Comprehensive Review of In Vitro Human Follicle Development for Fertility Restoration: Recent Achievements, Current Challenges, and Future Optimization Strategies
- PMID: 38542015
- PMCID: PMC10970962
- DOI: 10.3390/jcm13061791
Comprehensive Review of In Vitro Human Follicle Development for Fertility Restoration: Recent Achievements, Current Challenges, and Future Optimization Strategies
Abstract
Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) and subsequent transplantation (OTT) is a fertility preservation technique widely offered to prepubertal girls and young fertile women who need to undergo oncological treatment but are at a high risk of infertility. However, OTT is not considered safe in patients with certain diseases like leukemia, Burkitt's lymphoma, and ovarian cancer because of the associated risk of malignant cell reintroduction. In vitro follicle development has therefore emerged as a promising means of obtaining mature metaphase II (MII) oocytes from the primordial follicle (PMF) pool contained within cryopreserved ovarian tissue, without the need for transplantation. Despite its significant potential, this novel approach remains highly challenging, as it requires replication of the intricate process of intraovarian folliculogenesis. Recent advances in multi-step in vitro culture (IVC) systems, tailored to the specific needs of each follicle stage, have demonstrated the feasibility of generating mature oocytes (MII) from early-stage human follicles. While significant progress has been made, there is still room for improvement in terms of efficiency and productivity, and a long way to go before this IVC approach can be implemented in a clinical setting. This comprehensive review outlines the most significant improvements in recent years, current limitations, and future optimization strategies.
Keywords: bovine ovarian tissue; follicle activation; folliculogenesis; human ovarian tissue; in vitro culture; in vitro growth; in vitro maturation.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Figures
![Figure 4](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10970962/bin/jcm-13-01791-g004.gif)
![Figure 1](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10970962/bin/jcm-13-01791-g001.gif)
![Figure 2](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10970962/bin/jcm-13-01791-g002.gif)
![Figure 3](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/10970962/bin/jcm-13-01791-g003.gif)
Similar articles
-
Neurotrophin-4 promotes in vitro development and maturation of human secondary follicles yielding metaphase II oocytes and successful blastocyst formation.Hum Reprod Open. 2024 Jan 30;2024(1):hoae005. doi: 10.1093/hropen/hoae005. eCollection 2024. Hum Reprod Open. 2024. PMID: 38371224 Free PMC article.
-
In vitro growth and maturation of primordial follicles and immature oocytes.Fertil Steril. 2021 May;115(5):1116-1125. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.03.004. Epub 2021 Apr 3. Fertil Steril. 2021. PMID: 33823993 Review.
-
Matrix-free 3D culture supports human follicular development from the unilaminar to the antral stage in vitro yielding morphologically normal metaphase II oocytes.Hum Reprod. 2021 Apr 20;36(5):1326-1338. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deab003. Hum Reprod. 2021. PMID: 33681988 Free PMC article.
-
FERTILITY PRESERVATION: Progress and prospects for developing human immature oocytes in vitro.Reproduction. 2019 Nov;158(5):F45-F54. doi: 10.1530/REP-19-0077. Reproduction. 2019. PMID: 31557725 Review.
-
Cryopreservation of in vitro matured oocytes in addition to ovarian tissue freezing for fertility preservation in paediatric female cancer patients before and after cancer therapy.Hum Reprod. 2016 Apr;31(4):750-62. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dew007. Epub 2016 Feb 4. Hum Reprod. 2016. PMID: 26848188
References
-
- Schmidt K., Larsen E., Andersen C., Andersen A. Risk of Ovarian Failure and Fertility Preserving Methods in Girls and Adolescents with a Malignant Disease: Fertility Preserving Methods in Girls with Cancer. BJOG Int. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. 2010;117:163–174. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2009.02408.x. - DOI - PubMed
-
- Dolmans M.-M., von Wolff M., Poirot C., Diaz-Garcia C., Cacciottola L., Boissel N., Liebenthron J., Pellicer A., Donnez J., Andersen C.Y. Transplantation of Cryopreserved Ovarian Tissue in a Series of 285 Women: A Review of Five Leading European Centers. Fertil. Steril. 2021;115:1102–1115. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.03.008. - DOI - PubMed
Publication types
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources