title: Pretreatment with follicle stimulating hormone promotes the numbers of human oocytes reaching metaphase II by in-vitro maturation.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) priming on the in-vitro maturation (IVM) of human oocytes from healthy ovaries using a chemically defined culture system. Seventeen patients donating oocytes for research received a truncated course of 600 IU FSH over 5 days and a further control group of nine patients received no FSH treatment. Mid-follicular phase cumulus-enclosed oocytes (n = 160) were aspirated from follicles < or =4 mm diameter under transvaginal ultrasound guidance and were cultured for 48 h in microdrops of medium containing 10 mIU/ml FSH and 100 mIU/ ml human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). The results demonstrated that human oocytes will efficiently undergo IVM under serum-free conditions. After mild FSH stimulation, a greater number of cumulus-enclosed oocytes was collected, and following culture, a lower rate of degeneration was observed. Significantly more oocytes completed nuclear maturation to metaphase II following FSH stimulation (71.1 versus 43.5%). In conclusion, a truncated course of FSH stimulation in vivo improved the oocyte maturation rate in vitro, giving a mean of 4.8+/-0.7 metaphase II oocytes per patient compared with only 2.1+/-0.7 from control patients, thus yielding more mature oocytes for future IVF treatment.
authors.affiliation: Assisted Conception Unit, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wynn
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Picton
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Krapez
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Balen
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Gosden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003470:Culture Media; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D008677:Metaphase; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D013396:Suction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003470:Culture Media; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D004247:DNA