About this Research Topic
The development of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) has greatly benefited human fertility treatments and animal breeding, improving livestock production and preservation of endangered animal species. Nevertheless, important technological bottlenecks persist in human and animal ARTs, limiting live birth outcomes and threatening offspring health. Hence, building on our understanding of the molecular and regulatory mechanisms underlying gametogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis is paramount for improving ARTs. In particular, a number of comparative studies have revealed species-specific differences in the molecular mechanisms regulating these aspects of mammalian reproduction. As obtaining high quality gametes and embryos remains the rate-limiting step in both human reproductive medicine and therogenelogy, unravelling the molecular mechanisms governing mammalian fertilization will set the bases for developing new treatments for human fertility disorders and improving reproduction in farm animals or endangered species.
With the recent advent of genome-editing technologies (CRISPR/Cas and other nuclease-based technologies) and the development of sophisticated and more effective ARTs, a number of biological questions pertaining to mammalian gametogenesis, fertilization and early embryogenesis can be addressed today in a broad array of animal models. Moreover, the combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolic profiling of mammalian gametes and embryos can shed light on the comparative aspects of the mechanisms of fertilization, and unravel novel biomarkers to predict successful in vitro fertilization outcomes.
This article collection aims to blend original (basic, translational and clinical) research studies, invited reviews and commentaries to appeal a broad scientific readership spanning from basic scientists, to fertility clinicians, theriogenologists, and conservation biologists. We welcome manuscripts that incorporate the use of cutting-edge technologies to uncover the molecular, physiological and metabolic processes mediating gametogenesis, fertilization and preimplantation embryo development in different experimental model systems. Articles that use mammalian models other than rodents, and studies that highlight the translational aspects of basic discoveries to human reproductive medicine and theriogenology are of great interest.
Specific themes may include:
• Genes regulating oogenesis or spermatogenesis
• Protein-protein interaction during sperm-egg recognition and fusion
• Mechanisms regulating the blocks to polyspermy
• Activation of the zygotic genome
• Preimplantation embryo morphology and time-lapse live imaging
• Omics of oogenesis, spermatogenesis and early embryo development
• Bottlenecks of ART for treating human infertility and in animal breeding programs
• In vivo and in vitro synchronization of oocyte nuclear maturation to improve competence
• Maternal and paternal effects on embryo DNA integrity
• Sperm developmental competence: the impact of health, age, environment and lifestyle factors
• Cumulus-oocyte communication and oocyte developmental competence
• Molecular, genetic and genomic approaches for sperm and oocyte selection (beyond morphology)
• Translational regulation during oocyte maturation
• Oocyte in vitro maturation in livestock and human reproductive medicine
• Epigenetic challenges to the gamete: age, environment and heath
• Epigenetic effects of in vitro culture on offspring health
• Embryo aneuploidy, its origin and diagnosis
Types of manuscripts:
• Original research papers
• Reviews
• Commentaries
Topic Editors Dr. Mina Popovic and Dr. Jose Buratini are affiliated with Eugin. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
With the recent advent of genome-editing technologies (CRISPR/Cas and other nuclease-based technologies) and the development of sophisticated and more effective ARTs, a number of biological questions pertaining to mammalian gametogenesis, fertilization and early embryogenesis can be addressed today in a broad array of animal models. Moreover, the combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolic profiling of mammalian gametes and embryos can shed light on the comparative aspects of the mechanisms of fertilization, and unravel novel biomarkers to predict successful in vitro fertilization outcomes.
This article collection aims to blend original (basic, translational and clinical) research studies, invited reviews and commentaries to appeal a broad scientific readership spanning from basic scientists, to fertility clinicians, theriogenologists, and conservation biologists. We welcome manuscripts that incorporate the use of cutting-edge technologies to uncover the molecular, physiological and metabolic processes mediating gametogenesis, fertilization and preimplantation embryo development in different experimental model systems. Articles that use mammalian models other than rodents, and studies that highlight the translational aspects of basic discoveries to human reproductive medicine and theriogenology are of great interest.
Specific themes may include:
• Genes regulating oogenesis or spermatogenesis
• Protein-protein interaction during sperm-egg recognition and fusion
• Mechanisms regulating the blocks to polyspermy
• Activation of the zygotic genome
• Preimplantation embryo morphology and time-lapse live imaging
• Omics of oogenesis, spermatogenesis and early embryo development
• Bottlenecks of ART for treating human infertility and in animal breeding programs
• In vivo and in vitro synchronization of oocyte nuclear maturation to improve competence
• Maternal and paternal effects on embryo DNA integrity
• Sperm developmental competence: the impact of health, age, environment and lifestyle factors
• Cumulus-oocyte communication and oocyte developmental competence
• Molecular, genetic and genomic approaches for sperm and oocyte selection (beyond morphology)
• Translational regulation during oocyte maturation
• Oocyte in vitro maturation in livestock and human reproductive medicine
• Epigenetic challenges to the gamete: age, environment and heath
• Epigenetic effects of in vitro culture on offspring health
• Embryo aneuploidy, its origin and diagnosis
Types of manuscripts:
• Original research papers
• Reviews
• Commentaries
Topic Editors Dr. Mina Popovic and Dr. Jose Buratini are affiliated with Eugin. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
