Reproductive biology articles within Nature Communications

Featured

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Iron is essential during pregnancy for embryo and placental development and maternal health. However, in this study using mouse models, the authors demonstrate that excess maternal iron causes adverse embryo outcomes in pregnancies with underlying systemic inflammation.

    • Allison L. Fisher
    • , Veena Sangkhae
    •  & Elizabeta Nemeth

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Whether the adult testis harbours a somatic progenitor population is unknown. Here, the authors provide evidence that the testis interstitial cells expressing the transcription factor Tcf21 maintain adult testis homeostasis during aging, and act as potential reserve somatic progenitors following injury.

    • Yu-chi Shen
    • , Adrienne Niederriter Shami
    •  & Saher Sue Hammoud

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The human voltage-gated proton channel (hHv1) maintains intracellular pH and membrane potential in sperm and neutrophils. Here, the authors show that albumin activates hHv1, by binding to the channel voltage sensor domains to enhance open probability and increases proton current, and that activation is required to trigger sperm to allow oocyte fertilization and to sustain production and release of immune inflammatory mediators during the neutrophil respiratory burst.

    • Ruiming Zhao
    • , Hui Dai
    •  & Steve A. N. Goldstein

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The effect of fallopian tube’s curvature on sperm motion has not been studied in detail. Here, the authors use droplet microfluidics to create soft curved interfaces, revealing a dynamic switch in sperm motility from a progressive surface-aligned mode at low curvatures, to an aggressive surface-attacking mode at high curvatures.

    • Mohammad Reza Raveshi
    • , Melati S. Abdul Halim
    •  & Reza Nosrati

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Anterior vaginal prolapse (AVP), the most common form of pelvic organ prolapse, has deleterious effects on women’s health. Here the authors employ single-cell RNA-seq to construct a transcriptomic atlas of vaginal wall cells from AVP patients, and find that extracellular matrix dysregulation and immune reaction are associated with AVP.

    • Yaqian Li
    • , Qing-Yang Zhang
    •  & Lan Zhu

  • Perspective
    | Open Access

    Why do human embryos need a yolk sac and how does it form? This Perspective by Thorsten Boroviak and Connor Ross explores the development and function of the yolk sac in primate embryogenesis.

    • Connor Ross
    •  & Thorsten E. Boroviak

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Age at voice-breaking is used to determine puberty timing in men, recall of which is considered less accurate than age at first menarche in women. Here, the authors perform multi-trait GWAS for male puberty timing by including both age at voice breaking and age of first facial hair for improved phenotype definition and power.

    • Ben Hollis
    • , Felix R. Day
    •  & John R. B. Perry

  • Article
    | Open Access

    As an interface between maternal and fetal tissues, decidua hosts immune cells specialized in fostering a successful pregnancy. Here the authors carry out high-dimensional characterization of function, morphology and surface markers of human decidual innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), identifying subsets with features distinct from blood ILC.

    • Oisín Huhn
    • , Martin A. Ivarsson
    •  & Francesco Colucci

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Uterine gland development is essential for successful embryo implantation, decidua formation and placental development. Here the authors demonstrate that neonatal Wnt-dependent Lgr5 expressing stem/progenitor cells at the tips of developing glands are indispensable for uterine gland development.

    • Ryo Seishima
    • , Carly Leung
    •  & Nick Barker

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Proper ovarian differentiation requires RUNX1. Here, the authors show that double knockout of Runx1/Foxl2 results in masculinization of fetal ovaries, and that RUNX1 and FOXL2 jointly occupy common chromatin regions to maintain pre-granulosa cell identity in the fetal ovary.

    • Barbara Nicol
    • , Sara A. Grimm
    •  & Humphrey H.-C. Yao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Uterine leiomyomata (UL) or fibroids are neoplasms of the uterine smooth muscle associated with heavy menstrual bleeding and other female reproductive tract morbidity. Here, the authors identify eight previously undescribed genetic loci for UL and further look into genetic overlap with heavy menstrual bleeding and endometriosis.

    • C. S. Gallagher
    • , N. Mäkinen
    •  & C. C. Morton

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy has been associated with impaired birth outcomes. Here, Bové et al. report evidence of black carbon particle deposition on the fetal side of human placentae, including at early stages of pregnancy, suggesting air pollution could affect birth outcome through direct effects on the fetus.

