Highlights:

Highlights
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 587. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Embryo:

Hugh D. Morgan, Xing L. Jin, Aiqing Li, Emma Whitelaw, and Chris O'Neill

The Culture of Zygotes to the Blastocyst Stage Changes the Postnatal Expression of an Epigentically Labile Allele, Agouti Viable Yellow, in Mice
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 618-623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Culture of mouse embryos from the zygote to the blastocyst stage affects epigenetic modification during development and results in altered expression of the agouti viable yellow allele in mice.

Zhiming Han, Namdori R. Mtango, Bela G. Patel, Carmen Sapienza, and Keith E. Latham

Hybrid Vigor and Transgenerational Epigenetic Effects on Early Mouse Embryo Phenotype
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 638-648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Summary: Cytofragmentation in two-cell mouse embryos is controlled by strain-specific factors, epigenetic information from the maternal grandfather, and a striking hybrid vigor effect mediated by the ooplasm

Female Reproductive Tract:

Fernanda C.A. Santos, Ana M.G. Custodio, Silvana G.P. Campos, Patricia S.L. Vilamaior, Rejane M. Góes, and Sebastião R. Taboga

Antiestrogen Therapies Affect Tissue Homeostasis of the Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) Female Prostate and Ovaries
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 674-685. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Short-term exposure to antiestrogenic agents result in effects that endanger the physiology of hormone-dependent organs, including the female prostate (paraurethral glands) and ovaries.

Wendy V. Ingman and Sarah A. Robertson

Mammary Gland Development in Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 Null Mutant Mice: Systemic and Epithelial Effects
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 711-717. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Null mutation in Tgfb1 has systemic and epithelial effects on pubertal mammary gland morphogenesis in mice

Ruijin Shao, Magdalena Nutu, Birgitta Weijdegård, Emil Egecioglu, Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez, Estelle Tallet, Vincent Goffin, Charlotte Ling, and Håkan Billig

Differences in Prolactin Receptor (PRLR) in Mouse and Human Fallopian Tubes: Evidence for Multiple Regulatory Mechanisms Controlling PRLR Isoform Expression in Mice
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 748-757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Distinct cell-specific and isoform-specific patterns of PRLR expression in mouse and human fallopian tubes and differential effects of estrogen and progesterone constitute an additional mechanism for regulation of PRLR expression

Gamete Biology:

P. Bermejo-Álvarez, D. Rizos, D. Rath, P. Lonergan, and A. Gutiérrez-Adán

Can Bovine In Vitro-Matured Oocytes Selectively Process X- or Y-Sorted Sperm Differentially?
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 594-597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: The differences in cleavage and blastocyst development using sorted versus unsorted sperm are not due to the oocyte preferentially selecting sperm of one sex over another.

A. Barbonetti, M.R.C. Vassallo, B. Cinque, C. Antonangelo, F. Sciarretta, R. Santucci, A. D'Angeli, S. Francavilla, and F. Francavilla

Dynamics of the Global Tyrosine Phosphorylation During Capacitation and Acquisition of the Ability to Fuse with Oocytes in Human Spermatozoa
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 649-656. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: In human spermatozoa, the ability to fuse with oocytes is always associated with an increase of global tyrosine phosphorylation, but tyrosine phosphorylation does not necessarily reflect the acquisition of sperm ability to undergo oocyte fusion

Christine Lawson, Serge Goupil, and Pierre Leclerc

Increased Activity of the Human Sperm Tyrosine Kinase SRC by the cAMP-Dependent Pathway in the Presence of Calcium
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 657-666. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: SRC tyrosine kinase activity contributes to the increase in human sperm protein phosphotyrosine content observed during capacitation

Danielle M. Maatouk, Kate L. Loveland, Michael T. McManus, Karen Moore, and Brian D. Harfe

Dicer1 Is Required for Differentiation of the Mouse Male Germline
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 696-703. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [Supplemental Movie]  

Summary: Loss of Dicer1, and mature miRNAs, caused impaired fertility and defects in spermatogenesis in male mice

Bo Xiong, Sen Li, Jun-Shu Ai, Shen Yin, Ying-Chun OuYang, Shao-Chen Sun, Da-Yuan Chen, and Qing-Yuan Sun

BRCA1 Is Required for Meiotic Spindle Assembly and Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Activation in Mouse Oocytes
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 718-726. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Summary: BRCA1 regulates not only meiotic spindle assembly, but also spindle assembly checkpoint, implying a link between BRCA1 deficiency and aneuploid embryos

Immunology:

Donatella Starace, Roberta Galli, Alessio Paone, Paola De Cesaris, Antonio Filippini, Elio Ziparo, and Anna Riccioli

Toll-Like Receptor 3 Activation Induces Antiviral Immune Responses in Mouse Sertoli Cells
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 766-775. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Summary: The synthetic dsRNA analogue poly (I:C), specific TLR3 agonist, induces the inflammatory molecules ICAM1 and CCL2 and the antiviral protein IFNB in mouse Sertoli cells.

