Reproduction Abstracts

Introduction: Deleted in azoospermia-like (DAZL ) is an RNA-binding protein essential for germ cell entry into meiosis and later stages of germ cell maturation, and its absence is associated with infertility in vertebrates. Efforts to identify in vivo mRNA targets of DAZL have mainly been restricted to mouse, thus human-specific investigations are required.Materials and methods: RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to profile DAZL isoform expr...

Introduction: DAZL (deleted in azoospermia-like) is an RNA binding protein essential for germ cell entry into meiosis and later stages of germ cell maturation, and its absence is associated with infertility in vertebrates. Efforts to study DAZL and its in vivo RNA targets have been largely limited to mouse, thus human-specific investigations are required.Methods: Human DAZL protein was immunoprecipitated from 17 week ovarian lysate bound RNAs we...

Introduction: Human germ cells develop in synchronised nests in the fetal ovary, interspersed with somatic cells prior to reorganisation to form primordial follicles. We have isolated several somatic cell lines from disaggregated human fetal ovaries as a model for understanding their contribution to the germ cell niche. Fetal dysregulation of TGFβ signalling has been linked with fibrosis in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): effects of TGFβ on extracellular matrix (EC...

Introduction: The chemotherapy agent etoposide is a topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibitor, and is considered safe to administer during pregnancy. However, assessment of its effects on the developing ovary, when germ cells are undergoing initiation of meiosis and forming follicles, has been limited. We have investigated this using ovarian tissue culture.Methods: E13.5 mouse ovaries were cultured for 12 days on an agar block, with etoposide added for the fi...

Introduction: The effect of chemotherapy treatment on premenopausal women’s fertility has long been of concern. Here, we investigate the direct actions of chemotherapy drugs on the human ovary, examining effects of two commonly used drugs, cisplatin and doxorubicin.Method: Ovarian cortical tissue samples were collected from patients aged 27–34 who were undergoing elective caesarean section, with informed consent and Ethical Committee approval. ...

Introduction: Adult male testosterone levels are influenced by fetal events, but how is unknown, as adult Leydig cells (ALC) do not differentiate until puberty. We hypothesised that adult Leydig stem cells are present in the fetal testis, and are susceptible to programming by fetal androgen exposure. We have shown that ALC derive from interstitial cells that express chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription-factor II, essential postnatally for ALC development, and andr...