Frontiers in cell and developmental biology

Objective: We aimed to explore the correlations between and possible mechanisms of common environmental endocrine disruptors, phthalates, and ovarian dysfunction in endometriosis. Methods: Subjects were included in the case group (n = 107) …

Background: Male and female gametes factors might contribute to the total fertilization failure (TFF). In first in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, decision-making of insemination protocol was mainly based on semen quality for the contribu…

Ferroptosis is a novel type of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which is distinguished from traditional types of programmed cell death, such as apoptosis, proptosis and necrosis et al. Impaired iron homeosta…

Confluence of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle variables is responsible for deterioration of human fecundity. Endocrine disruptors or endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be found in a variety of foods, water, air, beverages, and …

Fertilization is a complex and highly regulated process that involves a series of molecular interactions between sperm and oocytes. However, the mechanisms of proteins involved in human fertilization, such as that of testis-specific SPACA4,…

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease in which eutopic endometrial tissue composed of glands and stroma grow within the pelvic cavity. The disease affects females of reproductive age and is characterized by pelvic pain, infertilit…

The sperm-specific channel CatSper (cation channel of sperm) controls the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and plays an essential role in sperm function. It is mainly activated by the steroid progesterone (P4) but is also promiscu…

Introduction: Cryopreservation of bipronuclear (2PN) stage zygotes is an integral part of IVF laboratory practice in countries with strict embryo culture legislation. Vitrification of zygotes is compatible with several strategies in inferti…

The cornea is exposed daily to a number of mechanical stresses including shear stress from tear film and blinking. Over time, these stressors can lead to changes in the extracellular matrix that alter corneal stiffness, cell-substrate struc…

Cervical cancer ranks first in female reproductive tract tumors in terms of morbidity and mortality. Yet the curative effect of patients with persistent, recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer remains unsatisfactory. Although antitumor ang…

By promoting tissue invasion, cell growth and angiogenesis, the Y-box binding protein (YB-1) became famous as multifunctional oncoprotein. However, this designation is telling only part of the story. There is one particular time in life whe…

Background: The availability and use of frozen-thawed embryos after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for assisted reproduction have increased with improvements in vitrification techniques and the rise of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (G…

The motility of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) contributes to the restoration of the endometrial functional layer and subsequently supports the trophoblast invasion during early pregnancy. Following ESCs differentiation through decidualiz…

Background: Endometriosis (EMs) is the most common gynaecological disorder with its etiology and/or pathophysiology remains enigmatic. Recent studies showed that extracellular vesicles (EVs), exosomes in particular, play a critical role in …

Since traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture cannot meet the demand of simulating physiological conditions in vivo, three-dimensional (3D) culture systems have been developed. To date, most of these systems have been applied for the …

Objective: To investigate the effect of progesterone elevation during late follicular phase on early pregnancy outcomes and live births after fresh embryo transfers. Methods: Patients who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment cycles were retrospecti…

Macrophages (Mφs), as immune cells, play a pivotal role against pathogens and many diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, orthopedic diseases, and metabolic disorders. In recent years, an increasing number of studi…

Macrophages residing in various tissues play crucial roles in innate immunity, tissue repair, and immune homeostasis. The development and differentiation of macrophages in non-lymphoid tissues are highly regulated by the tissue microenviron…

In this review, we have summarized classical post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, and SUMOylation of the different components of one of the most studied NLRP3, and other emerging inflammasomes. We…

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play various roles in the implantation and pregnancy process. Abnormal regulation of miRNAs leads to reproductive disorders such as repeated implantation failure (RIF). During the window of implantation, different miRNAs …

The formation of functional eggs (oocyte) in ovarian follicles is arguably one of the most important events in early mammalian development since the oocytes provide the bulk genetic and cytoplasmic materials for successful reproduction. Whi…

Autophagy, meaning "self-eating," is a cellular catabolic process that involves lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic materials. Autophagy contributes to both quality control and energy supply of cells, which are associated with tumorigenesi…

Bi-directional crosstalk between Ca2+ signaling and ROS modulates physiological processes as a part of a regulatory circuit including sperm function. The role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in this regard cannot be unde…

Muscle atrophy is a side effect of several terrestrial diseases which also affects astronauts severely in space missions due to the reduced gravity in spaceflight. An integrative graph-theoretic network-based drug repurposing methodology qu…