The pre-ovulatory surge of gonadotrophins triggers a marked and obligatory increase in follicular prostaglandin synthesis prior to ovulation, and the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme is a key rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. In the early 1990s, the pre-ovulatory rise in follicular prostaglandin synthesis was shown to result from the selective induction of a novel COX isoform...

The chemical composition of the cervical mucus (CM), its physical characteristics and the volume of secretion change cyclically throughout the menstrual cycle. The aim of this study was to identify the constitutive protein composition of CM of fertile women and the changes in the CM proteome throughout the menstrual cycle. Five fertile women who had a term delivery within 1 year before the stud...

BACKGROUND Pharmacologic activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) improves ovulatory function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, and specific dietary fatty acids can affect PPAR-gamma activity. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to assess whether the intakes of total fat, cholesterol, and major types of fatty acids affect the risk of ovulator...

Male mammals show rapid behavioral and hormonal responses to signals from sexually receptive females. However, rapid endocrine responses to female signals have not been observed in a nonhuman primate. Here, we tested the behavioral and hormonal response of male common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) to isolated scent secretions from ovulatory females or to vehicle control scent. Fifteen males we...

Atresia, a degenerative process through which many follicles are removed from the growing pool, involves apoptotic changes in the follicular granulosa cells. To identify histochemical markers of early stages of atresia, an in-vivo rat model was used which allowed the study of atresia of pre-ovulatory follicles in a synchronized and chronological order. By blocking the pre-ovulatory luteinizing ...

BACKGROUND In mammalian follicles, oocytes are arrested at the diplotene stage of prophase I until meiotic resumption following the LH surge. Recently, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), encoded by natriuretic peptide precursor type C (NPPC) was found to suppress mouse oocyte maturation by promoting cyclic guanosine 5'-monophospate (cGMP) production in cumulus cells. However, regulation of NPPC/...

BACKGROUND Ovarian follicle growth and maturation requires extensive communication between follicular somatic cells and oocytes. Recently, intercellular cell communication was described involving cell-secreted vesicles called exosomes (50-150 nm), which contain miRNAs and protein, and have been identified in ovarian follicular fluid. The goal of this study was to identify a possible role of exo...

OBJECTIVE To determine possible prediction of regular menses with aging in anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN Cohort. SETTING Academic practice. PATIENT(S) A total of 54 anovulatory women with PCOS and 28 age- and weight-matched control subjects. INTERVENTION(S) Blood and ovarian ultrasound at baseline and after 5 years. MAJOR OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum antim...

Human cervical mucus is a heterogeneous mixture of mucin glycoproteins whose relative concentration changes during the ovulatory phases, thereby producing different mucus aggregation structures that can periodically permit the transit of spermatozoa for fertilization. In preovulatory phase, mucus is arranged in compact fiber-like structures where sperm transit is hindered. Previously, through o...