E-Books
Atlas of Oocytes, Zygotes and Embryos in Reproductive Medicine
* Marc Van den Bergh, Fertility Laboratory, Kantonsspital Baden
* Thomas Ebner, Landes- Frauen- und Kinderklinik, Linz
* Kay Elder, Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge
The assessment and selection of oocytes and embryos is fundamental to the live birth rate data of all IVF units, the parameter that is used to gauge a clinic's success and credibility. This new atlas contains over 1000 high-quality images of oocytes, zygotes and embryos, presented with accompanying data on indications for treatment, stimulation type and duration, as well as short medical histories of each couple and final outcome of treatment. All images in the book can be downloaded from the accompanying CD-ROM. Structured on a patient-by-patient basis, the atlas describes 100 clinically documented case studies that follow the evolution of oocytes and zygotes between day two and day five. Pronuclear morphology and synchrony as well as embryo morphology are reported and described for each case. Written and produced by experienced embryologists, this practical atlas is an important resource for clinical embryologists and physicians in reproductive medicine.
OOCYTE MATURATION AND FERTILIZATION: A long history for a short event
eISBN: 978-1-60805-182-3, 2011
Editors:
Elisabetta Tosti
Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”
Italy
Raffaele Boni
University of Basilicata
Italy
Events of reproduction occurring from meiotic resumption of the immature oocyte up to its exit from the second meiotic block following activation will be revealed. Morphological modifications of the oocyte during maturation will be related to signal transduction mechanisms involving primary or secondary messengers. A detailed view will be addressed to genetic and epigenetic control of oocyte maturation. At fertilization, reciprocal gamete activation and novel knowledge related to sperm factor and cascade mechanisms occurring in the oocyte will be focused. A detailed description of ion currents occurring during fertilization will depict another point of view of oocyte activation mechanisms, further supporting for their complexity.
Finally, all basic information related to this short time lapse will be considered in relation to clinical application of assisted reproductiazve technologies. New frontiers, such as stem cells and cloning technologies, will be analyzed and future applications and improvements will be hypothesised.