Gamete recognition system may be beneficial for IVF

‘Gamete recognition mechanism’ may be beneficial for IVF
Source: Journal of Proteome Research 2007; Advance online publication
Researchers assess the applicability of the gamete recognition system in future IVF treatment.

MedWire News: Female mammals are able to modulate and control the uterine environment after conception, say researchers who believe their findings could have profound implications for women seeking IVF treatment.

The team reports evidence of an innate gamete recognition system that enables women to “sense” the presence of gametes in their reproductive tract and modulate the uterine environment accordingly, the researchers explain.

Indeed, a gamete recognition mechanism may represent a post-copulatory sexual selection mechanism, in which females can choose which sperm fertilizes their eggs, say Stephen Georgiou (University of Sheffield, UK) and colleagues.

The researchers looked at the reproductive tract of pigs, using minimally invasive techniques they compared protein changes in the oviductal fluids before and after the introduction of sperm.

They found that either gamete activates specific cell-signal transduction pathways, which results in altered gene expression, and even changes within the oviductal microenvironment.

These changes prepare the oviduct for storing sperm, fertilization, and perhaps even early embryonic development, the study findings suggest.

These results show that the physiologic mechanisms leading to conception are highly regulated, which may contribute toward developing more sophisticated IVF treatment for women trying to conceive, the researchers note.

“The presence of a gamete recognition system explains the oviduct’s ability to tolerate spermatozoa while remaining intolerant to pathogens,” Georgiou et al conclude.