Reproduction Abstracts

Introduction: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder, associated with debilitating pelvic pain. We believe the pain is due to neuroinflammation: growth of sensory neurons and their subsequent hypersensitisation by macrophage-derived cytokines within the lesion. We explored the regulation of neuroinflammation by estrogen receptor (ER) modulators.Materials and methods: Peritoneum and lesions were collected from women with and without ...

Introduction: Implantation is a highly coordinated event in which the receptive endometrium is primed to receive adhesion-competent blastocysts. Implantation relies on the bridging of integrins on the endometrium and the blastocyst by extracellular matrix proteins, such as fibronectin. Factors produced in the female reproductive tract are thought to support development of the blastocyst to an adhesion competent state and to ensure coordination of blastocyst implantation abilit...

Introduction: MicroRNAs interact with multiple mRNAs resulting in their degration and/or translational repression. Embryo diapause is a widespread phenomenon in which temporarily arrest occurred in embryo development. Our previous data showed that the levels of let-7 are relatively high in diapause embryos compared to reactivated embryos by E2 in mice. However, it is still not clear whether or not let-7 is involved in embryo diapause.Materials...

Background: Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are a phenotypically distinct population of tissue-resident immune cells that are reported to regulate vascular remodelling within the endometrium. The mechanisms that control accumulation of uNK cells in the endometrium remain unresolved although there is evidence to suggest that homing and differentiation of peripheral blood NK (pbNK) cells may contribute to the rapid increase in cell numbers during the secretory phase of the me...

Background: The impact of androgens on myometrial contraction has received less scrutiny, compared to progesterone and estrogens. We sought to i) examine the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT; a non-aromatizable androgen) on stretch-induced contraction of human myometrium and ii) gain mechanistic insights by studying changes in intracellular calcium [Ca2+] and phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC).Methods: Myometrial strips were recover...

Rare epithelial and stromal stem/progenitor cells (SPC) have been identified in the mouse endometrium. However the role of these SPC in endometrial regeneration is unclear due to the lack of a traceable marker. We used transgenic mice with reporter constructs for the stem cell marker telomerase reverse transcriptase (mTert) to identify and characterize mouse endometrial SPC. Endometrial mTert expression was examined by microscopy and flow cytometry in mice expressing GFP under...

Little is known about the involvement of miRNAs in luteal development. Cattle provide a convenient model to study ovarian physiology in monovular species. Our previous microarray studies in bovine showed significant upregulation of miR-96 and miR-132 in luteal relative to follicular tissues. In the present study we used an in vitro model of forskolin-induced follicular granulosa cell luteinisation, transfection with specific locked nucleic acid inhibitors or mimics of...

Introduction: Several subsets of uterine natural killer lymphocytes (uNK cells) home to early decidua basalis in rodents and humans. UNK cells peak at midgestion when uNK cells synthesizing the angiokines placenta growth factor (PGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1) are dominant. UNK cell-driven angiogenesis regulates the timing of both uterine lumen closure and early, post-implantation conceptus development. UNK cells contribute to ort...

Introduction: The CDC reports that roughly one-third of USA adults suffer from metabolic syndrome. Amongst other health complications, metabolic syndrome is associated with subfertility and complications later in pregnancy. Successful implantation and pregnancy require the priming of both embryo and uterus during a short window of time called the ‘window of implantation’. At this time, hormones stimulate uterine stromal fibroblasts to differentiate into specialized s...

Introduction: The blood–testis barrier (BTB) remains semi-permeable to tracers of increasing molecular weight in an adult rat model of spermatogenic re-initiation. Complete closure of the BTB occurred when steps 2–7 round spermatids re-appeared in the epithelium, and coincided with the localisation of a new tight junction (TJ) protein claudin-12 (Cldn12) at the BTB. We hypothesise that meiotic and/or post-meiotic germ cells up-regulate Sertoli cell TJs, and aim to de...