    • Hannelore Bové
    • , Eva Bongaerts
    •  & Tim S. Nawrot

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Gestational duration depends on both maternal and fetal genetic influences. Here, the authors perform a fetal genome-wide association meta-analysis and find that a locus on 2q13 is associated with pregnancy duration and further show that the lead SNP rs7594852 changes the binding properties of transcriptional repressor HIC1.

    • Xueping Liu
    • , Dorte Helenius
    •  & Bjarke Feenstra

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) is increasing globally but their impact on long term health remains unclear. Here the authors show that ART-conceived individuals show variation in epigenetic profile at birth that largely resolves by adulthood, with no evidence of an impact on long term outcomes.

    • Boris Novakovic
    • , Sharon Lewis
    •  & Richard Saffery

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Glycoprotein ZP1 is a component of the oocyte’s zona pellucida (ZP), and mutations in human ZP1 are linked to female infertility. Here, using structure-function analysis, the authors suggest that filament cross-linking by ZP1 is required to form a stable ZP in human, and infertility mutations interfere with cross-linking.

    • Kaoru Nishimura
    • , Elisa Dioguardi
    •  & Luca Jovine

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In neonatal testes, prospermatogonia generate both spermatogonia for the first wave of spermatogenesis and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) for maintenance of spermatogenesis in males. Here the authors characterize the development of mouse SSCs from prospermatogonia using single-cell RNA-seq and transplantation assays.

    • Nathan C. Law
    • , Melissa J. Oatley
    •  & Jon M. Oatley

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The onset of mammalian puberty is sensitive to metabolic changes and nutritional status, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood. Here the authors show that the epigenetic regulator of transcription, SIRT1, mediates the effects of under and overnutrition on pubertal timing by controlling the expression of Kiss1 in hypothalamic neurons.

    • M. J. Vazquez
    • , C. A. Toro
    •  & M. Tena-Sempere

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The transcription factor FOXA2 is specifically expressed in uterine glands. Here, using two conditional FOXA2 knockout mouse models, the authors show that glandular epithelia of the endometrium are required for timely embryo implantation and subsequent endometrial decidualization during successful pregnancy establishment.

    • Andrew M. Kelleher
    • , Jessica Milano-Foster
    •  & Thomas E. Spencer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Embryo implantation initiates the interaction of the blastocyst with the uterus and occurs within a specialised crypt formed by uterine epithelial cells. Here, using 3D imaging techniques of wild type and mutant uteri, the authors show that crypt formation occurs with preexisting glands of the uterus, opening communication between glands and the implanting embryo.

    • Jia Yuan
    • , Wenbo Deng
    •  & Sudhansu. K. Dey

  • Article
    | Open Access

    About a quarter of pre-menopausal women will suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding in their lives. Here, Maybin and colleagues show hypoxia and subsequent activation of HIF-1α during menses are required for normal endometrial repair, and identify pharmacological stabilisation of HIF-1α as a potential therapeutic strategy for this debilitating condition.

    • Jacqueline A. Maybin
    • , Alison A. Murray
    •  & Hilary O. D. Critchley

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Advanced maternal age has been associated with lower reproductive success and higher risk of pregnancy complications. Here the authors show that maternal ageing-related embryonic abnormalities in mouse are caused by decidualisation and placentation defects that can be rescued by transferring the embryo from an old to a young uterus.

    • Laura Woods
    • , Vicente Perez-Garcia
    •  & Myriam Hemberger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The female reproductive tract constitutes the ovary, fallopian tubes, uterus, and cervix, but it is challenging to engineer this systemin vitro. Here, the authors develop a microfluidic device (EVATAR) with reproductive tract and peripheral tissues to replicate hormone release of a 28-day menstrual cycle.

    • Shuo Xiao
    • , Jonathan R. Coppeta
    •  & Teresa K. Woodruff

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Breast cancer amplified sequence 2 (BCAS2) is involved in pre-mRNA splicing but its physiological role is unclear. Here, the authors find BCAS2 enriched in mice spermatogonia in the testes, and BCAS2 deletion in germ cells alters alternative splicing of spermatogenesis-related genes, causing male infertility.

    • Wenbo Liu
    • , Fengchao Wang
    •  & Lei Li

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Mammalian eggs release cortical granules to avoid being fertilized by more than a single sperm as polyspermy results in nonviable embryos. Here, the authors describe the mechanism driving translocation of the granules to the cortex in the mouse egg and show this process is essential to prevent polyspermy.

