#oocyte

[bpod-bpod]

Long Life Eggs

Oocytes [egg cells] – with a female mammal from birth – provide cytoplasm for a resulting embryo so must be maintained in good condition over a long time. This study shows how potentially damaging protein aggregates are stored for degradation in 'compartments' (vesicle assemblies) in the oocyte

Read the published research article here

Still from a video from work by Gabriele Zaffagnini and colleagues

Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain

Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Published in Cell, February 2024

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[microscope-world]

Oocyte In Vitro Fertilization, image captured using the ZEISS IVF inverted microscope.

[ivflondon]

Egg Freezing in London | Advanced Fertility Treatments | Preserve Your Fertility

Egg freezing enables women to preserve their fertility, allowing them to start a family later in life without the concerns of biological aging.

[head5d5]

Oocyte Quality Assessment & Embryo Selection Process at Award wining IVF Centre in Punjab, Ludhiana

[reasonsforhope]

"Scientists have created mice with two biological fathers by generating eggs from male cells, a development that opens up radical new possibilities for reproduction.

The advance could ultimately pave the way for treatments for severe forms of infertility, as well as raising the tantalising prospect of same-sex couples being able to have a biological child together in the future.

“This is the first case of making robust mammal oocytes [a.k.a. egg cells] from male cells,” said Katsuhiko Hayashi, who led the work at Kyushu University in Japan and is internationally renowned as a pioneer in the field of lab-grown eggs and sperm.

Hayashi, who presented the development at the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing at the Francis Crick Institute in London on Wednesday, predicts that it will be technically possible to create a viable human egg from a male skin cell within a decade. Others suggested this timeline was optimistic given that scientists are yet to create viable lab-grown human eggs from female cells.

Previously scientists have created mice that technically had two biological fathers through a chain of elaborate steps, including genetic engineering. However, this is the first time viable eggs have been cultivated from male cells and marks a significant advance. Hayashi’s team is now attempting to replicate this achievement with human cells, although there would be significant hurdles for the use of lab-grown eggs for clinical purposes, including establishing their safety.

“Purely in terms of technology, it will be possible [in humans] even in 10 years,” he said, adding that he personally would be in favour of the technology being used clinically to allow two men to have a baby if it were shown to be safe.

“I don’t know whether they’ll be available for reproduction,” he said. “That is not a question just for the scientific programme, but also for [society].”

The technique could also be applied to treat severe forms of infertility, including women with Turner’s syndrome, in whom one copy of the X chromosome is missing or partly missing, and Hayashi said this application was the primary motivation for the research.

Others suggested that it could prove challenging to translate the technique to human cells. Human cells require much longer periods of cultivation to produce a mature egg, which can increase the risk of cells acquiring unwanted genetic changes.

Prof George Daley, the dean of Harvard Medical School, described the work as “fascinating”, but added that other research had indicated that creating lab-grown gametes from human cells was more challenging than for mouse cells. “We still don’t understand enough of the unique biology of human gametogenesis to reproduce Hayashi’s provocative work in mice,” he said.

Study Methods

The study, which has been submitted for publication in a leading journal, relied on a sequence of intricate steps to transform a skin cell, carrying the male XY chromosome combination, into an egg, with the female XX version.

Male skin cells were reprogrammed into a stem cell-like state to create so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The Y-chromosome of these cells was then deleted and replaced by an X chromosome “borrowed” from another cell to produce iPS cells with two identical X chromosomes.

“The trick of this, the biggest trick, is the duplication of the X chromosome,” said Hayashi. “We really tried to establish a system to duplicate the X chromosome.”

Finally, the cells were cultivated in an ovary organoid, a culture system designed to replicate the conditions inside a mouse ovary. When the eggs were fertilised with normal sperm, the scientists obtained about 600 embryos, which were implanted into surrogate mice, resulting in the birth of seven mouse pups. The efficiency of about 1% was lower [although not THAT much lower] than the efficiency achieved with normal female-derived eggs, where about 5% of embryos went on to produce a live birth.

The baby mice appeared healthy, had a normal lifespan, and went on to have offspring as adults. “They look OK, they look to be growing normally, they become fathers,” said Hayashi.

Going Further

He and colleagues are now attempting to replicate the creation of lab-grown eggs using human cells.

Prof Amander Clark, who works on lab-grown gametes at the University of California Los Angeles, said that translating the work into human cells would be a “huge leap”, because scientists are yet to create lab-grown human eggs from female cells.

