associated with high pregnancy rates during ovarian stimulation and timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination

There are different factors that influence treatment outcome after ovarian stimulation and timed-intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI). After patient age, it has been suggested that timing of insemina...

Authors: Mohamed F Mitwally, Sonya Abdel-Razeq and Robert F Casper

Microarray profiling of progesterone-regulated endometrial genes during the rhesus monkey secretory phase

In the endometrium the steroid hormone progesterone (P), acting through its nuclear receptors, regulates the expression of specific target genes and gene networks required for endometrial maturation. Proper en...

Authors: Christopher I Ace and William C Okulicz

The placental problem: Linking abnormal cytotrophoblast differentiation to the maternal symptoms of preeclampsia

The placenta is a remarkable organ. In normal pregnancy its specialized cells (termed cytotrophoblasts) differentiate into various specialized subpopulations that play pivotal roles in governing fetal growth a...

Authors: Susan J Fisher

Regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II gene expression in trophoblast cells

Trophoblast cells are unique because they are one of the few mammalian cell types that do not express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens, either constitutively or after exposure to IFN-γ....

Authors: Shawn P Murphy, Jason C Choi and Renae Holtz

The prolactin and growth hormone families: Pregnancy-specific hormones/cytokines at the maternal-fetal interface

The prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) gene families represent species-specific expansions of pregnancy-associated hormones/cytokines. In this review we examine the structure, expression patterns, and bio...

Authors: Michael J Soares

Chorionic gonadotropin and uterine dialogue in the primate

Implantation is a complex spatio-temporal interaction between the growing embryo and the mother, where both players need to be highly synchronized to be able to establish an effective communication to ensure a...

Authors: Paula Cameo, Santha Srisuparp, Zuzana Strakova and Asgerally T Fazleabas

Conceptus signals for establishment and maintenance of pregnancy

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy results from signaling by the conceptus (embryo/fetus and associated extraembryonic membranes) and requires progesterone produced by the corpus luteum (CL). In most m...

Authors: Thomas E Spencer and Fuller W Bazer

Trophoblast-uterine interactions at implantation

Implantation of the embryo in the uterus is a critical and complex event and its failure is widely considered an impediment to improved success in assisted reproduction. Depending on whether placentation is in...

Authors: John D Aplin and Susan J Kimber

Trophoblast gene expression: Transcription factors in the specification of early trophoblast

A zone of trophoblast specification is established when the embryo is amorula, presumably reflecting a unique combination of transcription factors in that zone of cells and the influence of various environment...

Authors: R Michael Roberts, Toshihiko Ezashi and Padmalaya Das

Comparative aspects of trophoblast development and placentation

Based on the number of tissues separating maternal from fetal blood, placentas are classified as epitheliochorial, endotheliochorial or hemochorial. We review the occurrence of these placental types in the var...

Authors: Anthony M Carter and Allen C Enders

Trophoblast biology: Forum introduction

In mammals, a carefully orchestrated dialogue between the mother and conceptus (embryo/fetus and associate extraembryonic membranes) is initiated during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy as the trophob...

Authors: Thomas E Spencer and Fuller W Bazer

Cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation and connexin 43, cyclooxygenase-2 and FSH receptor mRNA expression in equine cumulus-oocyte complexes cultured in vitro in the presence of FSH and precursors for hyaluronic acid synthesis

The aim of this study was to investigate cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation and expression of connexin 43, cyclooxygenase-2 and FSH receptor transcripts in equine cumuli oophori during in vivo and in vitro ...

Authors: Maria Elena Dell'Aquila, Maud Caillaud, Filippo Maritato, Alain Martoriati, Nadine Gérard, Giulio Aiudi, Paolo Minoia and Ghylène Goudet

ARTs in action in nonhuman primates: Symposium summary – advances and remaining issues

Authors: Barry D Bavister

Directed differentiation of rhesus monkey ES cells into pancreatic cell phenotypes

Embryonic stem cells (ES) can self-replicate and differentiate into all cell types including insulin-producing, beta-like cells and could, therefore, be used to treat diabetes mellitus. To date, results of ste...

Authors: Linda B Lester, Hung-Chih Kuo, Laura Andrews, Brian Nauert and Don P Wolf

Derivation and characterization of monkey embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cell based therapy carries great potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, before clinical application is realized, the safety, efficacy and feasibility of this the...

Authors: K-Y Francis Pau and Don P Wolf

Transgenic nonhuman primates for neurodegenerative diseases

Animal models that represent human diseases constitute an important tool in understanding the pathogenesis of the diseases, and in developing effective therapies. Neurodegenerative diseases are complex disorde...

Authors: Anthony WS Chan

Strategies for the production of genetically identical monkeys by embryo splitting

Genetically identical rhesus monkeys would have tremendous utility as models for the study of human disease and would be particularly valuable for vaccine trials and tissue transplantation studies where immune...

Authors: RD Schramm and AM Paprocki

Assisted reproductive technologies in rhesus macaques

The assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have been used in the production of rhesus monkey offspring at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) and that experience is summarized here. Addition...

Authors: Don P Wolf

Biology of primate relaxin: A paracrine signal in early pregnancy?

Relaxin is a peptide hormone that exerts numerous effects in a variety of tissues across a broad range of species. Although first identified more than 75 years ago interest in relaxin biology has waxed and wan...

Authors: Eric S Hayes

Pregnancy initiation in the rhesus macaque: Towards functional manipulation of the maternal-fetal interface

Nonhuman primates provide an important opportunity to define the mechanisms that contribute to the success of early pregnancy. We have focused for several years now on defining the expression of novel placenta...

Authors: Thaddeus G Golos

Uterine receptivity and implantation: The regulation and action of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), HOXA10 and forkhead transcription factor-1 (FOXO-1) in the baboon endometrium

In primates, the phase of the menstrual cycle when the uterus becomes receptive is initially dependent on estrogen and progesterone. Further morphological and biochemical changes are induced as a result of bio...

Authors: J J Kim and Asgerally T Fazleabas

High quality sperm for nonhuman primate ART: Production and assessment

Factors that affect sperm quality can include method of semen collection, conditions for capacitation and whether or not agglutination is present. Media and procedures for sperm washing can also impair or impr...

Authors: Catherine A VandeVoort

Overriding follicle selection in controlled ovarian stimulation protocols: Quality vs quantity

Selection of the species-specific number of follicles that will develop and ovulate during the ovarian cycle can be overridden by increasing the levels of pituitary gonadotropin hormones, FSH and LH. During co...

Authors: Richard L Stouffer and Mary B Zelinski-Wooten

The physiology of follicle selection

During the follicular phase of the primate menstrual cycle, a single follicle usually matures to the preovulatory stage and releases its oocyte for fertilization and the potential establishment of pregnancy. I...

Authors: Anthony J Zeleznik