Secretion profiles from in vitro cultured follicles, isolated from fresh prepubertal and adult mouse ovaries or frozen-thawed prepubertal mouse ovaries.

In vitro folliculogenesis could be a new technology to produce mature oocytes from immature follicles that have been isolated from cryopreserved or fresh ovarian tissue. This technique could also be a tool for evaluation of oocyte quality and/or for determination of follicular parameters during follicular growth. Our objective was to characterize in mice the secretion profiles of follicles that had been isolated mechanically during in vitro follicular growth and in relation to the growth curve. Early preantral follicles from fresh prepubertal and adult mouse ovaries or frozen-thawed prepubertal mouse ovaries were cultured individually in microdrops under oil for 12 days. Each day, two perpendicular diameters of the follicles were measured. From day-3 to day-12 of culture, culture medium was collected and preserved for determination of inhibin B, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol levels. At the end of the culture, after maturation, the status of the oocyte was evaluated. Follicular growth and their individual hormone production did not always correlate. Inhibin B was never secreted from follicles of less than 200 µm diameter, whether the follicles were examined when fresh or after freezing-thawing. Estradiol secretion was never observed in frozen-thawed follicles. AMH was mainly secreted between day-3 and day-9. Despite similar morphological aspects at the start of culture, follicles selected for in vitro folliculogenesis were found to be heterogeneous and differed in their ability to grow and to produce hormones, even if they had similar growth curves. Follicles from frozen-thawed ovaries developed slowly and produced fewer hormones than freshly collected follicles.

[Assisted Reproductive Technologies in HIV patients: a comprehensive review of indications, techniques and results]. / Assistance médicale à la procréation et VIH: revue des indications, techniques et résultats.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) are authorized in France in couples infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since the French legislation of May 10th, 2001. The goals are to reduce the risk of viral transmission between partners and to treat an underlying infertility. The classical techniques are used: IUI, IVF or ICSI, but all of them must be done in specifically authorized laboratories. ART outcome is favourable when only the man is infected, but seems to be less favourable when the woman is infected. Management of pregnancy planning should first propose to women infected by HIV, self inseminations when possible, and if needed, a quick ART treatment as some studies showed ovarian function alterations in HIV women. When the man is infected, IUI would be first proposed. Thousands of HIV positive male partners have used ART in Europe and no contamination has been reported so far. Approximately half of couples with one or both partners infected can hope to have a child through the ART process.