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. 2009 Oct;24(10):2531-40.
doi: 10.1093/humrep/dep228. Epub 2009 Jul 13.

In vitro grown human ovarian follicles from cancer patients support oocyte growth

Min Xu  1 , Susan L Barrett, Erin West-Farrell, Laxmi A Kondapalli, Sarah E Kiesewetter, Lonnie D Shea, Teresa K Woodruff
Affiliations

In vitro grown human ovarian follicles from cancer patients support oocyte growth

Min Xu et al. Hum Reprod. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Young female adult and adolescent cancer patients facing life-preserving but fertility-threatening chemo- or radiation-therapy are increasingly seeking options to protect their reproductive potential. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation with transplantation is a promising technique to safeguard fertility in cancer patients. However, this method may risk re-introduction of the original cancer to the survivor of the disease. Thus, developing a method for in vitro growth of immature follicles may provide a method for fertility restoration in the future.

Methods: Human secondary follicles were isolated from ovarian tissues obtained from cancer patients and grown in vitro within a bio-engineered culture system for 30 days.

Results: Human ovarian follicles became steroidogenically active, and developed from the early secondary to antral stage in vitro. The follicles contained healthy, growing oocytes that were connected by transzonal projections between the somatic cells and oocyte.

Conclusions: Our data support the notion that human follicle development can be achieved in vitro in a bio-engineered culture system. More studies are required to investigate whether the fully sized oocytes obtained from in vitro grown follicle are competent to resume meiosis and be fertilized.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Characteristics of in vitro growth follicles.
Figure 2
Figure 2
In vitro follicle and oocyte growth.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hormone levels in human follicle cultures.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Steroid and peptide hormone profile in a growing secondary follicle.
Figure 5
Figure 5
In vitro growth follicles resemble in vivo follicles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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