Reproduction  
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Reproduction (2008) 135 311-319
DOI: 10.1530/REP-07-0267
Copyright © 2008 Society for Reproduction and Fertility
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (1)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Borg, N.
Right arrow Articles by Holland, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Borg, N.
Right arrow Articles by Holland, M.

RESEARCH

The effect of glycosaminoglycans on rat gametes in vitro and the associated signal pathway

Neil Borg and Michael Holland

Monash Institute of Medical Research, Centre for Reproduction and Development, 27-31 Wright Street, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

Correspondence should be addressed to N Borg; Email: neil.borg.2007{at}gmail.com

The effects of adding the extracellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) to rat in vitro fertilisation (IVF) media were assessed. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes were also incubated in GAG-supplemented modified rat 1-cell embryo culture medium (mR1ECM+BSA) for 3 days. Cytoplasmic fragmentation was significantly reduced in mR1ECM+BSA with HA (39.0–48.0%) compared with the control (82.0%). In IVF experiments, neither HA (8.0–30.8%) nor CS (9.7–42.5%) improved fertilisation rates compared with controls fertilised in M16 (47.2%) or enriched Krebs–Ringer bicarbonate solution (61.5%). RT-PCR and Western blot were used to probe for CD44 mRNA and protein in Sprague–Dawley gametes and cumulus cells. CD44 was identified in cumulus cells, suggesting a role for oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion. The CD44 protein was also present on caudal epididymal spermatozoa that were highly stimulated by CS in vitro implicating a role in fertilisation for CS and CD44.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Biol. Reprod.Home page
S. Mugnier, M. E. Dell'Aquila, J. Pelaez, C. Douet, B. Ambruosi, T. D. Santis, G. M. Lacalandra, C. Lebos, P.-Y. Sizaret, B. Delaleu, et al.
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Fertilization: Comparison of the Fertilization Steps, Composition, and Structure of the Zona Pellucida Between Horses and Pigs
Biol Reprod, November 1, 2009; 81(5): 856 - 870.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Copyright © 2008 by the Society for Reproduction and Fertility.