Acentriolar spindle assembly in mammalian female meiosis and the consequences of its perturbations on human reproduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia S Blengini ◽  
Karen Schindler
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Meiotic Spindle ◽  
Female Meiosis ◽  
Spindle Formation ◽  
Cellular Machinery ◽  
Meiotic Spindles ◽  
Mammalian Female ◽  
Oocyte Meiotic Maturation

Abstract The purpose of meiosis is to generate developmentally competent, haploid gametes with the correct number of chromosomes. For reasons not completely understood, female meiosis is more prone to chromosome segregation errors than meiosis in males, leading to an abnormal number of chromosomes, or aneuploidy, in gametes. Meiotic spindles are the cellular machinery essential for the proper segregation of chromosomes. One unique feature of spindle structures in female meiosis is spindles poles that lack centrioles. The process of building a meiotic spindle without centrioles is complex and requires precise coordination of different structural components, assembly factors, motor proteins, and signaling molecules at specific times and locations to regulate each step. In this review, we discuss the basics of spindle formation during oocyte meiotic maturation focusing on mouse and human studies. Finally, we review different factors that could alter the process of spindle formation and its stability. We conclude with a discussion of how different assisted reproductive technologies (ART) could affect spindles and the consequences these perturbations may have for subsequent embryo development.

scholarly journals Inositol and vitamin D may naturally protect human reproduction and women undergoing assisted reproduction from COVID-19 risk

2021 ◽  
pp. 113-117
Author(s):  
M.S. Bezerra Espinola ◽  
M. Bertelli ◽  
M. Bizzarri
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Phosphatidyl Inositol ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Risk Category ◽  
Virus Species

In late 2019, the new Coronavirus has been identified in the city of Wuhan (China) then COVID-19 spreads like wildfire in the rest of the world. Pregnant women represent a risk category for increased abortion rates and vertical transmission with adverse events on the newborns has been recently confirmed. The scientific world is struggling for finding an effective cure for counteracting symptomatology. Today, there are many therapeutic proposes but none of them can effectively counteract the infection. Moreover, many of these compounds show important side effects not justifying their use. Scientific literature reports an immune system over-reaction through interleukins- 6 activation. In this regard, the possibility to control the immune system represents a possible strategy for counteracting the onset of COVID-19 symptomatology. Vitamin D deficiency shows increased susceptibility to acute viral respiratory infections. Moreover, Vitamin D seems involved in host protection from different virus species by modulating activation and release of cytokines. Myo-inositol down-regulates the expression of IL-6 by phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase pathway. Furthermore, myo-inositol is the precursor of phospholipids in the surfactant and it is applied for inducing surfactant synthesis in infants for treating respiratory distress syndrome. This review aims to summarize the evidence about COVID-19 infection in pregnant women and to encourage the scientific community to investigate the use of Vitamin D and Myo-inositol which could represent a possible preventive treatment for pregnant women or women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies.

scholarly journals Microbiota and Human Reproduction: The Case of Female Infertility

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rossella Tomaiuolo ◽  
Iolanda Veneruso ◽  
Federica Cariati ◽  
Valeria D’Argenio
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Embryo Implantation ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Microbial Dysbiosis ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Generation Sequencing

During the last decade, the availability of next-generation sequencing-based approaches has revealed the presence of microbial communities in almost all the human body, including the reproductive tract. As for other body sites, this resident microbiota has been involved in the maintenance of a healthy status. As a consequence, alterations due to internal or external factors may lead to microbial dysbiosis and to the development of pathologies. Female reproductive microbiota has also been suggested to affect infertility, and it may play a key role in the success of assisted reproductive technologies, such as embryo implantation and pregnancy care. While the vaginal microbiota is well described, the uterine microbiota is underexplored. This could be due to technical issues, as the uterus is a low biomass environment. Here, we review the state of the art regarding the role of the female reproductive system microbiota in women’s health and human reproduction, highlighting its contribution to infertility.

scholarly journals Legal Responsibility for Abuses and Crimes in the Field of Artificial Human Reproduction

Lex Russica ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 48-52
Author(s):  
N. V. Kruchinina
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Legal Responsibility ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Artificial Reproduction ◽  
Forensic Research ◽  
Human Reproductive ◽  
Common Understanding

The article analyzes different points of view concerning reproductive human rights. Every year the number of cases when assisted reproductive technologies are used is increasing in Russia. The author draws attention to the lack of a common understanding of reproductive human rights, their protection and regulation in different countries of the world, to different perceptions of legal responsibility for abuses in the field of artificial reproduction of human beings, and to the existence of different definitions of crime in the field of human reproduction.The article presents an overview of foreign legislation on criminal law protection of human reproductive functions. The study of criminal and civil cases and examination of scientific developments in this area compels the author to admit the existence of abuses and crimes in the field of artificial reproduction of human beings. The article attempts to determine the list of crimes against reproductive human rights and considers them as an object of forensic research.

