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Reproductive endocrinology

Restoring ovarian function

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 14, page 66 (2018)Cite this article

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The use of current pharmacological hormone replacement therapy (pHRT) with oestrogen alone or oestrogen and progestogens is controversial as the number of adverse effects (such as breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers) can outweigh the benefits, which include a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures. Now, Sittadjody and colleagues have developed a cell-based HRT (cHRT) that maintains the beneficial outcomes of HRT, such as increased bone density, under safer conditions than pHRT.

In a previous study, the researchers encapsulated theca and granulosa cells isolated from rat ovaries in multilayer alginate microcapsules to resemble natural rat ovarian follicles. The engineered capsules delivered sustained release of key sex hormones, such as oestradiol and progesterone, in in vitro cultures. These constructs were not characterised in vivo; however, the investigators speculated that the encapsulated ovarian cells would integrate into the HPG axis when used in vivo.

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References

  1. Sittadjody, S. et al. In vivo transplantation of 3D encapsulated ovarian constructs in rats corrects abnormalities of ovarian failure. Nat. Commun. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01851-3 (2017)

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  1. Ivone Leong
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Leong, I. Restoring ovarian function. Nat Rev Endocrinol 14, 66 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.171

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