Zeaxanthin is a common carotenoid, which is a powerful antioxidant that protects against damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of zeaxanthin supplementation on in vitro maturation of porcine embryo development. We investigated nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels during in vi...

BACKGROUND It is not known why the ameloblasts responsible for dental enamel formation are uniquely sensitive to fluoride (F(-)). Herein, we present a novel theory with supporting data to show that the low pH environment of maturating stage ameloblasts enhances their sensitivity to a given dose of F(-). Enamel formation is initiated in a neutral pH environment (secretory stage); however, the pH...

Oocyte-specific linker histone H1foo is localized in the oocyte nucleus, either diffusely or bound to chromatin, during the processes of meiotic maturation and fertilization. This expression pattern suggests that H1foo plays a key role in the control of gene expression and chromatin modification during oogenesis and early embryogenesis. To reveal the function of H1foo, we microinjected antisens...

OBJECTIVE To describe isolation and in vitro maturation of primary oocytes from the ovarian cortex in the presence of hypothalamic pituitary down-regulation. DESIGN Case report. SETTING Tertiary care university-affiliated hospital. PATIENT(S) An 18-year-old patient was given treatment with the ABVD (Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) protocol for Hodgkin's disease. She u...

Cryopreservation of mature oocytes and embryos has provided numerous benefits in reproductive medicine. Although successful cryopreservation of germinal-vesicle stage (GV) oocytes holds promise for further advances in reproductive biology and clinical embryology fields, reports regarding cryopreservation of immature oocytes are limited. Oocyte survival and maturation rates have improved since v...

This study provides a detailed experimental and mathematical analysis of the impact of the initial pathway of definitive endoderm (DE) induction on later stages of pancreatic maturation. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) were induced to insulin-producing cells following a directed-differentiation approach. DE was induced following four alternative pathway modulations. DE derivatives obtained f...

background: routine oocytes cryopreservation remained an elusive technique in the wide ranges of available assisted reproductive technologies. the microtubules of oocytes are vulnerable to cryoprotectants and thermal change during cryopreservation. objective: the effects of a vitrification protocol were investigated on the spindle and chromosome configurations of mice oocytes cryopreserved at t...

Matrix metalloproteinase 20 (MMP20) and kallikrein-related peptidase 4 (KLK4) are thought to be necessary to clear proteins from the enamel matrix of developing teeth. We characterized Mmp20 and Klk4 null mice to better understand their roles in matrix degradation and removal. Histological examination showed retained organic matrix in Mmp20, Klk4, and Mmp20/Klk4 double-null mouse enamel matrix,...