Methods are disclosed for viable preservation of biomaterials including both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells/materials such as human cells and tissues at subzero and suprazero temperatures. One embodiment provides a method wherein initial desiccation and subsequent cooling of the biological samples is below their glass transition temperature (Tg) to achieve a stable glassy state without exposing the biomaterials to excessive osmotic/chemical stresses for long periods of time. Another embodiment provides a method that includes combining the initial desiccation with subsequent freeze-drying to achieve a glassy state of biomaterials. Another embodiment provides a desiccation medium with low salt, high osmolyte/glass former content and desiccation of biomaterials in a spherical droplet to avoid the edge effect.

The present invention relates to improved assisted reproductive technology using highly purified menotropin (HP-hMG) to stimulate follicle development in controlled ovarian stimulation, particularly in women at risk of a high ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation.

Methods of producing human stem cells are disclosed for parthenogenetically activating human oocytes by manipulation of O.sub.2 tension, including manipulation of Ca.sup.2+ under high O.sub.2 tension and contacting oocytes with serine threonine kinase inhibitors under low O.sub.2 tension, isolating inner cell masses (ICMs) from the activated oocytes, and culturing the cells of the isolated ICMs under high O.sub.2 tension. Moreover, methods are described for the production of stems cells from activated oocytes in the absence of non-human animal products, including the use of human feeder cells/products for culturing ICM/stem cells. Stem cells produced by the disclosed methods are also described.

Described are assisted reproductive technology compositions and methods using highly purified menotropin (HP-hMG) to stimulate follicle development, particularly in women who have been diagnosed with oligoovulation and/or PCOS and who are predicted to have a high ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation.

Methods are provided of generating functional human oocytes following nuclear transfer of first polar body (PB1) genomes from metaphase II (MII) oocytes into enucleated donor MII cytoplasm (PBNT) and using mitochondrial replacement techniques to circumvent mother-to-child mtDNA disease transmission.

The disclosure is directed to methods for improving the quality of oocytes for assisted reproductive technology procedures (ARTs), such as oocyte cryopreservation and in vitro fertilization. The method involves culturing an oocyte in which endogenous expression of miRNAs miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363 is absent or reduced in the presence of exogenous miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting high-quality oocytes by assessing expression of the miRNAs miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363 in a cumulus cell surrounding an oocyte isolated from a subject, and methods for performing an ART procedure using a selected high-quality oocyte.

Provided is a method for culturing immature oocytes. The method can promote in vitro maturation of the immature oocytes, and specifically comprises using follicular cells and a culture medium for culturing same. The culture medium for culturing the follicular cells contains CNP or variants thereof or analogues thereof and an HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitor. Also provided are the in vitro maturation culture medium containing CNP or variants thereof or analogues thereof and the HDAC inhibitor, and related compositions thereof, and the use of the above medium, culture medium and compositions in the promotion of in vitro maturation of the immature oocytes.

Methods of enhancing fertility of a female subject by increasing the number of oogonia present in the ovary of the female subject are provided. Aspects of the methods include methods of in vivo expansion of oogonia as well as methods of ex vivo expansion of oogonia.

The present invention relates to a method for vitrification and thawing of oocytes of animals for somatic cell cloning. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method for vitrification and thawing of canine oocytes, and to thus produced frozen-thawed oocytes. In a conventional approach of the vitrification-frozen oocyte production for the dog, an estrous cycle may not coincide with an experimental schedule. However, the method for vitrification and thawing of the canine oocyte according to the present disclosure and the resulting frozen-thawed oocyte allows an experimental schedule to coincide with the estrous cycle, resulting in high nuclear transfer and fertilization effects.

A method of providing a culture of oogonia stem cells comprising oogonia stem cells is provided. The method may further include culturing the oogonia stem cells with granulosa and theca cells to differentiate the oogonia stem cells into oocytes. In some embodiments, the culturing comprises including the oogonia stem cells in an in vitro follicle construct or a microcapsule comprising said granulosa and theca cells. Further described herein is a method of forming a bioengineered follicle construct capable of releasing a mature oocyte. An in vitro fertilization method using the mature oocyte is also provided.