Important steps in the development of an artificial ovary have been successfully completed by one of the world's leading groups in fertility preservation. Researchers from the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, report today that they have for the first time isolated and grown human follicles to a point of "biofunctionality" on a bioengineered ovarian scaffold made of "decellularised" ovarian tissue. The early-stage follicles were isolated from patients having ovarian tissue frozen for fertility preservation ahead of other medical treatments likely to compromise ovarian function.
Credit:
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology