Blastocentesis, a new approach to test embryo health and viability
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By Carlo Bulletti, Italy
Before vitrification, blastocoelic fluid (0.3-0.5 nl) is withdrawn from human blastocysts by microsuction and (usually) discarded. The metabolomic of blastocoele fluid was studied using Rapid Resolution-Reverse Phase (RR-RP) and mass spectrometry coupled to HPLC (RR-RP-HPLC-ESI-MS). The characterization of DNA fragments present in this fluid, and the evaluation of these fragments as potential target for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis was performed by using, real-time PCR based on SYBR green chemistry, Whole Genome Amplification techniques and -subsequently- Next Generation Sequencing approaches.
Aneuploidism , monogenic diseases and possibly embryo markers of its own viability could be detected in the blastocoele to improve embryo transfer efficiency.
Data will be presented at the
OVARIAN CLUB III
The Inverse Pyramid: Regulating Follicle Number and Oocyte Quality
Paris, France • November 14 - 17, 2013
http://www.comtecmed.com/oc/2013/pre_program.aspx
Summary of the "CRYO" congress in Berlin, March 21-23, 2013
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Summary of Berlin International Congress March 21-23, 2013, Organized by Dr. A. Arav (Israel), Dr. A. Cobo (Spain), Dr. J. Donnez (Belgium), Dr. N. Noyes (USA), Dr. P. Patrizio (USA), Dr. Z. Shoham (Israel), Dr. G. Vajta (Australia), and Dr. Sherman Silber (USA)
This was a unique gathering in Europe of the leading scientists and clinicians working on cryopreservation for fertility preservation, stem cell biology to produce eggs and sperm (gametes) and tissue freezing and transplantation. This field of reproduction is looming as the major solution to the moderation of the explosive world wide infertility epidemic, as a method to maintain fertility into the later years when nowadays most people are ready to have a child, but can't because of the aging oocyte, or the absence of spermatogenesis. The results of this very successful meeting indicate just how much progress we have made in pursuing this holy grail, of extending the reproductive lifespan, creating sperm and eggs from ordinary skin cells, freezing and freeze drying of tissue and cells, ovarian tissue freezing, and egg freezing.
Read more: Summary of the "CRYO" congress in Berlin, March 21-23, 2013
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) - are we finally reaching our aims?
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By Dr. Andreas Schmutzler, Kiel, Germany
Here we give some comments on a session in the upcoming meeting of BCGIP in Nov. 21 – 24 2013 in Shanghai. An international panel will answer that question.
See: http://www.bcgip.com/china/topics.aspx
In preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) we have to differentiate between classical PGD and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). The indication of the first is hereditary disease in the parents which they want to avoid in their offspring. In Germany e. g. 100 clinical cases per year are expected. From these epidemiological few cases we have to differentiate the indication for the second which is sterility of the parents in the absence of known hereditary disease.
Read more: Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) - are we finally reaching our aims?
Syndrome (PCOS) – Discussion of the Three Diagnostic Criteria
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- Composed for IVF-Worldwide.com Blog by Andrea Dunaif, M.D., Charles F. Kettering Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University.
Syndrome (PCOS) – Discussion of the Three Diagnostic Criteria.
PCOS was considered to be a poorly understood reproductive disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, anovulatory infertility, and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCO) until the 1980s when it was discovered that the syndrome was also associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. It became apparent that the effective study of PCOS required standardized diagnostic criteria, an issue of that was addressed in 1990 at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Conference on PCOS. This conference was a meeting of experts who discussed various features of the syndrome. Participants were asked to vote on potential diagnostic features, including androgen excess, menstrual dysfunction, disordered gonadotropin secretion, and insulin resistance. Those features receiving the most votes, hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation, with the exclusion of secondary causes, became what are known as the NICHD or NIH criteria and are inaccurately referred to as consensus criteria.
Read more: Syndrome (PCOS) – Discussion of the Three Diagnostic Criteria
Summary of Hong Kong Meeting Feb 1-3, 2013, "Preservation of Fertility in Cancer Patients" Chaired by Dr Milton Leong from Hong Kong and Professor Sherman Silber from the USA
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This was a unique gathering of East and West of the greatest scientists and clinicians working on fertility preservation and stem cell biology to produce eggs and sperm (gametes), This field of reproduction is looming as the major solution to the moderation of the explosive world wide infertility epidemic, as a method to maintain fertility into the later years when nowadays most people are ready to have a child, but cant because of the aging oocyte, or the absence of spermatogenesis. It is perhaps the most difficult aspect of infertility medicine, but also the most promising. The results of this very successful meeting indicate just how much progress we have made in pursuing this holy grail, of extending the reproductive lifespan, and of creating sperm and eggs from ordinary skin cells.