Scientists have created the precursors of human eggs, but until now the cells have stopped developing before the point of meiosis, a critical step of cell division that is required in the development of mature eggs and sperm. “We’re poised at this bottleneck at the moment,” she said. “The next steps are an engineering challenge. But getting through that could be 10 years or 20 years.”

-via The Guardian (US), 3/8/23

[senselessalchemist]

finally have an actual job so maybe I can stop being a hermit and get officially divorced and feel sort of financially stable and possibly try dating again and get a cat ??? is that allowed? no I probably shouldn't unless I get a bigger place and can have two cats to be friends

downside is when the fuck am I supposed to draw dumb comics if I'm working for hours and hours a day? Hell and suffering on earth. maybe i should get an iPad or a whatthefuck ever and draw on the commute so I don't lose even more of my meager art skills

[answersfromzestual]

Egg Retrieval- Basic Facts.

If you are considering "freezing your eggs (Oocyte cryopreservation) " here is an article for you.

So the process of "harvesting" your eggs prior to either IVF or Freezing, is called: Oocyte Retrieval.

The process of Oocyte Retrieval is rather simple and does not take much time. It requires four months off of testosterone and the time until your procedure (aprox another 14-15 days). Meaning you would be off testosterone for four and a half months total approx (everyone is different, ovulation schedules are different).

They start with timing your ovulation cycle and using that to determine a time that would be best to perform the procedure.

The average time range where you would have a stimulation cycle where you would be taking a "stimulating" medicine of some sort, takes 10-14 days total. This depends on your ovulation cycle, reproductive health, and other bodily factors can vary the days slightly more.

After that 10-14 days (on average) the procedure itself would be performed. The procedure takes approximately half an hour, I've read some doctors using general anesthesia without intubation (you're not 100% out, they may tell you it's like a "twilight state"), or with a strong oral seditative. This varies clinc to clinic.

The procedure itself should not be painful.

Post procedure you may feel abdominal cramping and general discomfort for up to a day or two.

prior to any of these procedures you will need to make an appointment with a gynecologist where they would have to do some minor testing that may take some time. This may include ultrasounds (inside and out), a general care appointment if you are a new client, blood testing, and sometimes they may want other forms of testing done as well depending on you and your reproduction cycle and health.

Any of these following symptoms see a physician right away!

If you have any sign of fever

If you have any signs of infection (such as foul smelling discharge)

Extreme discomfort

Not being able to eat and drink.

I also included a link specifically on the complications of this procedure. Find it here or in the source section.

Also you can re-start your hormone therapy after your procedure is done.

The quality and quantity of the eggs is very similar to a cis female.

Sources:

https://www.pfcla.com/blog/ivf-timeline-how-long-is-the-ivf-process-from-start-to-finish#:~:text=The%20average%20time%20for%20the,for%20the%20egg%20retrieval%20procedure.

https://www.pfcla.com/blog/what-to-expect-for-an-egg-retrieval-cycle

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/in-vitro-fertilization/multimedia/egg-retrieval-technique/img-20008644

https://www.cofertility.com/freeze-learn/egg-freezing-for-transgender-men#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20the,before%20starting%20their%20treatment%20cycle.

[the-trans-dragon]

https://www.tumblr.com/mousegirlheart/712995877228298240/mouse-yaoi-real

Idk it seems ciscentered, trans excluding to treat “male mice” like a coherent thing — rather than some construct we assign to them like how we assign it with amab people — and then further to conflate 2 male mice together as being yaoi and gay… it reinforces being “male” (amab) as a biological thing not something to do with gender and identity.

Hmmm... I can't seem to see things from your perspective. Is the only issue that it says "mouse yaoi real"?

I reblogged because it's incredibly cool that it happened! It helps dissolve our rigid ideas of sex, in my opinion. One of the biggest trans-exclusionary arguments in my current culture is "women are women because they can bear children," which ties into the ever-present homophobic argument of "homosexuality is wrong because it cannot produce offspring."

The ramifications for this sort of thing are still "up in the air," so to speak, since experiments with mice cannot always be replicated in humans. But the ability to create a viable offspring from a same-sex pair of mammalian model organisms is still a big break-through, especially because of the implications of creating an egg with two X chromosomes from a male skin cell with only one X chromosome! As the CNN article itself explains,

"The proof-of-concept research, the culmination of years of pain-staking lab work, could expand the possibilities for future fertility treatments, including for same-sex couples, and perhaps help prevent the extinction of endangered animals. "

The ability to create viable offspring from "male" cells is a direct wound to the idea that "male" is a rigid characteristic. If I allow myself to daydream, I can ponder other possibilities: could you turn "male" skin cells into other cells? Could a trans woman one day have her own cells used to grow a uterus? Growing entire organs is a wholly different feat, compared to creating a single gamete, with difficulties such as incorporating it into a pre-existing organism (eg, even if you could grow a uterus, could you get it connected to the circulatory system?). It's a far-off daydream, thanks to the current culture's fear of research that questions it's rigid ideas of sex and gender. But it's a daydream that comes closer to being reality when science achieves breakthroughs like this!

