OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Erzhi Tiangui recipe (ETR) on quality of oocyte in the process of external fertilization and embryo-transplantation.

METHODSEighty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, Group A treated with ETR plus human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG), Group B with ETR, Group C with HMG and Group D with normal saline. Ovulation test and cleavage test were conducted to observe the effect of treatment on quality of oocytes.

RESULTSThe difference on ovulation number between Group A and C was insignificant, but the difference in comparison between the two groups was significant in aspects of oocyte morphological scoring, fertilization rate and cleavage rate (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONETR could play its effect synergistically with Western medicine, and raise the quality of oocytes.

Animals ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization ; drug effects ; Fertilization in Vitro ; drug effects ; Menotropins ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; physiology ; Ovulation Induction ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVEThis study was aimed to determine the effects of n-hexane on the maturation of mouse oocytes.

METHODSCell culture was used to observe the maturation of mouse oocytes and CLSM was employed to determine their apoptosis.

RESULTSGerminal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and extrusion of the first polar body in mouse oocytes were significantly inhibited by n-hexane. After fertilization, the number of eggs in the mouse was significantly reduced by n-hexane. Mitochondrial membrane potentials (ΔΨm) were altered in mouse oocytes that were leading to apoptosis of the oocytes.

CONCLUSIONN-hexane might have affected the maturation of oocytes, causing alteration of ΔΨm and leading to apoptosis which maybe one of the most important mechanisms.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Female ; Fertilization ; drug effects ; Hexanes ; toxicity ; Male ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; growth & development

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a unique and novel signaling phospholipid that has pleiotropic biologic properties in addition to platelet activation. Recent studies show that this novel compound plays a significant role in male reproduction and sperm function. PAF binds surface special receptors inducing the formation of inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) and increasing intracellular calcium. The concentrations of sperm-derived PAF may help predict sperm motility and fertilization potential, which may serve as a valuable marker for assessing male fertility. Exogenous PAF can improve sperm motility, acrosome reaction and pregnancy rates in human intrauterine inseminations.
Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Platelet Activating Factor ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

The factors impacting the pregnancy rate and the live birth rate mainly include ovary function disorder and low endometrial receptivity, which can cause the difficulty in embryo implantation, early miscarriage and pregnancy failure. In recent years, researchers of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have made active efforts in assisting IVF-ET, so as to achieve a great advance in improving the ovary reaction, treating the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), improving the follicle, embryo quality and endometrial receptivity and protecting the fetus, which had been summarized in this article.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; drug effects ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Pregnancy

Synchronization of estrus and ovulation are of paramount importance in modern livestock improvement programs. These methods are critical for assisted reproduction technologies, including artificial insemination and embryo transfer, that can increase productivity. In the current study, subcutaneous implants containing norgestomet were placed for long (14 days), medium (9 days), and short (5 days) periods of time in 70 crossbred ewes undergoing fixed-time artificial insemination. The resulting effects on estrus synchronization and conception rates were subsequently evaluated. Among the synchronized ewes, 85.7% (60/70) underwent estrus over a period of 72 h after progestagen treatment ceased. The shortest mean interval between withdrawal of the device and onset of estrus (34.2 +/- 8.9 h) was observed in the G14 days of P4 group (p < 0.05). The conception rate of the G14 days of P4 group was statistically higher than that of the other groups (83.3% vs. 60.9% vs. 47.8%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, 14 days of norgestomet treatment produced higher conception rates and a greater number of pregnancies at the beginning of the breeding season.
Animals ; Drug Implants/therapeutic use ; Estrus Synchronization/drug effects/*methods ; Female ; Fertilization/drug effects ; Insemination, Artificial/methods/*veterinary ; Pregnenediones/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Sheep

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of epidermal growth factor(EGF) and different concentrations of gonadotrophin (Gn) on the in vitro maturation of human oocytes.

METHODSEGF was added to the vitro culture medium in order to observe the effect of Gn combined with or without EGF on the result of in vitro maturation. The concentrations of hCG and FSH were changed respectively to observe the difference between the results.

RESULTSAdding EGF to the culture medium improved the maturation rate of oocyte significantly (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the results with different concentrations of hCG and FSH in the culture medium.

CONCLUSIONEGF can improve the results of the in vitro maturation of human oocytes by increasing the maturation rate significantly. Increasing the concentration of Gn does not influence the results of in vitro maturation.

Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fertilization ; drug effects ; Gonadotropins ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; physiology

Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Ovary ; drug effects ; Ovulation Induction ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Kuntai Capsule (KC) on the number of retrieved oocytes, the quality of high-quality oocytes and embryos in in vitro fertilization of poor ovarian response (POR) patients.

