Role of macrophages in mouse uterine during the peri-implantation period / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of macrophages on embryo implantation by observing the distribution of macrophages in mouse uterine tissues during the peri-implantation period.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Uterine tissues were collected from pregnant (n=30) and pseudopregnant mice (n=30) during the peri-implantation period. The distributions of macrophages, iNOS and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were determined by immunohistochemistry and the correlations of macrophages with iNOS and LIF were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Macrophages were located mainly in the endometrium before D4.5 in the pregnant rats with D0.5 defined as the morning when a vaginal plug was observed. After D4.5, the macrophages was significantly reduced in number (P<0.05) in the endometrium and gradually migrated to the perimetrium. In the psudopregnant mice, macrophages were located mainly in the endometrium. Before D4.5, iNOS-positive cells were detected mainly in the endometrium and the myometrium in the pregnant rats and became significantly reduced on D4.5 (P<0.05); in the pseudopregnant mice, the positive cells were mostly detected in the endometrium. Significant differences were found in the distribution of the macrophages and LIF between the implantation and non-implantation sites (P=0.013). LIF was mostly located in the endometrium in the pregnant mice but scarcely detected in the pseudopregnant mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Macrophages are located mainly in the endometrium and the implantation site where iNOS and LIF are expressed, suggesting the important role of macrophages in the determination of implantation.</p>

Outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection for non-male infertility patients with a low number of oocytes retrieved / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in non-male infertility patients with a low number of oocytes retrieved and provide evidences for defining the indications of ICSI.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis was conducted among 220 non-male infertility patients with a low number of oocyte retrieved(≤5) including 151 receiving IVF and 69 undergoing ICSI. The baseline characteristics, ovary response index, fertilization results, embryo quality and clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Although the fertilization rates, normal fertilization rates, complete fertilization failure rates, cleavage rates, good embryo rates, implantation rates and clinical pregnancy rates showed no significant differences between the 2 groups, the complete fertilization failure rates tended to decrease and the other indices tended to increase in IVF group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ICSI can not improve the fertilization results, embryonic development potential or clinical outcomes in non-male infertility patients with a low number of oocytes retrieved, and is therefore not recommended for these patients.</p>