Adult ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First

The "Barker hypothesis" postulates that a number of organ structures and associated functions undergo programming during embryonic and fetal life, which determines the set pont of physiological and metabolic responses that carry into adulthood. Hence, stimulus or insult at a critical period of embryonic and fetal development, can result in developmental adaptations that produce permanent structural physiological, and metabolic changes, thereby predisposing an individual to cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine disease in adult life. This article will provide an evidence linking these disease to fetal undernutrition and an overview of previous studies in this area, the current advances in understanding the mechanism and the role of the placenta in fetal programming.
Adult ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fetal Development* ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Placenta

The “Barker hypothesis” postulates that a number of organ structures and associated functions undergo programming during embryonic and fetal life, which determines the set point of physiological and metabolic responses that carry into adulthood. Hence, any stimulus or insult at a critical period of embryonic and fetal development can result in developmental adaptations that produce permanent structural, physiological and metabolic changes, thereby predisposing an individual to cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine disease in adult life. This article will provide evidence linking these diseases to fetal undernutrition and an overview of previous studies in this area as well as current advances in understanding the mechanism and the role of the placenta in fetal programming.
Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fetal Development* ; Fetal Nutrition Disorders ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Placenta

The study aims to investigate the embryo-fetus development toxicity of the novel PPAR-δ agonist HS060098 on SD rats. The pregnant rats that were randomly divided into the solvent control group (1% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose water solution) and HS060098 suspension groups (10, 30 and 100 mg x kg(-1) xd(-1)) were orally administered with HS060098 suspension or vehicle during the gestation of 6 -15 days (GD6-15). At termination (GD20), female rats were sacrificed. The pregnant females were evaluated by corpora lutea count, implantation sites, existence and death of embryos. Fetal sex, weight, externals, variations and malformations of viscus and skeleton were observed. The results show that there were no significant abnormality in maternal general conditions and fetal appearance as well as viscera, but in the 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) group, the maternal weight gain decreased greatly (P < 0.01) and the skeletal ossification delayed remarkably (P < 0.01); in the 30 mg x kg(-1) xd(-1) group, the fatal and litter number of incompletely ossified sternebrae II was higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the skeletal malformations occurred in all dose groups, which indicate that the novel PPAR-δ agonist HS060098 had maternal toxicity and adversely effected fetal skeletal development under the experimental conditions.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; Embryonic Development ; drug effects ; Female ; Fetal Weight ; PPAR delta ; agonists ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Toxicity Tests

The objectives of the present study were to compare the in vitro maturation (IVM), fertilization and early embryonic development of bovine oocytes recovered from ovaries during the follicular, metestrus and diestrus stages of the estrous cycle and at anestrus and pregnancy after maturation in a serum free culture medium. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) collected from ovaries at different reproductive statuses were matured in medium 199 supplemented with 10 g/ml FSH, 10 g/ml LH, 1.5 g/m estradiol, 75 g/ml streptomycin, 100 IU/ml penicillin and 10 mM HEPES. COCs were incubated in 200 microliter droplets of maturation medium 199 under oil for 24 h at 39degrees c and 5% CO2. Matured oocytes were exposed to frozen-thawed TALP swim up, heparin capacitated sperm from two bulls separately in each replicate (20 h, 39C, 5% CO2). After fertilization, the presumptive zygotes were cultured in medium 199 containing 8 mg/ml BSA-V, 100 IU/ml penicillin-G, 75 g/ml streptomycin and 10 mM HEPES for 144 h at 39C and 5% CO2 without medium freshening or change. Oocytes/embryos were fixed, stained with DAPI and evaluated under fluorescent microscope. The IVM rates were almost similar among oocytes from all reproductive statuses (range: 89.8 to 95.4%). However, IVM rates for oocytes from the metestrus (90.6%) and pregnant (89.9%) phases were lower than the other groups. The fertilization rates were lower (p<0.05) for oocytes from the diestrus phase (72.4%) than from the other phases (range: 81.1 to 86.6%). Oocytes, recovered during the metestrus phase of the estrous cycle, resulted in the highest cleavage rate (60.0%), while oocytes from the diestrus phase had the poorest embryonic development (39.8%: p<0.05). Majority of the embryos from all reproductive phases showed a developmental arrest around 8-cell stage. Although the developmental competence of oocytes from pregnant and anestrus animals was lower than that from the other reproductive stages, they could be potentially used as oocyte donors. Long term, in vitro embryo culture without medium freshening or change was hypothesized to have caused the failure to overcome the 8-cell block to development.
Animals ; Cattle/*embryology/*physiology ; Ectogenesis/physiology ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Estrous Cycle/*physiology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Male ; Oocytes/*growth&development/*physiology ; Pregnancy

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is characterized by fetal compromise and delayed neurological maturation. We report 3 cases of early FGR in the 26th week of gestation, based on hemodynamic Doppler monitoring, conventional cardiotocography, and non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-FECG). Fetal heart rate variability (HRV), beat-to-beat variations, and fetal autonomic brain age scores (fABASs) were normal despite the absence of umbilical diastolic flow in the first case and the pregnancy continued to 30 weeks. NI-FECG helped achieve better fetal maturity. Fetal HRV and fABASs were low in the second and third cases. Fetal demise occurred soon in both cases. We conclude that NI-FECG could be a prospective method for the detection of fetal distress in early FGR.
Brain ; Cardiotocography ; Electrocardiography ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Hemodynamics ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies

