The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding (I) a polypeptide having the activity of an endonuclease, which is (a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an endonuclease, the amino acid sequence of which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (d) a nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of a nucleotide sequence which is at least 50% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (e) a nucleic acid molecule which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid molecule of (d); or (f) a nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the nucleic acid molecule of any one of (a) to (e) wherein T is replaced by U; (II) a fragment of the polypeptide of (I) having the activity of an endonuclease. Also, the present invention relates to a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule and a protein encoded by said nucleic acid molecule. Further, the invention relates to a method of modifying the genome of a eukaryotic cell and a method of producing a non-human vertebrate or mammal.

The invention relates to a method for polar body injection, which comprises removing a polar body from a first egg cell and injecting the polar body into a second egg cell that is in a fertilizable state.

A problem of this invention it to provide a method for differentiate a primordial germ cell into a functional GV stage oocyte by in vitro culture. This invention relates to a method for differentiating a primordial germ cell into a functional GV stage oocyte by in vitro culture, comprising: (a) a step of producing a secondary follicle by culturing the primordial germ cell and supporting cells adjacent to the primordial germ cells under conditions that eliminate the effects of estrogen or a factor having a similar function to estrogen; (b) a step of partially dissociating cells between a granulosa cell layer and a thecal cell layer, wherein an oocyte, the granulosa cell layer, and the thecal cell layer constitute the produced secondary follicle; and (c) a step of differentiating the oocyte into a functional GV stage oocyte by culturing the oocyte, the granulosa cell layer, and the thecal cell layer that constitute the secondary follicle in a medium containing a high-molecular-weight compound.

A frozen egg culturing device includes: a housing portion configured to house a frozen egg contained in a container; a liquid injecting portion; a liquid discharging portion; and an egg outflow preventing portion between the frozen egg contained in the container, and the liquid injecting portion and the liquid discharging portion. A frozen egg culturing method uses the frozen egg culturing device.

The present invention provides a novel oocyte maturation medium or/and embryo culture medium with a chemically defined supplement to produce matured oocytes at high efficiency. The inventive medium or supplement comprises three growth factors, namely, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in a synergistic combination. Methods for oocyte and embryo culture are also provided.

An implant for ovarian decline is provided. The implant includes at least an engineered ovarian support cell an extracellular matrix substrate, and a delivery apparatus. In some embodiments, the at least an engineered ovarian support cell includes an engineered granulosa cell. In other embodiments, the at least an engineered ovarian support cell includes an engineered lutein cell. In other embodiments, the at least an engineered ovarian support cell includes an engineered theca cell.

The present invention relates to an ovarian-derived hydrogel material, which can be useful for three-dimensional in vitro culturing of cells, cell therapy, fertility preservation, drug delivery, site-specific remodeling and repair of damaged tissue, and/or diagnostic kits.

An apparatus and method for inducing human oocyte maturation in vitro, the apparatus including: a computing device, wherein the computing device includes at least a processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least processor, the memory containing instructions configuring the at least processor to receive first biological sample data from a first biological sample relating to a user; assign the user to a stimulation protocol as a function of the first biological sample; receive second biological sample data from a second biological sample relating to the user wherein the second biological sample comprises at least an immature oocyte; receive culture data relating the second biological sample; and assign the second biological sample a scoring metric as a function of the culture data of the second biological sample.

Use of Cistanche deserticola polysaccharide (CDP) in promoting the proliferation and differentiation of female germline stem cells (FGSCs) is provided. Specifically, the addition of CDP in an in vitro cultivation system can promote the proliferation and differentiation of FGSCs, and especially can enhance the in vitro directed differentiation of FGSCs into oocytes, which provides a new research reference for studying the generation of oocytes in vivo and in vitro and also brings a new hope for research on physiological infertility.

The present disclosure relates to methods for increasing telomere length in one or more human cells and/or increasing genome stability of one or more human cells, for example by contacting one or more human cells with an agent that increases expression of Zscan4 in the one or more human cells. Methods of treating a subject in need of telomere lengthening, treating a disease or condition associated with a genomic and/or chromosome abnormality, of rejuvenating one or more human cells, of rejuvenating tissues or organs, and of rejuvenating a subject in need thereof, for example by contacting one or more human cells in the subject with an agent that increases expression of Zscan4, or by administering to a subject in need thereof, an agent that increases expression of Zscan4 are also provided.