Reproductive Biology and Fertility

No association of mitochondrial DNA levels in trophectodermal cells with the developmental competence of the blastocyst and pregnancy outcomes

This study investigates whether mtDNA levels in trophectodermal cells predict blastocyst quality, ploidy, implantation, and clinical outcomes, finding no association but a distinction between aneuploid and euploid blastocysts.

Cyclin B2 is required for progression through meiosis in mouse oocytes

This study shows that CCNB2 is essential for meiotic progression in mouse oocytes, as its absence causes defects in pre-MPF activity, spindle assembly, and meiosis I completion.

Mitofusin 1 is required for the oocyte-granulosa cell communication that regulates oogenesis

This study shows that Mfn1 is essential for oocyte-granulosa cell communication, which regulates oogenesis, while Mfn2 has a lesser role.

Generation of Cynomolgus Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) Embryos with ICSI Based on the MII-Stage Oocytes Acquired by Personalized Superovulation Protocol

This study shows that a personalized superovulation protocol for cynomolgus monkeys increases MII-stage oocyte retrieval and embryo generation via ICSI, leading to successful pregnancies and fetal development.

Development of a robust automated tool for the annotation of embryo morphokinetic parameters

The paper develops an automated tool for annotating embryo morphokinetic parameters, showing high concordance with manual annotation in human and mouse embryos.

Impeding DNA Break Repair Enables Oocyte Quality Control

This study shows RNF212 mediates oocyte quality control by impeding DNA break repair during meiosis, ensuring defective eggs are eliminated.

Bovine blastocyst development depends on threonine catabolism

This study shows that bovine blastocyst development depends on threonine catabolism via TDH, with no metabolic difference between ICM and TE cells, unlike in mice.

Long-term phenotypic effects following vitrified-thawed embryo transfer in a rabbit model

This study investigates long-term phenotypic effects of vitrified-thawed embryo transfer in rabbits, finding reduced organ weights and molecular changes in liver transcriptomic and proteomic profiles.

Robust Automated Assessment of Human Blastocyst Quality using Deep Learning

This paper develops an AI system to assess human blastocyst quality using deep learning, achieving 98% accuracy and identifying clinical factors affecting pregnancy rates.

Maternal proteins that are phospho-regulated upon egg activation include crucial factors for oogenesis, egg activation and embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The paper identifies 15 new genes involved in egg activation and early embryogenesis in Drosophila by analyzing phospho-regulated maternal proteins through RNAi knockdown.

Preovulatory oocyte aging in mice affects fertilization rate and embryonic genome activation

This study shows that preovulatory aging in mice reduces fertilization rates and causes early genome activation in embryos.

Do gametes woo? Evidence for non-random unions at fertilization

The paper investigates non-random fertilization in mice, showing that certain genes and diets can bias genotype combinations at fertilization, challenging the assumption of random genetic combination.

Can the location of a trophectoderm biopsy contribute to human blastocyst development ?

This study investigates how the location of a trophectoderm biopsy in human blastocysts affects their development, finding that biopsies near the inner cell mass improve blastocoel development.