JERUSALEM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers found that differences in lipid composition in the oocyte environment, related to its development, may predict pregnancy, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) said on Thursday.
The study, conducted by HUJI researchers in collaboration with Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, was published in the journal Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).
The research team, led by Dr. Arieh Moussaieff, examined metabolic changes involved in the beginning of the fetal development, especially in the fatty substances.
As part of this work, the team examined the follicular fluid, which surrounds the ovum within the follicle.
According to the researchers, metabolic processes include any change in the composition of the many tiny molecules in the cells (metabolites) - and they focused in the fatty lipids.
The researchers examined thousands of lipids and used their specific composition to characterize the status of a biological unit - in this case an ovum before fertilization - to monitor developmental and pathological processes.
Understanding the metabolic changes involved in other developmental or biological processes may allow regulation of these processes in many cases.
The research team preserved the follicular fluid of women treated in the unit and examined whether the composition of the fluid surrounding the ovum could be linked to the ovum's ability to develop into the embryo and undergo rooting.
The study shows that there is an association between the lipid composition of the ovum environment and the ability of the oocyte to develop into pregnancy.
The researchers hope that these metabolic changes will be used to stabilize the metabolic state of the ovum and the developing fetus, giving them the metabolic support for optimal development.
