human-ovarian-surface-epithelium-organoids-as-platform-to-study

Human Ovarian Surface Epithelium Organoids as a Platform to Study Tissue Regeneration

The ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), the outermost layer of the ovary, undergoes rupture during each ovulation and plays a crucial role in ovarian wound ...

Amsterdam University Medical Center

Amsterdam UMC

Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute

Genital gender affirming surgery (gGAS) is usually the final stage in the medical transition for transgender men and consists of creating a neophallus and neo-scrotum, with or without urethral lengthening(UL). To reduce the complication risks of UL, a mandatory colpectomy is performed prior to UL. Colpectomy is considered a complex surgery, which may lead to various perioperative complications. There are few long-term complications reported.

Perineal Cyst in Transgender Men: A Rare Complication Following Gender Affirming Surgery - A Case Series and Literature Overview.

What is the endometrial thickness of endometrium exposed to testosterone in transmasculine people compared with unexposed endometrium in cisgender women as determined by transvaginal ultrasound (TVU)?

Endometrial thickness assessed by transvaginal ultrasound in transmasculine people taking testosterone compared with cisgender women.

Current strategies for fertility preservation include the cryopreservation of embryos, mature oocytes or ovarian cortical tissue for autologous transplantation. However, not all patients that could benefit from fertility preservation can use the currently available technology. In this regard, obtaining functional mature oocytes from ovarian cortical tissue  would represent a major breakthrough in fertility preservation as well as in human medically assisted reproduction. In this study, we have used a microfluidics platform to culture cryopreserved-thawed human cortical tissue for a period of 8 days and evaluated the effect of two different flow rates in follicular activation and growth. The results showed that this dynamic system supported follicular development up to the secondary stage within 8 days, albeit with low efficiency. Surprisingly, the stromal cells in the ovarian cortical tissue were highly sensitive to flow and showed high levels of apoptosis when cultured under high flow rate. Moreover, after 8 days in culture, the stromal compartment showed increase levels of collagen deposition, in particular in static culture. Although microfluidics dynamic platforms have great potential to simulate tissue-level physiology, this system still needs optimization to meet the requirements for an efficient  early follicular growth.

Dynamic  culture of cryopreserved-thawed human ovarian cortical tissue using a microfluidics platform does not improve early folliculogenesis.

What are the outcomes and experiences of oocyte vitrification treatment in trans masculine individuals (TMI) before and after testosterone use?

Outcomes of oocyte vitrification in trans masculine individuals.

The reproductive lifespan in humans is regulated by a delicate cyclical balance between follicular recruitment and atresia in the ovary. The majority of the small antral follicles present in the ovary are progressively lost through atresia without reaching dominance, but this process remains largely underexplored. In our study, we investigated the characteristics of atretic small antral follicles and proposed a classification system based on molecular changes observed in granulosa cells, theca cells, and extracellular matrix deposition. Our findings revealed that atresia spreads in the follicle with wave-like dynamics, initiating away from the cumulus granulosa cells. We also observed an enrichment of CD68+ macrophages in the antrum during the progression of follicular atresia. This work not only provides criteria for classifying three stages of follicular atresia in small antral follicles in the human ovary but also serves as a foundation for understanding follicular degeneration and ultimately preventing or treating premature ovarian failure. Understanding follicular remodeling in the ovary could provide a means to increase the number of usable follicles and delay the depletion of the follicular reserve, increasing the reproductive lifespan.

Classification of Atretic Small Antral Follicles in the Human Ovary.

Transmasculine people usually reach amenorrhea within 6 months of adequate testosterone treatment. It is often assumed that no ovulation occurs during amenorrhea. However, in this study, we report recent ovulatory activity in amenorrheic transmasculine people on testosterone therapy at gender-affirming oophorectomy. Histological signs of recent ovulatory activity, including the presence of ovulatory follicles, corpus luteum, and corpus albicans, are observed in 17 of 52 individuals (33%). This is not significantly correlated to the duration, testosterone serum levels, or type of testosterone used. These results suggest that amenorrhea does not equal anovulation in transmasculine people on adequate testosterone therapy, emphasizing the importance of contraception for people who engage in sexual activity that can result in pregnancy.

Article	Year
Perineal Cyst in Transgender Men: A Rare Complication Following Gender Affirming Surgery - A Case Series and Literature Overview. Sexual medicine\| PubMed ID: 34348219	2021
Endometrial thickness assessed by transvaginal ultrasound in transmasculine people taking testosterone compared with cisgender women. Reproductive biomedicine online\| PubMed ID: 35918245	2022
Dynamic culture of cryopreserved-thawed human ovarian cortical tissue using a microfluidics platform does not improve early folliculogenesis. Frontiers in endocrinology\| PubMed ID: 35966050	2022
Outcomes of oocyte vitrification in trans masculine individuals. Reproductive biomedicine online\| PubMed ID: 37095040	2023
Classification of Atretic Small Antral Follicles in the Human Ovary. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 38069168	2023
One-third of amenorrheic transmasculine people on testosterone ovulate. Cell reports. Medicine\| PubMed ID: 38402622	2024

Joyce D. Asseler

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