Reproduction Abstracts

Obesity in females causes altered fetal growth during pregnancy and permanently ‘programs’ the metabolism of offspring; however the origin of these changes and whether they are reversible is not known. We now show that in obese female mice the oocytes exhibit endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, high levels of intracellular lipid, reduced Ptx3 matrix production and fail to ovulate. The oocytes from obese mice contain normal levels of mtDNA but have reduced mitochondria...

The fetus is antigenically distinct from the mother and therefore the maternal immune system must establish immunological tolerance towards the fetus to support pregnancy. Fetal-maternal tolerance is primarily mediated by a specialised subset of CD4+T cells known as regulatory T (Treg) cells. Absence or reduced function of Treg cells at embryo implantation causes infertility in mice and is implicated as a cause of reproductive disorders in women. The importance of a...