title: Pediatric and Teen Ovarian Tissue Removed for Cryopreservation Contains Follicles Irrespective of Age, Disease Diagnosis, Treatment History, and Specimen Processing Methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fertility preservation in a pediatric and teen female population is challenging because standard technologies of egg and embryo freezing may not be possible due to premenarcheal status. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) with the intent of future ovarian tissue transplantation or in vitro follicle growth may be the only option to preserve fertility. The purpose of this study was to add to the general understanding of primordial follicle dynamics in young patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, the unique infrastructure of the Oncofertility Consortium National Physicians Cooperative (OC-NPC) is described, which simultaneously drives clinical fertility preservation and basic research to explore and expand the reproductive options for those in need. Then, the OC-NPC research resource is used to perform a histological evaluation of ovarian tissue from 24 participants younger than 18 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primordial follicles, which comprise the ovarian reserve, were observed in all participant tissues, irrespective of variables, including age, diagnosis, previous treatment history, tissue size, and tissue processing methods. Primordial follicles were present in ovarian tissue, even in participants who had a previous history of exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment regimens, which placed them at risk for iatrogenic infertility or premature ovarian failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primordial follicles were observed in ovarian tissue from all participants examined, despite population and tissue heterogeneity. These results increase the understanding of human follicle dynamics and support OTC as a promising fertility preservation modality in the young female population. Future studies to evaluate follicle quality within these tissues are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Francesca E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Mary Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Alexander H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois. ; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University , Zagazig, Egypt .
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Clarisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gracia
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jill P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lockart
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gosiengfiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University , Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Teresa K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Woodruff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: fertility preservation; follicle; oncofertility; ovarian tissue cryopreservation; ovary