METHODSTotally 70 POR patients preparing for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group, 35 cases in each group. KC was administered to patients in the observation group in the preparation cycle (i.e., three menstrual cycles before IVF-ET) and during the superovulation process. Those in the control group took placebo during this period. Before and after medication the improvement of Shen yin deficiency syndrome (SYDS) was observed in the two groups. The basal follicle-stimulating hormone (bFSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), the ratio of FSH to LH, and antral follicle count (AFC) were observed. Besides, the E2 level of a single ovum on the day of HCG injection, the number of retrieved oocytes, the high-quality oocyte rate, and the high-quality embryos were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the SYDS, decreased bFSH and LH levels, increased ACF numbers, the E2 level of a single ovum on the day of HCG injection, the number of retrieved oocytes, high-quality oocytes, and high-quality embryos were superior in the observation group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the decreased FSH/LH level (P > 0.05). E2 and AMH increased after medication of KC in the observation group, while they decreased after administration of placebos in the control group. There was statistical difference in the post-pre treatment difference of E2 and AMH between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONKC could increase the number of retrieved oocytes, and elevate the quality of occytes and embryos in the IVF-ET.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the sensitivity of human sperm survival bioassay to using known concentrations of potential toxin of formalin and to elevate the application value of human sperm motility assay as a quality control method in detecting the components used in IVF program.

METHODSFresh semen was obtained from healthy males at andrology laboratory by masturbation. Sperm was processed on a gradient column of isolate medium and PBS medium. In experiment 1, the medium with 0.25%, 0.75% concentration of formalin and control medium were added to the Falcon culture tubes containing HTF medium with or without 0.3% bovine albumin serum and with or without light mineral oil. In experiment 2, in 3 types of culture tubes containing HTF medium with or without 0.3% bovine albumin serum and with or without light mineral oil, the sperm was exposed to each culture tube and cultured for 24 and 48 hrs at room temperature, and the motile sperms were counted under the microscope.

RESULTSThe average sperm motility index in the HTF medium with 0.25% formalin at 24 hrs was 0.594 +/- 0.331, significantly higher than in the HTF medium with 0.75% formalin (0.450 +/- 0.284) (P < 0.01). In the medium containing 0.25% and 0.75% formalin with 0.3% bovine albumin serum and light mineral oil, the average sperm survival indexes were 0.683 +/- 0.334 and 0.527 +/- 0.345, respectively, higher than without bovine albumin serum and light mineral oil (0.394 +/- 0.311 and 0.424 +/- 0.311). The average sperm index of 7 ml tissue culture tube made in Denmark was 0.677 +/- 0.335, higher than the other two types of culture tubes made in the USA (0.551 +/- 0.317 and 0.596 +/- 0.327) (P < 0.001). When the sperm cultured in the medium with 0.3% bovine albumin serum and light mineral oil, the average sperm survival indexes were 0.821 +/- 0.259 and 0.645 +/- 0.335, respectively, higher than without bovine albumin serum or light mineral oil (0.571 +/- 0.321 and 0.395 +/- 0.245) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe sperm survival bioassay is a sensitivity quality control method to detect the components in the IVF laboratory. The 7 ml tissue culture tube made in Denmark is most suitable for culturing human embryos. Sperm can be protected when cultured in the medium with 0.3% albumin bovine serum and light mineral oil.

Adult ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo Transfer ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Formaldehyde ; toxicity ; Humans ; Male ; Quality Control ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo search for an optimal activation protocol by comparing the chemical activation effects of single-activator and combined activation protocols on mouse oocytes following injection of round spermatids (ROSI) from spermatogenic cells cultured in vitro.

METHODSUsing different concentrations of ethanol, ionomycin (Ion), calcium ionophore A23187 (CIA), strontium chloride (SrCl2), cycloheximide (CHX), and 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) , we activated post-ROSI oocytes for different times, and activated them by combined protocols at optimal concentrations and action times according to different activation channels. We compared the activation effects of single-activator and combined activation protocols by comparing the rates of fertilization, cleavages, and morulas and blastocysts.

RESULTSWith a single activator, the optimal protocols of different activators were as follows: 7% ethanol for 6 min, 5 micromol/L CIA for 5 min, 5 micromol/L Ion for 5 min, 2 mmol/L 6-DMAP for 2 h, 10 mmol/L SrCl2 for 1.5 h, and 10 microg/ml CHX for 1.5 h, among which 10 mmol/L SrCl2 for 1.5 h achieved the highest rate of morulas and blastocysts, significantly better than CHX (P < 0.05) but with no remarkable difference from other activators. The ethanol + 6-DMAP group showed a significantly higher rate of morulas and blastocysts (29.63%) than all other combined activation groups and single-activator groups except SrCl2 (P < 0.05), and it also exhibited higher rates of normal fertilization, cleavages and morula than the SrCl2 group, but with no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONThe single-activator 10 mmol/L SrCl2 for 1.5 h and the combined activation of 7% ethanol for 6 min + 2 mmol/L 6-DMAP for 2 h are the optimal protocols for chemical activation of mouse oocytes following ROSI, and the combined activation of ethanol + 6-DMAP is even superior to the single-activator protocol.

Animals ; Cycloheximide ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Ionomycin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Oocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Spermatids ; cytology ; drug effects