Law in Ensuring the Safety of Genetic Technologies Against their Use for Criminal Purposes

Lex Russica ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
N. V. Kruchinina
Keyword(s):  
Legal Status ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Economic Progress ◽  
Genetic Technologies ◽  
Criminal Groups ◽  
Definition Of

Genetic technologies offer wide prospects for socio-economic progress. At the same time, their application in practice could put at stake the interests of society, human rights and freedoms. Therefore, the development of genetic technologies requires its analysis from the standpoint of jurisprudence, thoughtful legislative regulation and protection from uncontrolled spread and criminal use. The paper analyzes different points of view on the use of genetic technologies. The author substantiates the necessity of proper legal regulation and security of the process of development of genetic technologies. The paper contains the results of the scientific research. The paper elucidates the problems related to the use of genetic technologies in the process of artificial human reproduction: imperfection of the legal framework (In particular, lack of the definition of the legal status of human embryo, lack of justification for the legality of its use for research and therapeutic purposes), the threat of the use of genetic technologies for criminal purposes. The author concludes that the use of genetic technologies for criminal purposes is especially dangerous because organized criminal groups focus their attention on genetic technologies. This gives rise to a special criminal situation that requires new approaches for effective counteraction. To this end, the priority is given to identification of crimes committed with the use of genetic technologies and analysis of the emerging practice of investigating this category of crimes. Failure to comply with standards, deviation from regulations and procedures imposed on medical care may result in harm to health or death also when the assisted reproductive technologies are used. The author has made some proposals to solve these problems with due regard to domestic and foreign experience in the use of genetic technologies in the field of human artificial reproduction (in particular, it is proposed to establish effective international cooperation in this area).

Nek2 and its substrate, centrobin/Nip2, are required for proper meiotic spindle formation of the mouse oocytes

Zygote ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seongkeun Sonn ◽  
Goo Taeg Oh ◽  
Kunsoo Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Spindle Assembly ◽  
Early Embryogenesis ◽  
Mouse Oocyte ◽  
Meiotic Spindle ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Spindle Formation ◽  
Mouse Oocytes ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Pericentriolar Material ◽  
Meiotic Spindles

SummaryA typical centrosome consists of a pair of centrioles embedded in a proteinous matrix called pericentriolar material. However, the centrosomes in the mouse oocytes and early embryos lack centrioles, but consist of the γ-tubulin-enriched vesicle aggregates. We previously revealed that Nek2 and centrobin/Nip2, a centrosomal substrate of Nek2, is critical for the mouse early embryogenesis, especially at the step of spindle assembly during mitosis. In order to expand our understanding of the biological functions of Nek2, we examined expression and knockdown phenotypes of Nek2 and its substrates, centrobin and C-Nap1, in the mouse oocyte. Nek2, centrobin and C-Nap1 in the mouse oocytes were also centrosomal. Suppression of Nek2 and its substrates did not affect meiotic resumption of the oocytes. However, meiosis of the Nek2- and centrobin-suppressed oocytes was not completed, but arrested with defects in spindle assembly. No visible phenotype was observed in the C-Nap1-suppressed oocytes. These results indicate that Nek2 is critical for proper assembly of the meiotic spindles. Centrobin may be a possible substrate of Nek2 responsible for the meiotic spindle assembly in the mouse oocytes.

scholarly journals High-Tech Linked Crimes

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 740-746
Author(s):  
Yevgeny Ishchenko ◽  
Nadezhda Kruchinina
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Reproductive Rights ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Modern World ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Population Replacement ◽  
Assisted Reproduction Technologies ◽  
Human Reproductive ◽  
High Technologies

Modern research advanced open wide prospects for socio-economic and cultural progress, but they could also pose a threat for human rights and liberties. It is stated in the article that the transformation of the modern world under the influence of high technologies is leading to the emergence of new types of crimes; the authors show the necessity of developing a criminal law reaction to crimes connected with artificial intelligence, cybercrimes, crimes in the sphere of biotech, as well as the need to work out new approaches to fighting crimes linked to high technologies. The authors claim that the foundations for digital criminalistics have already been laid. They analyze the use of hi tech with criminal purposes in different spheres, including assisted reproductive technologies, and stress that the problems of population replacement, connected with human reproductive functions, are essential for the existence and development of any state and society. Meanwhile, there are considerable discrepancies in how different countries understand human reproductive rights, their protection and regulation. The criminal nature of different actions in the sphere of human reproduction is also understood differently. Modern medical technologies open up great possibilities in the sphere of assisted human reproduction, at the same time, this area is connected with legal risks. The authors attempt to compile a list of crimes against reproductive rights of humans and to view them as a unified object of criminalistic research. It is noted that the use of biotechnologies with criminal purposes could take the form of improper exercise and excess of authority, corruption, fraud and extortion. The article includes the results of the criminalistic analysis of legislation regarding assisted reproduction technologies. It has been revealed that the use of such technologies in Russia is growing year by year, while the legislation regulating legal relations in this sphere makes it possible to use its imperfections and to commit abuses and crimes connected with various falsifications. It is proven that the task of criminalistics is to develop effective technical, tactical and methodological recommendations with the goal of identifying and investigating criminally punishable falsifications. Specifically, it is recommended to introduce obligatory notarization of the surrogacy contract, and to change the procedure of presenting corresponding documentation to registry offices.

