Reproduction Abstracts

In contrast to the testis, the ovary is an internal organ which contains a finite supply of primordial follicles, enclosed by ovarian somatic cells. Development of ovulatory follicles from this primordial pool capable of releasing a developmentally competent oocyte is an extremely complex developmental process which involves interactions between an array of local factors, the pituitary gonadotrophins and other endocrine factors. Elucidation of these local and endocrine mechani...

The last frontier to conquer in female infertility is absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), affecting more than 10 000 women in the UK. Uterine transplantation (UTx) is now the first available treatment for this large group of women. Adoption and gestational surrogacy are other means to obtain motherhood, but the acceptances of these arrangements in the society vary greatly between societies.Our research group initiated a step-by-step developmental...

Acquisition of uterine receptivity, an essential prelude for successful embryo implantation, is fully dependent on the development of adequate conditions for the attachment of the conceptus to the endometrial epithelium. The particular constituents of such ‘adequate conditions’ are not as yet defined and markers for a receptive endometrium are practically unavailable. Furthermore, the disappointing, poor rate of pregnancy, presently achieved following the transfer of...