The crown-rump length(CRL) remains the most accurate parameter used for gestational dating. We aimed to establish the early fetal growth with CRL range in Korean women. The CRL of 48 singleton pregnancies which resulted from in vitro fertilization and e mbryo transfer(IVF-ET) at SNUH were assessed two to six times in the first trimester by trans-vaginal ultrasonography. All women included in this study went on to deliver norma l infa-nts at 37 completed weeks or after weighing over 2.5 kg. And we also studied the r elationship between CRL(in millimeters) and gestational age(in days), and found that the fo llowing second-order polynomial might be applied either to expect CRL using the menstr ual gestational age, or to estimate gestational age using measured CRL(r2=0.980, p=0.000 1). CRL=0.0175(GA)2-1.049(GA)+19.17 GA=7.5593(CRL-3.45)1/2+29.97 Finally we compared our data with some of published articles which assessed CRL in spontaneous and induced pregnancies. In conclusion, this study establish the early fetal growth with CRL range in Korean women on the basis of exact ovulation timing using high resolution transvaginal ultrasonography. And these data will be of great use in the evaluation of fetal growth in the first trimester.
Crown-Rump Length* ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fetal Development ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Ovulation ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First* ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUNDInsulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), which is a carrier of Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) regulates the fetal development by working as an active factor controlling the combination of IGFs with their receptors. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between IGFBP-1 and human embryonic development during weeks 6 - 10 of gestation.

METHODSA total of 44 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were divided into two groups: one with abnormal embryo development (n = 32) and the other with normal embryo development (n = 12). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect IGFBP-1 levels in maternal serum and decidual tissue. The expression of IGFBP-1 mRNA in deciduas was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.

RESULTSThe level of IGFBP-1 protein in maternal serum was significantly higher in the abnormal group [(125.36 +/- 47.93) micro g/ml] than in the normal group [(70.72 +/- 21.21) micro g/ml]. Both of IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-1 mRNA in deciduas were higher in abnormal group [(1.60 +/- 1.39) micro g/ml and 1.66 +/- 1.64, respectively] than in the normal group [(0.35 +/- 0.23) micro g/ml and 0.40 +/- 0.20, respectively]. The level of IGFBP-1 in maternal serum was positively correlated with IGFBP-1 mRNA (r = 0.90, P < 0.05) and IGFBP-1 protein (r = 0.92, P < 0.05) in decidual tissue.

CONCLUSIONSDuring weeks 6 - 10 of gestation, abnormal embryonic development is correlated with elevated IGFBP-1. The level of IGFBP-1 in maternal serum is related to the concentrations of IGFBP-1 mRNA and IGFBP-1 in decidual tissue. The IGFBP-1 level in maternal serum may be used as a predictive marker to evaluate embryonic development.

Adult ; Decidua ; chemistry ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; analysis ; blood ; genetics ; Pregnancy ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a common complication in obstetrics, affecting about 5% of women of childbearing age. An increase in the number of abortions results in escalation in the risk of miscarriage. Although concentrated research has identified numerous causes for RPL, about 50% of them remain unexplained. Pregnancy is a complex process, comprising fertilization, implantation, organ and tissue differentiation, and fetal growth, which is effectively controlled by a number of both maternal and fetal factors. An example is the immune response, in which T cells and natural killer cells participate, and inflammation mediated by tumor necrosis factor or colony-stimulating factor, which hinders embryo implantation. Furthermore, vitamin D affects glucose metabolism and inhibits embryonic development, whereas microRNA has a negative effect on the gene expression of embryo implantation and development. This review examines the causes of RPL from multiple perspectives, and focuses on the numerous factors that may result in RPL.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fetal Development ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; Obstetrics ; Pregnancy ; Proteomics ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamin D

Conjoined twins show varying degree of conjoining in either facing or side-by-side fashion. Cephalothoracopagus janiceps is a prototype of facing anomaly in which the two bodies demonstrated a cross symmetry to the midline, that is axial symmetry. Interfacial and intersternal lines crossed at a right angle and no abnormality of situs was associated. Dicephalus dipus dibrachius is a case of side-by-side union, in which the bodies facing nearly the same direction were symmetrical to the middle sagittal plane. Abnormal situs of one was always associated. Other types of conjoined twins as thoracopagus lie between the two extremes of facing and side-by-side union. The three dimensional architectures of the organs in each type would be explained using cross sectional figures of skull, thorax and pelvis. Although the facing twins share the internal organs without fusion, the organs in the side-by-side component are fused with modification of the situs. We postulate sixteen pairs of situs and four manners of division for the explanation of the midline organs and the presence of a dominant co-twin. The splenic locations in a given cardiopulmonary situs are evaluated for the appraisal and applicability of these hypotheses.
Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Twins, Conjoined/*classification/embryology/pathology ; Viscera/abnormalities/embryology