I am being overly hopeful. Science is very slow to make progress in regards to sex. Progress is discouraged and poorly funded, and can even be destroyed, such as with the Hirshfield Institution. But seeing science make progress like this, despite the hostile culture, gives me hope in itself.

It's unfortunate that our current vocabulary is inadequate and rife with bias that assumes everything is cisgender, heterosexual, and perisex. In our efforts to understand the unbiased nature of sex, it's important to examine our views for these issues. Does "mouse yaoi real" contribute to cis-centric, trans-exclusionary biases? I dunno. No. Yeah. Sure. It doesn't matter. Or maybe it does.

Anyways, the science is really really really really cool. I have other thoughts on the matter, but my vocabulary feels inadequate to verbalize them, and instead I am just taking a moment here to talk about the science a little, explain how it can be utilized as a step towards trans healthcare, and emphasize the importance of celebrating these things.

[eonars]

love reading about female reproductive structures cause it's like lol.....oo

[bpod-bpod]

Return of Stemness

Analysing the reading of genes (transcription) and their translation into proteins as stem cells differentiate in the eggs (oocytes) of living fruit flies reveals two distinct waves of development with a transient return to a stem cell-like program of transcription and translation

Read the published research article here

Image from work by Tamsin J Samuels and Jinghua Gui, and colleagues

Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge UK

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in The EMBO Journal, March 2024

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[leaningluthor]

literally i show up to work and feel like i could explode is that normal

[anamericaninhuaibei]

真不容易...

[rituivf]

Oocyte Cryopreservation

[crystaivf]

What is the Age Limit of Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing age limit depends on a woman's individual factors like health and fertility. Generally, it's recommended before 38 for better success. However, some clinics may accept older women based on their health.

Who should consider Egg Freezing?

Women considering egg freezing should consult fertility specialists to understand their specific situation. Factors like ovarian reserve and overall health play a crucial role in determining eligibility.

Women seeking to preserve their fertility for future family planning.

Those facing medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, which may impact fertility.

Individuals at risk of premature ovarian failure or early menopause.

Women delaying childbearing due to career, personal, or relationship reasons.

Those with genetic conditions that may affect fertility.

It's essential to freeze eggs while they're still healthy and viable. Age impacts egg quality and quantity, so freezing them earlier increases the chance of success when using them later for pregnancy.

While there's no strict upper age limit for egg freezing, success rates may decline with age. Therefore, it's crucial to discuss the options and potential outcomes with a qualified fertility specialist.

Understanding the age limit of egg freezing empowers women to make informed decisions about their reproductive future. Consulting with experts helps navigate the process and optimize the chances of success.

If you're considering egg freezing and want to explore your options further, it's essential to consult with a reputable fertility clinic like Crysta IVF. As the best IVF center in Noida, Crysta IVF offers comprehensive fertility services, including egg freezing, with a team of experienced doctors and state-of-the-art facilities. Book your consultation today and take the first step towards preserving your fertility for the future.

[dr-anadeep-chandi]

What is Oocyte Freezing?

Social freezing is a term used when a person is not ready for motherhood in near future and want to preservation her fertility by freezing her eggs. Women have short window of maximum fertility which tends to decline with age. It has been seen that a women can only produce around 400 eggs in her entire life. In some women, the number of eggs tends to decline at a faster pace. Environmental…

[answersfromzestual]

Hey, I saw your post about Oocyte cryopreservation but what if you’re already on testosterone? Would it still be possible? What would happen if you needed to stop T? How long would you need to stop? It’s honestly my biggest concern

I apologize I did not answer that.

The process has really sped up a lot in recent days. You only need to be off T for about four months (before treatment cycle which is 15days on average). You would only need to stop until after you are done your procedure. Once your procedure is done, you can go back to normal as per doctors orders. I found a good article on this exact topic (the source link).

Being on T has been shown in studies to have little effect on egg quantity.

Thank you for your question. I'm sorry I did not include this in my article.

Source