ABSTRACT
In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes retrieved from surgically resected ovaries has been proposed as a method of fertility preservation in ovarian cancer patients undergoing definitive surgery. While there had been several reports of successful derivation of mature oocytes and or embryos, there have been no reports as yet of successful pregnancies. In this case report, we present a pregnancy and live birth from a young patient, with stage IIIC ovarian cancer, who had undergone fertility sparing surgery. The immature oocytes recovered after oophorectomy were fertilized after IVM. The embryos obtained were cryopreserved and later transferred to achieve a singleton healthy pregnancy leading to a live birth.
Subject(s)
Cryopreservation , Embryo Transfer , In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques , Oocytes/cytology , Ovarian Neoplasms/complications , Ovarian Neoplasms/therapy , Ovariectomy , Female , Fertility Preservation , Humans , Infertility, Female/etiology , Infertility, Female/therapy , Ovary/surgery , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications , Pregnancy Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Bio-artificial livers (BAL) with microencapsulated hepatocytes have the typical limitations in maintaining hepatocyte functions, mechanical stability and uniform perfusion in packed or fluidized-bed bioreactors. We have previously developed microcapsules with enhanced hepatocyte functions. Here we have introduced a fibrin network inside microcapsules by (1) mixing collagen and fibrinogen with the encapsulated hepatocytes to support the cells; (2) submerging the microcapsules into a thrombin solution to induce the formation of an insoluble fibrin network inside the microcapsules. Fracture analysis on the microcapsules revealed significant improvement in mechanical stability. We have also introduced different amounts of gold nano-particles into microcapsules to achieve different densities for uniform bioreactor perfusion. These gold nano-particles also improved the mechanical stability of the microcapsules. Both the fibrin network and gold nano-particles exhibited the additional benefits of enhancing certain bio-functions of the encapsulated hepatocytes. The applications of these improved microcapsules in the development of bio-artificial livers are discussed.