title: [Mitochondria and reproduction].
abstract: Mitochondria play a primary role in cellular energetic metabolism. They possess their own DNA, which is exclusively maternally transmitted. The relatively recent idea that mitochondria may be directly involved in human reproduction is arousing increasing interest in the scientific and medical community. It has been shown that the functional status of mitochondria contributes to the quality of oocytes and spermatozoa, and plays a part in the process of fertilisation and embryo development. Moreover, new techniques, such as ooplasm transfer, compromise the uniquely maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA, raising important ethical questions. This review discusses recent information about mitochondria in the field of human fertility and reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Histologie- cytologie-embryologie, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49033 Angers, France. pamaypanloup@chu-angers.fr
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: May-Panloup
authors.forename: Marie-Françoise
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chrétien
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Malthièry
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynier
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*