Abstract Study question Could a hydrogel with similar mechanical properties of reproductive age ovarian cortex support the growth human preantral follicles? Summary answer Yes, our optimized PEGylated fibrin tailored strength provides suitable substrate for follicle survival and growth. What is known already The most challenging part assembling an engineered ovary developing appropriate scaffol...

The hair follicle undergoes lifelong cycling and growth. Previous studies have been focused on epithelial stem cells in the hair follicles. Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) are pluripotent cells that can persist in adult tissues. We have previously demonstrated that human NCSCs can be isolated from hair follicles. Here, we present a protocol to isolate NCSCs from human hair follicles based on th...

Balding causes widespread psychological distress but is poorly controlled. The commonest treatment, minoxidil, was originally an antihypertensive drug that promoted unwanted hair. We hypothesized that another serendipitous discovery, increased eyelash growth side-effects of prostamide F(2α)-related eyedrops for glaucoma, may be relevant for scalp alopecias. Eyelash hairs and follicles are highl...

Cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos is commonly used to preserve fertility. However, women undergoing cancer treatment may not have the time or may not be good candidates for these options. Ovarian cortical tissue cryopreservation and subsequent tissue transplant has been proven successful yet inefficient in preserving larger secondary follicles, and is not recommended as a fertility preser...

Encapsulated in vitro follicle growth (eIVFG) has great potential to provide an additional fertility preservation option for young women and girls with cancer or other reproductive health threatening diseases. Currently, follicles are cultured for a defined period of time and analyzed as a cohort. However, follicle growth is not synchronous, and culturing follicles for insufficient or excessive...

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine whether follicles grown within human ovarian cortical strip culture for 6 days in serum-free medium could be isolated at the secondary stage of pre-antral development and grown in vitro to the late pre-antral/early antral stage during a 4 day culture period. METHODS Ovarian cortical biopsies were obtained from six women aged 26-40 years,...

Follicular atresia is characterized by a rapid loss of granulosa cells and, to a lesser extent, theca cells, via apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of theca cell secretions in the regulation of apoptosis of rabbit granulosa cells. The annexin-V binding method based on externalization of phosphatidylserine to the outer layer of plasma membrane during apo...