To explore the ability of anti‐Müllerian hormone and antral follicle count to predict cumulative live birth and clinical pregnancy in the first complete ovarian stimulation cycle among patients from POSEIDON (Patient‐Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) groups 3–4.

Ovarian reserve is a key factor in the reproductive function of the ovaries. Ovarian aging is characterized by a gradual decline in the quantity and quality of follicles. The underlying mechanism of ovarian aging is complex and age-related oxidative stress is considered one of the most likely factors. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) has been shown to have good scavenging ability against reactive oxygen species (ROS) which slowly accumulates in ovarian tissues. However, it is unknown whether SDG had beneficial effects on aging ovaries. In this study, we used 37-week-old female C57BL/6J mouse as a natural reproductive aging model to evaluate the role of SDG in ovarian aging. SDG (7 and 70 mg/kg) intragastric administration was performed in the mice daily. After 8 weeks, the effects of SDG on aging ovaries were evaluated by counting the number of follicles and the expression of follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) in the ovary. The mechanism of SDG on the aging ovaries was further explored through ovarian metabolomics. It was found that SDG can effectively increase the number of growing follicles and increase the expression of the FSHR protein. The metabolomics results showed that the ovaries in the SDG intervention group achieved better uptake and transport of nutrients, including amino acids and glucose that are necessary for the development of oocytes. At the same time, the ovaries of the SDG intervention group showed that the drug reduced ROS generation. Additionally, we found that ovarian telomere length and ovarian mitochondrial DNA copy number that are highly susceptible to ROS damage and are also related to aging. The results showed that SDG can significantly increase mitochondrial DNA copy number and slow down the process of telomere shortening. These data indicate that SDG improves ovarian reserve by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Somatic follicle cells are critical support cells for Drosophila oogenesis, as they provide signals and molecules needed to produce a mature egg. Throughout this process, the follicle cells differentiate into multiple subpopulations and transition between three different cell cycle programs to support nurse cell and oocyte development. The follicle cells are mitotic in early egg chamber development, as they cover the germline cyst. In mid-oogenesis, follicle cells switch from mitosis to endocycling, increasing their ploidy from 2C to 16C. Finally, in late oogenesis, cells transition from endocycling to gene amplification, increasing the copy number of a small subset of genes, including the genes encoding proteins required for egg maturation. In order to explore the genetic regulation of these cell cycle switches and follicle cell development and specification, clonal analysis and the GAL4/UAS system are used frequently to reduce or increase expression of genes of interest. These genetic approaches combined with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization are powerful tools for characterizing the mechanisms regulating follicle cell development and the mitosis/endocycle and endocycle/gene amplification transitions. This chapter describes the genetic tools available to manipulate gene expression in follicle cells, as well as the methods and reagents that can be utilized to explore gene expression throughout follicle cell development.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Ovarian follicle development is an essential process for continuation of sexually reproductive animals, and is controlled by a wide variety of regulatory factors such as neuropeptides and peptide hormones in the endocrine, neuroendocrine, and nervous systems. Moreover, while some molecular mechanisms underlying follicle development are conserved, others vary among species. Consequently, follicle development processes are closely related to the evolution and diversity of species. type A () is a cosmopolitan species of ascidians, which are the closest relative of vertebrates. However, unlike vertebrates, ascidians are not endowed with the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis involving pituitary gonadotropins and sexual steroids. Combined with the phylogenetic position of ascidians as the closest relative of vertebrates, such morphological and endocrine features suggest that ascidians possess both common and species-specific regulatory mechanisms in follicle development. To date, several neuropeptides have been shown to participate in the growth of vitellogenic follicles, oocyte maturation of postvitellogenic follicles, and ovulation of fully mature follicles in a developmental stage-specific fashion. Furthermore, recent studies have shed light on the evolutionary processes of follicle development throughout chordates. In this review, we provide an overview of the neuropeptidergic molecular mechanism in the premature follicle growth, oocyte maturation, and ovulation in, and comparative views of the follicle development processes of mammals and teleosts.

