Progress in Human Reproduction

Human Reproduction: Updates and New Horizons is focused on recent developments and new approaches to study egg and sperm cells and embryo development and addresses the increasing demand for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to overcome infertility problems that are encountered by an increasing number of couples worldwide. It includes 10 chapters written by experts in their specific fields to provide information on sperm selection techniques and their relevance to ART; In vitro maturation of human oocytes: current practices and future promises; Molecular biology of endometriosis; Novel immunological aspects for the treatment of age-induced ovarian and testicular infertility, other functional diseases, and early and advanced cancer immunotherapy; Mitochondrial manipulation for infertility treatment and disease prevention; Novel imaging techniques to assess gametes and preimplantation embryos; Clinical application of methods to select in vitro fertilized embryos; New horizons/developments in time-lapse morphokinetic analysis of mammalian embryos; The non-human primate model for early human development; Cytoskeletal functions, defects, and dysfunctions affecting human fertilization and embryo development.

Contents

Proposed chapters:

I. The oocyte and oocyte pathologies
1) Oogenesis
Author: Dr. Catherine Combelles, Middlebury College Biology, Middlebury, VT

2) Intracellular signaling during female gametogenesis
Author: Dr. E.A. Mclaughlin, Priority Research Centre in Chemical Biology, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia

3) Cumulus-oocyte interactions
Author: Dr. Mary B. Zelinski, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon

4) In Vitro maturation of human oocytes
Author: Dr. Jon D. Hennebold, Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center; Oregon Health and Science University West Campus, Beaverton, OR

5) Assessment of human oocyte quality
Author: Dr. Stefania Annarita Nottola, Department of Anatomy, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

6) Assessment of spindle integrity and aneuploidy
Author: Dr. Jeong-Hee Moon, In Vitro Fertilization Laboratory, Maria Infertility Hospital, Seoul, Korea

7) Egg activation
Author: Dr. John Carroll, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia

8) Effects of xenobiotics on oocyte biology
Author: Dr. U. Eichenlaub-Ritter,Faculty of Biology, Gene Technology/Microbiology, University Bielefeld, Bielefeld,
Germany

9) Oocyte cryopreservation (comparative freezing methods and success rates)
Author: Dr. Debra A. Gook, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

10) Effects of oocyte freezing on MII spindle and chromosomes
Author: Dr. Zi-Jiang Chen, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan , China.

11) Mitochondrial function in fresh and aging oocytes
Author: Dr. Gloria I Perez, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

12) ART failure: oocyte contributions to unsuccessful fertilization
Author: Dr. Jason E. Swain, Fertility Center of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX

13) Frontier studies on human oocytes derived from somatic cells
Author:  Dr. Antonin Bukovsky, Laboratory for Development, Differentiation and Cancer, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,  Knoxville, Tennessee 37920

II. Sperm and sperm pathologies
1) Spermatogenesis
Author: Dr. Haifan Lin, Yale Stem Cell Center and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

2) Assessment of sperm quality
Author: Dr. Mitch Eddy, Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Laboratory/Gamete Biology Group, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC

3) The sperm genome
Author: Dr. Stephen A Krawetz, The Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Institute for Scientific Computing, C.S. Mott Center, Wayne State University of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan

4) Spermatozoa Aneuploidy
Author: Dr. Nathalie Rives, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, CECOS, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire Charles Nicolle, Rouen, France

5) Sperm Cryopreservation (comparative freezing methods and success rates)
Author: Dr. Ashok Agarwal, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

6) Phenotypes of sperm pathologies: genetic and acquired forms underlying infertility
Author: Dr. Hector E. Chemes, Laboratory of Testicular Physiology and Pathology, Endocrinology Division, Buenos Aires Children’s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina

7) Globozoospermia
Author: Dr. J.A.M.Kremer, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

8) Effects of xenobiotics on sperm biology
Author: Dr. Philippa T.K. Saunders, MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK;

9) Sperm Processing for IVF
Author: Dr. Ralf R Henkel, Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Gaffkystr. 14, Germany

10) Assessment of cytoskeletal abnormalities
Author: Dr. Heide Schatten, University of Missouri

11) Assessment of sperm quality and sperm aster formation by heterologous ICSI
Author: Dr. Kunihiro Okamura, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

