Understanding the determinants of human oocyte and embryo health

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project will address key questions involving how the human egg and embryo maintain their ability to develop into a healthy fetus. In recent years there have been significant advances in our understanding of how animal oocytes grow and become competent as well as an increased understanding of how the animal embryo maintains its viability in culture. Currently there is little information as to how the human oocyte and embryo develops. This study will address the current lack of knowledge by extending the information gathered in animal models to establish how the human oocyte communicates with its surrounding cells and how this communication is important for development. We will also study how the developing embryo maintains its physiology and metabolism and the relationship between the ability to control metabolic balance and viability will be established. All of the questions outlined in this proposal can be performed without disturbing the oocyte and developing embryo by analysing the surrounding cells and the spent media. Therefore, all of these questions can be answered non-invasively. The outcome of this proposal will be an increased understanding of how the physiology and development of the human oocyte and embryo is maintained. However, importantly this data will then provide information as to the relationship of these parameters to developmental competence. Therefore, it will be possible to establish a range of markers that can be used to predict the developmental competence of a human embryo. Currently multiple embryos are routinely transferred in an IVF cycle resulting in an increase in multiple gestation pregnancies and their associated complications. The information generated in this study will provide information enabling markers to be used to identify the most viable embryo from a cohort, which is essential if single embryo transfer is to be universally adopted in an IVF program.