    • Liam P. Cheeseman
    • , Jérôme Boulanger
    •  & Melina Schuh

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Males help care for offspring in about 10% of mammal species. Here, West and Capellini perform phylogenetic comparative analyses on a sample of 529 mammal species and find that male care is associated with shorter lactation periods by females, larger litters of offspring, and more frequent breeding events.

    • Hannah E. R. West
    •  & Isabella Capellini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Within species, there tends to be a tight relationship between genital size and body size, suggesting strong stabilizing selection. Here, Booksmythe et al.artificially select relative genital size in mosquitofish and find that novel genital size-body size combinations do not lead to expected fitness reductions.

    • Isobel Booksmythe
    • , Megan L. Head
    •  & Michael D. Jennions

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The precise rotational manipulation of single cells is technically challenging and relies on the optical, magnetic and electrical properties of the biospecimen. Here the authors develop an acoustic-based, on-chip manipulation method that can rotate single microparticles, cells and organisms.

    • Daniel Ahmed
    • , Adem Ozcelik
    •  & Tony Jun Huang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Reliable assessments of oocyte developmental potential are lacking, making it difficult to select the best quality embryos for transfer after in vitrofertilization. Here, the authors show that a non-invasive measurement of viscoelastic properties predicts developmental potential in both humans and mice.

    • Livia Z. Yanez
    • , Jinnuo Han
    •  & David B. Camarillo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Globins are best known for their role in respiration, but recent studies suggest they might contribute to redox signalling as well. Here, the authors present biochemical, structural and in vivoevidence that the roundworm globin Glb-12 acts as a superoxide generator necessary for germline development.

    • Sasha De Henau
    • , Lesley Tilleman
    •  & Bart P. Braeckman

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sperm-egg fusion is facilitated by the sperm-specific receptor IZUMO1 and the egg-specific counter-receptor JUNO. Here Inoue et al.show that JUNO first binds to monomeric IZUMO1; IZUMO1 then dimerizes and excludes JUNO from the sperm-egg interface, suggesting the existence of a IZUMO1 dimer receptor.

    • Naokazu Inoue
    • , Yoshihisa Hagihara
    •  & Ikuo Wada

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Previous studies have linked over 100 genomic loci to age-at-menarche but that work was restricted to common autosomal variation. Here, Lunetta et al. identify associations with rare protein-coding and X-linked variants, implicating new mechanisms that regulate puberty timing.

    • Kathryn L. Lunetta
    • , Felix R. Day
    •  & John R. B. Perry

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sperm from aging males may decline in quality, but it is unclear how aging affects the ability of males to produce successful offspring. Here, the authors show that paternal aging of captive long-lived houbara bustards reduces both the likelihood that eggs hatch and the rate at which chicks grow.

    • Brian T. Preston
    • , Michel Saint Jalme
    •  & Gabriele Sorci

  • Article |

    Enzymes required for the production of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) are expressed in mammalian reproductive tracts. Here, the authors show that production of H2S regulates contraction in excised human fallopian tube samples and is required for transport of the embryo through the fallopian tube in mice.

    • Nannan Ning
    • , Jianchun Zhu
    •  & Jingxin Li

  • Article |

    The kisspeptin receptor GPR54 is implicated in the maintenance of mammalian fertility. Kirilov et al.study GPR54 mutant mice and identify a subset of neurons in the brain expressing gonadotropin-releasing hormone as the critical site for kisspeptin action.

    • Milen Kirilov
    • , Jenny Clarkson
    •  & Allan E. Herbison

  • Article |

    The number of primordial follicles, which constitute the ovarian reserve, decreases with age. By overexpressing a constitutively active version of the transcription factor FOXO3, the authors increase the ovarian reserve and fertility in aging female mice.

    • Emanuele Pelosi
    • , Shakib Omari
    •  & Chris Ottolenghi

  • Article |

    Sexual dimorphism describes physical differences between males and females of the same species and is partly shaped by the action of hormones. Maekawa and colleagues construct mixed-sex chicken brain chimeras and find that the female reproductive cycle is largely destroyed in female chimeras with male brains.

    • Fumihiko Maekawa
    • , Miyano Sakurai
    •  & Hiroko Ohki-Hamazaki

Browse broader subjects

Browse narrower subjects

Browse Reproductive biology across other nature.com journals