scholarly journals In Vitro Studying the Effect of Adding Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to the Human Semen on the Sperm DNA Integrity

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-100
Author(s):  
Dhafer Hamdan ◽  
Ali Rahim ◽  
Ula Al-Kawaz
Keyword(s):  
Dna Fragmentation ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Sperm Chromatin ◽  
Dna Integrity ◽  
Sperm Dna Integrity ◽  
Sperm Dna ◽  
Dispersion Test

For conception and the development of healthy embryos, sperm DNA integrity is crucial. According to a growing body of studies, there is a strong correlation between sperm DNA damage and male infertility. Among the new medicines being developed in the medical field, the application of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in human reproduction has yet to be examined. A total of 100 semen samples were used in the current experimental investigation. From November 2020 to June 2021, the research was conducted at the High Institute for Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Masturbation was used to get an ejaculated semen sample. After semen analysis, the samples were separated into two equal parts, one without autologous PRP and the other with 2% autologous PRP, with the DNA fragmentation assessed using the Sperm Chromatin Dispersion Test. There was highly significant reduction in DNA fragmentation index (p < 0.001). The mean sperm DNA integrity was reduced after adding PRP (33.85±16.73 vs 38.55±16.64), Mean (± SE). PRP has been shown to improve human sperm DNA integrity.

scholarly journals Metabolic phenotype of adult mice offspring obtained from different variants of embryo transfer

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 761-769
Author(s):  
M. V. Anisimova ◽  
Ya. Gong ◽  
N. S. Yudin ◽  
Yu. M. Moshkin ◽  
L. A. Gerlinskaya
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Metabolic Phenotype ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Glucose Load ◽  
Body Compositions ◽  
Sexually Mature

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) increasingly occupy the study of human reproduction. In addition, in developed countries they contribute to breeding of more than 50 % of cattle. In the management of collections of genetic lines of laboratory animals, these technologies are obligatory components of cryopreservation and rederivation. ART procedures include the development of early embryos outside the mother’s body and the high probability of incomplete synchronization of the physiological state of the surrogate mother and transplanted embryos. Since all this occurs at the stage of the highest susceptibility of embryos to epigenetic reprogramming, the full cycle of ART and its individual components can lead to stable phenotypic changes in the offspring. Their reality is confirmed by studies of the morphological and functional characteristics of sexually mature offspring of CD1 outbred mice, obtained using different variants of early embryo transplantation. Comparative studies of body mass and body composition, basal glucose level and response to glucose load (glucose-tolerance test – GTT) have been done on sexually mature males and females. Animals were separated in 4 groups according to the variant of embryo transplantation: group (control) – natural mating; group (2cl-bl) – incubation of 2-cell up to blastocysts; group (2cl-2cl) – removal and transplantation of the 2-cell embryo without incubation; group (Bl-bl) removal and transplantation of the blastocysts without incubation. All embryos were transplanted to recipient females of the same line. It was found that sexually mature offspring obtained with all variants of transplantations had a higher relative fat content and, correspondingly, lower lean mass compared to the control. This effect was more pronounced in females than in males. Unlike body compositions, embryo transplantations had a greater effect on basal glucose concentration and GTT in males than in females. In this case, the offspring of the 2cl-2cl and 2cl-bl groups were characterized by a higher tolerance to glucose load (GTT) compared with the control and the Bl-bl group. Stable deviations of body compositions and glucose homeostasis indices detected in experimental groups of progenies indicate the phenotypic significance of the embryo transplantations per se.

scholarly journals To understand the reproductive tract microbiome associated with infertility through metagenomics analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manisha Vajpeyee ◽  
Lokendra Bahadur Yadav ◽  
Shivam Tiwari ◽  
Parikshit Tank
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Live Birth Rate ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Fertility Treatments ◽  
Vaginal Tract ◽  
Human Illness

Abstract Background Knowledge of the microbiome is in its infancy in health and human illness, especially concerning human reproduction. We will be better able to treat dysbiosis of the reproductive tract clinically if it is better explained and understood. It has been shown that altered vaginal microbiota affects parturition, and its function is uncertain in assisted reproductive technologies. However, the effects of recognized microbes such as Mycoplasma tuberculosis, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are well established, resulting in subclinical changes which are considered to be risk factors for infertility and poor reproductive outcomes. Main body Recent studies indicate that the vaginal tract comprises several different organisms of the microbiome. Some microbiota can play an important role not only in the reproductive tract but also in overall health. The microbiome of the female reproductive tract has been identified mainly based on studies that examine vaginal samples across many reproductive technologies, using a metagenomics approach. Conclusion Alteration of reproductive tract microbiota or presence of certain microbiota irrespective of the level of pathogenicity may interfere with fertilization, implantation, and subsequent embryo development. This may lead to failed fertility treatments and reduced live birth rate (LBR).

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