Oocyte

• With the death of last male in 2018 and with only two females alive, the species is functionally extinct.
• In one of its research lines, the BioRescue team collects mature eggs – scientifically called oocytes – from one of the only two northern white females.
• These eggs will be fertilised with frozen sperm that were collected from several northern white male rhinos before their death.
• These techniques would not only save the northern white rhinoceros, but also other rhino species, related species with a common ancestor, and all other creatures in need.

Different approaches

• Parallel initiatives focusing on different conservation approaches are indispensable to ensure the future of this species.
• These supporting cells provide signals and components essential for the development of the eggs.
• This would bypass atresia, which is the degradation of follicles that occurs during a natural hormonal cycle.
• Due to a scarcity of tissues from endangered species, we are using the pig as a large animal model.
• This will give us more in-depth knowledge on how to approach egg creation from stem cells already present in the animal, termed endogenous stem cells.

What next?

• Researchers now know that samples of the northern white rhino individuals currently stored in biobanks have enough genetic variability to establish a viable and sustainable population.
• This is becoming a reality that gives us hope, motivation and energy to save the northern white rhino.

• With CE declared for CHLOE OQ™, the new Oocyte Quality Insights capability offers IVF professionals comprehensive information to support decision making as patients undergo fertility preservation or assisted reproductive journeys.
• However, assessing oocyte quality has remained a statistical gamble," said Dr. Cristina Hickman, Chief Clinical Officer of Fairtility.
• Egg Donation: CHLOE OQ helps fertility clinics and egg banks to further assess the quality of donor eggs, ensuring equitable distribution to recipients.
• CHLOE OQ now provides decision support for fertility preservation, egg donation, and female-factor infertility in IVF treatment.

• Scientists recently announced that they have developed synthetic embryos using just stem cells.
• The work, which is yet to be published in a journal, has prompted a debate about the potential use of embryos derived from stem cells – known as embryo models – in research.
• First, they differ from embryos created by fertilisation, although we don’t yet understand the full extent of the differences from a biological or moral perspective.
• Now we must consider the ethical and moral quandaries

  By contrast, embryo models are created directly from stem cells – either embryonic stem cells previously isolated from an embryo or pluripotent stem cells (cells that have been reprogrammed under laboratory conditions to become stem cells).

An exciting prospect for science

• Research with fertilised embryos is a carefully regulated area of science.
• Notably, research using human embryos must stop no later than the point of 14 days development, before the primitive streak emerges.
• For example, the fact that embryo models don’t require eggs or sperm may mean that they are different to fertilised embryos.

Ethics and regulation

• However, stem cell-derived embryos don’t fit neatly in to this system because the law was drafted before the technology was developed.
• They’re not the same as fertilised embryos – and are probably not “embryos” at all under the legislation.
• At an international level, guidance for research with stem cell-based embryos has been proposed by the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

• DUBLIN, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
• Growing public understanding and acceptance of infertility treatment will encourage the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) methods, which will accelerate the development of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) market.
• However, the main factor limiting the potential market for in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the cost of the treatments, which is well-known around the world.
• The effective use of contraceptives has also significantly influenced the median age of first-time mothers, and this is anticipated to significantly fuel the expansion of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) market.