This month's Views and Reviews provides insights into one of the most difficult clinical care populations: individuals with low ovarian reserve and limited response to stimulation. After a discussion of available definitions of "poor ovarian response" and how new definitions are improving the characterization of the individual patient and our ability to offer prognosis, we review alternative strategies for management. The first chapter presents options for pretreatment, including hormonal manipulation and nutriceuticals. The second chapter discusses the potential benefit of more gentle stimulation in this population. Subsequent chapters address adjuvants during stimulation, alterations of final oocyte maturation and processes in the laboratory, and finally when and how to stop treatment.Copyright © 2022 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Follicle size was generally monitored during controlled ovarian stimulation, yet its predictive value for oocyte developmental potential and the discriminating threshold is debated.

Ultrasound combined with Doppler techniques has been widely utilized to evaluate joint inflammation and internal structural changes in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. However, previous assessments using these techniques were predominantly semi-quantitative, which may limit the precision and reliability of the results. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to explore the potential advantages of three-dimensional (3D) volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler in quantitatively assessing the progression of disease.

High follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) doses during ovarian stimulation are detrimental to ovulatory follicle function and decrease live birth rate in cattle and women. However, the mechanism whereby excessive FSH causes ovarian dysfunction is unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that excessive FSH during ovarian stimulation induces premature luteinization of ovulatory-size follicles. Small ovarian reserve heifers were injected twice daily for 4 days with 70 IU (N = 7 heifers) or 210 IU (N = 6 heifers) Folltropin-V [commercial FSH-enriched preparation of porcine pituitary glands with minor (<1%) luteinizing hormone (LH) contamination, cpFSH]. Ovulatory-size (≥10 mm) follicles were excised from ovaries after the last cpFSH injection and hormone concentrations in follicular fluid (FF) were determined using ELISA. Luteinization was monitored by assessing cumulus cell–oocyte complex (COC) morphology and measuring concentrations of estradiol (E), progesterone (P), and oxytocin (O) in FF. COCs were classified as having compact (cCOC) or expanded (eCOC) cumulus cell layers, and as estrogen-active (E:P in FF ≥1), estrogen-inactive (EI, E:P in FF ≤1 > 0.1), or extreme-estrogen-inactive (EEI, E:P in FF ≤0.1). A high proportion (72%) of ovulatory-size follicles in 210 IU, but not 70 IU, dose heifers displayed eCOCs. The high doses also produced higher proportions of EI or EEI follicles which had lower E:P ratio and/or E but higher P and/or O concentrations compared with the 70 IU dose heifers. In conclusion, excessive cpFSH doses during ovarian stimulation may induce premature luteinization of most ovulatory-size follicles in heifers with small ovarian reserves.

The process of follicle development is closely regulated by two pituitary gonadotropins: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Traditionally, folliculogenesis is considered to be divided into a gonadotropin-independent phase and a gonadotropin-dependent phase. Despite this, recent evidence has demonstrated that functional LH receptors are expressed even in smaller follicles during the phase considered to be gonadotropin independent. Luteinizing hormone promotes androgen synthesis within ovarian follicles and seems to significantly contribute to accelerate and enhance the transition from the primordial to the antral stage of folliculogenesis. Thus, LH could play a fundamental role in determining the number of recruitable antral follicles, with a direct impact on the cyclic recruitment of follicles and reproductive potential. Common clinical conditions of pituitary suppression such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, other than pregnancy and combined oral contraceptive use, have been considered to analyze the effect of lower serum LH levels on the functional ovarian reserve. This review outlines recent findings on the mechanisms of human follicle development, based on human and animal models, with a direct focus on possible new clinical applications.

