Biology And Pathology Of The Oocyte

The human oocyte or egg is the rarest and most rapidly ageing cell in the body, and yet one that is essential for fertility. This book is about the development, biology and pathology of the oocyte, and new technologies to manipulate, enhance, and control fertility. These technologies are paving the way for overcoming infertility, avoiding inherited diseases, and creating genetically engineered animals from embryo stem cells and cloning. This progress would have been impossible without the myriad of scientific and technical developments covered in this book, including the ability to manipulate and fertilize oocytes in vitro. World-leading experts have contributed to the first book for many years on basic and applied science of the egg, its clinical manipulation, and its pivotal role in reproductive medicine and biology. It will be an essential reference for scientists and clinicians in reproductive medicine and animal breeding technology, and everyone involved in treating infertility.

The human egg - the rarest and most rapidly aging cell in the body - is a topic of intense scientific study. Assisted reproduction clinics are constantly vying to improve success rates - choosing the best gametes is a key step in this process. This new edition of what one reviewer of the first edition described as 'possibly the definitive work on the oocyte' covers the development, biology and pathology of the oocyte, and technologies to manipulate, enhance and control fertility. These technologies are used to overcome infertility, avoid inherited diseases, and create genetically engineered embryos from stem cells and cloning. This progress would have been impossible without the myriad of scientific and technical developments covered in this book. The new edition is thoroughly updated and includes major new research on reprogramming, oocyte molecular development, cryopreservation and viability. We are in exciting times for the egg.

The early development of the mammalian embryo belongs to a period which, for the student, provides the particularly deep fascination connected with the processes of germination of the fIrst tender buds of life. Moreover, developmental biology encompasses a very large part of biology; if broadly dermed - almost all of it. The same is true for the fIeld of pathology if the manifold possibilities of disorders of the orderly arranged pathways of developmental processes are considered. Normal development in its earliest steps - and it would be diffI cult to see it otherwise - means the functioning of very intricate systems of complex inter dependent cycles controlled by structural, genetic, physiological and biochemical determi nants. However, disturbances interfering with them in their very different ways, can lead to fetal death, disorders of growth and differentiation, malformation and disease, sometimes as late as in the next generation or later. This is, indeed, the concern of the pathologist to whom and to whose interest in developmental pathology, this book is dedicated. The outlines of the present volume were conceived at a symposium on "Control of early em bryogenesis and factors responsible for failure of embryonic development" held May 1-4, 1974 in Travemtinde and sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Almost fIfty active participants attended this conference. At the time and in keeping with the purpose of the conference, publication of the proceedings was not envisaged.

This new edition covers the development, biology and pathology of the oocyte, and technologies to manipulate, enhance and control fertility.

This is the first dedicated, in-depth account of trophoblast: the tissue derived from the fertilized egg that nourishes and protects the developing fetus. The cells of the trophoblast have many unique qualities, and exhibit great variability across different species. It has a fascinating role in the development of the placenta and as a regulator during early growth of the embryo. These aspects are all fully covered as well as studies on why it is not rejected by the mother as 'foreign' tissue. This volume provides an up-to-date summary of the state of current knowledge and offers some glimpses as to future development on the scientific and clinical front.

This book addresses the growing needs in deciphering the biological processes associated with fish reproduction, in view of the growth of aquaculture and the dwindling natural stocks of commercially important fish. It presents a comprehensive overview on egg production in fish, from the standpoint of the oocyte. With this view in mind, the book includes chapters on oocyte development (oogenesis), hormonal regulation and hormone receptors, formation of the egg envelopes, growth, accumulation of nutrients and maternal transcripts, maturation, hydration, ovulation and fertilization. A special emphasis is placed on using state-of-the-art tools including electron microscopy for discerning the ultra-structure of the follicle and genomic/proteomic tools to fully understand biological basis of fish reproduction. Studies on promoting oocyte maturation, ovulation and spawning in farmed fish and preservation of fish oocytes at low temperatures are also included. The book will appeal to University lecturers, students, research scientists and those associated with culture of fish in freshwater or marine aquaculture.