12) Protein-Tyrosine Kinase Signaling in Biological Functions of Sperm
Author: Dr. Ken-ichi Sato, Laboratory of Cell Signaling and Development, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan

13) The human sperm epigenome and its potential role in embryonic development
Author: Dr. Douglas T. Carrell, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA

14) Effects of male age on semen quality and fertility
Author: Dr. Brenda Eskenazi, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley

III. Fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development

1) Contribution of the oocyte to embryo quality
Author: Dr. Marc-André Sirard, Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction, Department of Animal
Sciences, Laval University, Pav. Comtois, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada

2) Conventional IVF Insemination
Author: Dr. A. Henry Sathananthan, Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, Melbourne, Australia

3) Embryo culture as a diagnostic tool
Author: Dr. B. Balaban, Assisted Reproduction Unit, American Hospital of Istanbul, Turkey

4) Calcium-mediated signaling
Author:  Dr.Carmen J. Williams; Reproductive Medicine Group, Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental
Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC

5) The role of sperm proteasomes during sperm aster formation and early zygote development:
implications for fertilization failure in humans
Author:  Dr.Vanesa Y. Rawe, Centro de Estudios en Ginecologý´a y Reproduccio´n (CEGyR), Buenos Aires, Argentina

6) Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Author:  Dr.Kunihiro Okamura, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

7) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using cryopreserved sperm from men with malignant neoplasm
Author: Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY

8) New developments in ART
Author: Dr. A. Eroglu, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA

9) Non-invasive imaging of human embryos
Author: Dr.  Renee A Reijo Pera, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

10) Advances in in vivo bioluminescence imaging of gene expression
Author: Dr. Michael H. Bachmann, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA

11) Mitochondrial functions in preimplantation embryos
Author: Dr. Chen-ming Xu, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

12) Centrosomal proteins and their impact on fertility/infertility
Author: Dr. Heide Schatten, University of Missouri

13) Effects of xenobiotics on embryo development
Author: Dr. Rochelle W. Ty, Health Sciences Unit, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

14) Effects of dietary intake on embryo development
Author: Dr. Barbara Stoll, USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

15) Reduced developmental competence of in-vitro matured and postovulatory aged oocytes
following IVF and ICSI
Author: Dr. Orly Lacham-Kaplan, Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, Monash University,
Clayton, Victoria, Australia

16) Evaluation of embryo cryopreservation (comparative freezing methods and success rates) with a focus on slow freezing or vitrification:
Author: Dr. Debra A. Gook, Reproductive Services/Melbourne IVF, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

17) Obstetric and neonatal outcomes after transfer of vitrified early cleavage embryos
Author: Dr. U.-B. Wennerholm, Perinatal Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute for Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg, Sweden

18) Obstetric and neonatal outcomes after transfer of vitrified early cleavage embryos
Author: Dr. X.X. Sun, Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan
University, Shanghai, China

19) ART and health: clinical outcomes and insights with a focus on molecular mechanisms
Author: Dr. P.F. Rinaudo, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco

20) Risks for imprinting disorders in ART and pathologic conditions
Author: Dr. James Segars, Reproductive Biology and Medicine Branch, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland

IV. The ovary and ovarian tissue

1) The Mammalian Ovary from Genesis to Revelation
Author: Dr. Martin M. Matzuk, Departments of Pathology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030

2) Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation
Author: Dr. Dror Meirow, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

3) Transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue
Author: Dr. Jacques Donnez, Department of Gynecology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

4) Embryo development after heterotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue
Author: Dr. Jacob Levron, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

V. Progress in embryonic stem cells

1) Introduction to human embryonic stem cells
Author: Dr.Alan Trounson, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA

2) Human stem cells derived from parthenogenetic embryos
Author: Dr. Roger A. Pedersen, Department of Surgery and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research,
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

3) Human Embryonic Stem Cells Derived by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Author: Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR

4) Efficient derivation of embryonic stem cells from nuclear transfer and parthenogenetic embryos derived from cryopreserved oocytes.
Author: Dr. X.C. Tian, Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan.

5) In Vitro-Differentiated Embryonic Stem Cells to produce Male Gametes and offspring in the mouse model
Author: Dr. Wolfgang Engel, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany