Most chronic inflammatory illnesses include fibrosis as a pathogenic characteristic.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) components build up in excess to cause fibrosis or scarring. The …

BACKGROUND In a growth phase occurring during most of folliculogenesis, the oocyte
produces and accumulates molecules and organelles that are fundamental for the …

Oocyte quality is a key limiting factor in female fertility, yet we have a poor understanding of
what constitutes oocyte quality or the mechanisms governing it. The ovarian follicular …

It is widely held that mammalian cumulus cell (CC) expansion requires oocyte-paracrine
signalling, however in three of the four species studied to date, CC expansion occurs in the …

Female fertility is determined to a large extent by the quality (developmental competence) of
the oocyte as reflected in its ability to undergo meiosis, be fertilized, and give rise to a …

The paper presents an update of our 1993 model of ovarian follicular development in
ruminants, based on knowledge gained from the past 15 years of research. The model …

The ovarian follicle luteinizing hormone (LH) signaling molecules that regulate oocyte
meiotic maturation have recently been identified. The LH signal reduces preovulatory follicle …

Cytokines are key regulators of ovarian physiology, particularly in relation to folliculogenesis
and ovulation, where they contribute to creating an environment supporting follicle selection …

The last 5–10 years of research in ovarian and oocyte biology has delivered some major
new advances in knowledge of the molecular and cellular processes regulating oocyte …

Oocytes are sequestered in primordial follicles before birth and remain quiescent in the
ovary, often for decades, until recruited into the growing pool throughout the reproductive …