Male Reproductive Tract:

Giorgio Cavallini, Andor Crippa, Maria Cristina Magli, Nicola Cavallini, Anna Pia Ferraretti, and Luca Gianaroli

A Study to Sustain the Hypothesis of the Multiple Genesis of Oligoasthenoteratospermia in Human Idiopathic Infertile Males
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 667-673. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia may occur by means of at least two independent pathways, the first affecting concentration and/or motility and the second affecting morphology

Neuroendocrinology:

Jakob Biran, Shifra Ben-Dor, and Berta Levavi-Sivan

Molecular Identification and Functional Characterization of the Kisspeptin/Kisspeptin Receptor System in Lower Vertebrates
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 776-786. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: The kisspeptin/kiss1 receptor system exists in nonplacental vertebrates and is involved in puberty.

Ovary:

Teresa L. Steckler, James S. Lee, Wen Ye, E. Keith Inskeep, and Vasantha Padmanabhan

Developmental Programming: Exogenous Gonadotropin Treatment Rescues Ovulatory Function But Does Not Completely Normalize Ovarian Function in Sheep Treated Prenatally with Testosterone
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 686-695. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Exogenous gonadotropins, following suppression of endogenous gonadotropins with a GnRH antagonist, restores ovulatory function in prenatal testosterone-treated sheep

Pituitary:

Christina M. Million Passe, Crystal R. White, Michael W. King, Phillip L. Quirk, Juan L. Iovanna, and Christine C. Quirk

Loss of the Protein NUPR1 (p8) Leads to Delayed LHB Expression, Delayed Ovarian Maturation, and Testicular Development of a Sertoli-Cell-Only Syndrome-Like Phenotype in Mice
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 598-607. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [Supplemental Data]  

Summary: Loss of NUPR1 leads to abnormalities in gonadotrophs and gonads of mice.

Pregnancy:

Jochen Behrends, Christian M. Karsten, Sonja Wilke, Astrid Röbke, and Andrea Kruse

Identification of ITGA4/ITGB7 and ITGAE/ITGB7 Expressing Subsets of Decidual Dendritic-Like Cells Within Distinct Microdomains of the Pregnant Mouse Uterus
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 624-632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Three distinct DC subsets residing in different microdomains and their differential expression of ITGA4/ITGB7 and ITGAE/ITGB7 suggest distinct functional roles during early pregnancy

Hisashi Endoh, Takashi Fujioka, Hideki Endo, Yukiko Inazuka, Susumu Furukawa, and Shoji Nakamura

Stimulation of Fetal Hypothalamus Induces Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Rats at Term
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 633-637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Activation of the fetal hypothalamus induces uterine contractions through oxytocin receptors in term pregnant rats

Kai Wang, Yang Song, Dong-Bao Chen, and Jing Zheng

Protein Phosphatase 3 Differentially Modulates Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor- and Fibroblast Growth Factor 2-Stimulated Cell Proliferation and Signaling in Ovine Fetoplacental Artery Endothelial Cells
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 704-710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: PPP3 mediates the VEGF-stimulated placental endothelial cell proliferation

Reproductive Technology:

Jinsong Li and Peter Mombaerts

Nuclear Transfer-Mediated Rescue of the Nuclear Genome of Nonviable Mouse Cells Frozen Without Cryoprotectant
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 588-593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: From mouse skin stem cells and cumulus cells frozen at -80{degrees}C without cryoprotectant for up to nearly one year, nuclear transfer-embryonic stem cell lines were derived, with which clonal mice were generated on injection into tetraploid blastocysts.

Shinsuke Seki and Peter Mazur

Effect of Warming Rate on the Survival of Vitrified Mouse Oocytes and on the Recrystallization of Intracellular Ice
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 727-737. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: When mouse oocytes are subjected to interrupted rapid cooling or to vitrification, the rate of lethal recrystallization of intracellular ice during warming increases by five-fold for each five-degree rise in temperature

Testis:

Sandra Brunner, Dvora Colman, Alexander J. Travis, Ulrich F.O. Luhmann, Wei Shi, Silke Feil, Coni Imsand, Jacquelyn Nelson, Christian Grimm, Thomas Rülicke, Reinald Fundele, John Neidhardt, and Wolfgang Berger

Overexpression of RPGR Leads to Male Infertility in Mice Due to Defects in Flagellar Assembly
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 608-617. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: Transgenic mice overexpressing RPGR are infertile due to structurally aberrant and severely reduced number of spermatozoa.

Jordi Viñas and Francesc Piferrer

Stage-Specific Gene Expression During Fish Spermatogenesis as Determined by Laser-Capture Microdissection and Quantitative-PCR in Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Gonads
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 738-747. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: LCM and qPCR were used for the first time to study the stage-specific expression of several genes during the cystic spermatogenesis of fish, showing differences between genes related to cell proliferation, androgen and estrogen synthesis, and action

Giovanna Cacciola, Teresa Chioccarelli, Ken Mackie, Rosaria Meccariello, Catherine Ledent, Silvia Fasano, Riccardo Pierantoni, and Gilda Cobellis

Expression of Type-1 Cannabinoid Receptor During Rat Postnatal Testicular Development: Possible Involvement in Adult Leydig Cell Differentiation
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 758-765. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Summary: The expression profile and localization of CNR1 in LCs during the postnatal period indicate that CNR1 activity is involved in adult LC proliferation

Additions and Corrections:

Corrections
Biol Reprod 2008 79: 787. [Full Text] [PDF]  

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