OBJECTIVE Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1/NR5A1) plays a crucial role in regulating adrenal development, gonad determination and differentiation, and in the hypothalamic-pituitary control of reproduction and metabolism. In men (46, XY), it is known that mutations in SF-1/NR5A1 gene cause a wide phenotypic spectrum with variable degrees of undervirilization. In recent years, the role of SF-1 in the...

Interactions between germ cells and surrounding somatic cells are central to ovarian development as well as later function. Disruption of these interactions arising from abnormalities in either cell type can lead to premature ovarian failure (POF). The forkhead transcription factor FOXL2 is a candidate POF factor, and mutations in the FOXL2 gene are associated with syndromic and non-syndromic o...

BACKGROUND New data suggests that endothelial cells (ECs) elaborate essential "angiocrine factors". The aim of this study is to investigate the role of activated ovarian endothelial cells in early in-vitro follicular development. METHODS Mouse ovarian ECs were isolated using magnetic cell sorting or by FACS and cultured in serum free media. After a constitutive activation of the Akt pathway w...

Ovarian cancer remains a leading cause of death from gynecological malignancy. Early diagnosis is the most important determinant of survival. Current diagnostic tools have had very limited success in early detection. In recent years, the advancing techniques for proteomics have accelerated the discovery of ovarian cancer biomarkers. Numerous proteomics-based molecular biomarkers/panels have bee...

Background: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is a feasible method to preserve female reproductive potential, especially in young patients with cancer or in women at risk of premature ovarian failure. Vitrification has recently emerged as a new trend for biological specimen preservation. On the other hand, gene expression that changes during vitrification can influence oocyte maturation and need ...

 ABSTRACT Background: In order to evaluate the role ofketoconazole in the prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins, a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study was done on one-hundred and nine PCOS women that had been refeiTed to be treated by gonadotropi...

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is a rare complication of super ovulation and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although our understanding of its pathophysiology is incomplete, induction of development of multiple follicles, perturbation of the renin angiotensin system and exposure to luteinizing hormone (LH) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are essential contributing factors to its d...

We have demonstrated previously that mammalian sexual differentiation requires both the GATA4 and FOG2 transcriptional regulators to assemble the functioning testis. Here we have determined that the sexual development of female mice is profoundly affected by the loss of GATA4-FOG2 interaction. We have also identified the Dkk1 gene, which encodes a secreted inhibitor of canonical beta-catenin si...