Search results for "Oocyte"
showing 5 items of 225 documents
Embryologic outcome and secretome profile of implanted blastocysts obtained after coculture in human endometrial epithelial cells versus the sequenti…
2008
Objective To compare embryologic and clinical outcomes in terms of preimplantation development, implantation, pregnancy rates, and secretome profile of implanted blastocysts from the preimplantation genetic diagnosis program grown in sequential versus endometrial epithelial cell (EEC) coculture system. Design Retrospective clinical study and prospective experimental study. Setting In vitro fertilization clinical unit and university research laboratory. Intervention(s) Blastomere biopsy, embryo culture, blastocyst transfer, and protein analysis of the media conditioned from implanted embryos obtained from coculture and sequential systems. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical study: blastocyst, i…
DNA fragmentation index, pAKT and pERK1/2 in cumulus cells are related to oocyte competence in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization programme
2019
SummaryActivated pERK1/2 and pAKT are key players in supporting cell survival and proliferation pathways. Translocation of pERK1/2 into the nucleus, where it interacts with transcription factors and DNA itself, is instrumental in exerting an anti-apoptotic effect. In this study, pAKT levels, pERK1/2 nuclear localization and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in cumulus cells of single cumulus–oocyte complexes of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization programmes were evaluated and correlated with the clinical outcome of the related embryos. For a positive clinical outcome of blastocyst development, pERK1/2 nuclear localization and DFI value had a significant inverse relationship, whereas the …
Selection of the best three oocytes for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using apoptotic analysis of cumulus cells
2009
Introduction: We studied the apoptosis rate of the cumulus cells of individual cumulus-oocyte complex (COC), to verify a relationship with clinical outcomes, in terms of pregnancy and implantation rates. Usually oocytes are selected using morphological criteria. We tried to verify if cumulus cell apoptotic rate could be used as a molecular criteria in selecting oocytes with higher implantation potentiality. Material and Methods: The study design consisted in two different trials: in the first we investigated apoptosis rate in cumulus cells of the three selected oocytes, according to Italian law, to be fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In a second trial, average apoptosi…
Apoptosis in human unfertilized oocytes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection
2005
Objective To investigate the presence of programmed cell death in unfertilized oocytes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), assuming that previous apoptotic events could be correlated with the fertilization failure. Design Comparison of the rate of DNA fragmentation in human oocytes at different stages of maturation soon after pick-up (control) and in unfertilized oocytes after ICSI treatment. Setting In vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory with extensive ICSI experience. Patient(s) Sixty-three patients undergoing assisted fertilization by ICSI. Intervention(s) Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and anticaspase-3 cleaved…
α-Conotoxins EpI and AuIB switch subtype selectivity and activity in native versus recombinant nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
2003
The Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system was used to determine the activities of alpha-conotoxins EpI and the ribbon isomer of AuIB, on defined nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). In contrast to previous findings on intracardiac ganglion neurones, alpha-EpI showed no significant activity on oocyte-expressed alpha3beta4 and alpha3beta2 nAChRs but blocked the alpha7 nAChR with an IC50 value of 30 nM. A similar IC50 value (103 nM) was obtained on the alpha7/5HT3 chimeric receptor stably expressed in mammalian cells. Ribbon AuIB maintained its selectivity on oocyte-expressed alpha3beta4 receptors but unlike in native cells, where it was 10-fold more potent than native alpha-AuIB, had…