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> Luteinizing hormone (LH) plays a key role in normal follicular development and oocyte maturation in controlled ovarian stimulation. LH stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of theca cells for the secretion of androgens, synergistically increasing estrogen production. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low LH concentrations on oocyte retrieval, fertilization, and embryo development in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. <b><i>Design:</i></b> We prospectively (ClinicalTrials ID: NCT05755529) analyzed patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, subdividing them into three groups according to their age. Serum LH levels were evaluated on day 3, during stimulation (day 10) and before ovulation induction (day 12). <b><i>Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods:</i></b> Forty-three consecutive women were scheduled for IVF and received ovarian stimulation with follitropin alfa (Gonal F, Merck Serono, Germany) and ganirelix (Fyremaldel, Sun Pharma, Italy). Statistical analysis was performed with InStat 3.10, GraphPad software, San Diego, CA, USA. Normal distribution was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test. Continuous variables were expressed as the mean and standard deviation. Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and percentages. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Our data analysis suggests that serum LH levels progressively decrease during controlled ovarian stimulation, and this effect is more evident in the early phase of this procedure. From this perspective, circulating LH levels may significantly decrease during the late follicular phase due to the negative feedback of ovarian hormones from multiple follicular developments or after the suppressive effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists. <b><i>Limitations:</i></b> Although our study confirms that exogenous LH can be considered a strategy in women with reduced LH levels during ovarian stimulation to improve oocyte quality and reproductive outcome, the generalizability of the results is limited by the low number of participants enrolled. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Exogenous LH may be considered a strategy in women with a decrease in LH levels during ovarian stimulation to improve oocyte quality and reproductive outcome.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of anti-Müllerian hormone on follicle development and oocyte quality with light and electron microscopy. Twenty-four adult female rats were divided into four groups. After estrous cycle synchronization, on the first day, control group rats were injected with 0.5 ml saline, 2, 3, and 4 groups were injected 1 µgr, 2 µgr, and 5 µgr anti-Müllerian hormone, respectively. On the third day, intracardiac blood samples were taken for follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and progesterone serum level measurements. Ovaries were obtained for light and electron microscopic examinations. Secondary (antral) follicles were decreased while atretic follicles were increased in number parallel with an increased dose of anti-Müllerian hormone injection. Atresia of the follicles was demonstrated with apoptosis of granulosa cells characterized by apoptotic bodies and with paraptosis characterized by the vacuole formation in the cytoplasm, enlargement of granular endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and perinuclear cisternae in granulosa cells. Premature luteinization characterized by increased lipid droplets, mitochondria with tubular cristae, and smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm of granulosa cells were detected in some growing follicles. In the anti-Müllerian hormone injected experimental groups, cystic follicles characterized by a large antrum, attenuated granulosa cell layer, and flattened granulosa cells that face the antrum were observed. Corpus luteum and stroma were similar in all groups. It was concluded that increasing doses of anti-Müllerian hormone caused increased atresia in developing follicles, premature luteinization of granulosa cells in some follicles, and cystic follicle formation in the further developing follicles.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the progesterone variation (PV) between early progesterone and preovulatory progesterone on pregnancy rate (PR), number of oocytes, and embryo quality. Three hundred and thirty-eight cycles of in vitro fertilisation were included and progesterone was measured on 5th day of stimulation GnRH as well as on the day of induction of ovulation. Fresh embryo transfer (ET) on the second-third day after follicular puncture was made in 152/338 cycles, with positive pregnancies in 61/152 (40%). In the cycles in which ET was cancelled (186/338) higher levels of estradiol and P2 were detected, as well as greater PV and number of oocytes obtained than those made in with fresh transfer. A greater PV was not associated with a worse clinical PR but with a minor embryo quality in the group of 35-37 years old patients.Impact Statement Preovulatory progesterone (P2) elevation has been linked to worse results in IVF cycles. It has also been described been reported that there is a lower pregnancy rate (PR) in patients with high progesterone in the early follicular phase (P1). In our study, we measured P1 and P2 to evaluate the possible repercussion of progesterone variation (PV) (ratio of P2 to P1) on PR, a variable that has not previously been analysed. Negative correlation between preovulatory progesterone and embryo quality was found, according to the literature. In the present study, a negative significant correlation between PV and embryo quality was also found, however, only in the group of 35-37 years old women. This could indicate that a rapid increase in progesterone levels after the early follicular phase is related to a lower quality of the obtained embryos, although further studies are required to achieve greater statistical significance.