Recently, the interest of the scientific community is focused on the application of tissue engineering approach for the fertility restoration. In this paper innovative patterned electrospun fibrous scaffolds were fabricated and used as 3D system for porcine follicles culture. The obtained scaffolds demonstrated to be a suitable support which did not alter or interfere with the typical spherical follicles morphology. The fibrillar structure of the scaffolds mimics the morphology of the healthy native tissue. The use of porcine follicles implied many advantages respect to the use of mouse model. Relevant results showed that more than the scaffold pattern and struts dimension, the selection of proper biomaterials improve the follicles adhesion and development.

BackgroundLittle information is available concerning antioxidant effects of plant teas (water boiled) which are used more commonly in traditional Chinese medicine than other extracts. Thus, we addressed this issue by evaluating the ability of teas from four different plants with therapeutic potential on gynecological diseases.MethodsThe aqueous extracts of Semen persicae, Leonurus cardiaca, Hedyotis diffusa, and Curcuma zedoaria rhizome were prepared and then their effects on copper-induced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) oxidation were evaluated by spectrophotometric method. Density gradient ultracentrifugation method was recruited to isolate LDL-C from healthy individuals.ResultsOur results showed that adding 10, 20, and 30 µl S. persicae could increase the lag phase duration of LDL-C oxidation compared with control reaction 12, 21, and 33%, respectively. The most effective delay (87%) was observed when 30 µl H. diffusa was added to the reaction. In cases of L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria, we found no significant influence on the lag phase duration (p > 0.05). Moreover, our findings about starting point of the decomposition phase were almost in parallel with the lag phase results, as 30 µl of S. persicae or H. diffusa teas could significantly increase the initiation time of decomposition (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIn conclusion our results showed that both S. persicae and H. diffusa teas and not L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria could have medicinal therapeutic effects partly through direct oxidation prevention.

Reproductive tissue engineering (REPROTEN) has been recently defined as the application of the tissue engineering approach targeting reproductive organs and several research works are focusing on this novel strategy. Being still an innovative field, most of the scaffold characterization techniques suitable for other tissue targets give inappropriate results, and there is the need to evaluate and investigate novel approaches. In particular the focus of this paper is the evaluation of the infiltration of ovarian follicles inside patterned electrospun scaffolds. Beyond the standard techniques, for the first time the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for this purpose is proposed and specific protocols for scaffold preparation are reported. Positive results in terms of evaluation of scaffolds incorporating follicles confirm this technique as highly effective for further applications in this field.

Different strategies are applied for cellular cross-talk and organization in multicellular organisms. Exosomes are a homogenous population of biological nanoparticles (30-100 nm), originated from multivesicular bodies. The exosomes (Exos) could regulate and affect both cellular physiology and pathophysiology in various organs, such as the female reproductive tract, by altering gene pathways and/or epigenetic programming. Besides, engineered Exos have the potential to be used as a novel drug and gene delivery tools. Here in this review, we discussed various aspects of exosome-based intercellular communication in female reproductive microenvironments. Furthermore, we addressed the findings and issues related to Exos in reproductive biology to give a better view of the involved molecular mechanisms. Moreover, clinical applications of the Exos and their isolation source/methods have been considered to throw some light on the progression of new biological, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches in clinical embryology. K E Y W O R D S cell communication, embryology, exosome, female reproduction