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Ex vivo follicle growth is an essential tool, enabling interrogation of folliculogenesis, ovulation, and luteinization. Though significant advancements have been made, existing follicle culture strategies can be technically challenging and laborious. In this study, we advanced the field through development of a custom agarose micromold, which enables scaffold-free follicle culture. We established an accessible and economical manufacturing method using 3D printing and silicone molding that generates biocompatible hydrogel molds without the risk of cytotoxicity from leachates. Each mold supports simultaneous culture of multiple multilayer secondary follicles in a single focal plane, allowing for constant timelapse monitoring and automated analysis. Mouse follicles cultured using this novel system exhibit significantly improved growth and ovulation outcomes with comparable survival, oocyte maturation, and hormone production profiles as established three-dimensional encapsulated in vitro follicle growth (eIVFG) systems. Additionally, follicles recapitulated aspects of in vivo ovulation physiology with respect to their architecture and spatial polarization, which has not been observed in eIVFG systems. This system offers simplicity, scalability, integration with morphokinetic analyses of follicle growth and ovulation, and compatibility with existing microphysiological platforms. This culture strategy has implications for fundamental follicle biology, fertility preservation strategies, reproductive toxicology, and contraceptive drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION Can mice serve as a translational model to examine the reproductive consequences of pubertal suppression with GnRH agonist (GnRHa) followed by testosterone (T) administration, a typical therapy in peripubertal transmasculine youth? SUMMARY ANSWER An implanted depot with 3.6 mg of GnRHa followed by T enanthate at 0.45 mg weekly can be used in peripubertal female mice for investigating the impact of gender-affirming hormone therapy in transmasculine youth. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY There is limited knowledge available in transgender medicine to provide evidence-based fertility care, with the current guidelines being based on the assumption of fertility loss. We recently successfully developed a mouse model to investigate the reproductive consequences of T therapy given to transgender men. On the other hand, to our knowledge, there is no mouse model to assess the reproductive outcomes in peripubertal transmasculine youth. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A total of 80 C57BL/6N female mice were used in this study, with n = 7 mice in each experimental group. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We first assessed the effectiveness of GnRHa in arresting pubertal development in the female mice. In this experiment, 26-day-old female mice were subcutaneously implanted with a GnRHa (3.6 mg) depot. Controls underwent a sham surgery. Animals were euthanized at 3, 9, 21 and 28 days after the day of surgery. In the second experiment, we induced a transmasculine youth mouse model. C57BL/6N female mice were subcutaneously implanted with a 3.6 mg GnRHa depot on postnatal day 26 for 21 days and this was followed by weekly injections of 0.45 mg T enanthate for 6 weeks. The control for the GnRH treatment was sham surgery and the control for T treatment was sesame oil vehicle injections. Animals were sacrificed 0.5 weeks after the last injection. The data collected included the day of the vaginal opening and first estrus, daily vaginal cytology, weekly and terminal reproductive hormones levels, body/organ weights, ovarian follicular distribution and corpora lutea (CL) counts. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE GnRHa implanted animals remained in persistent diestrus and had reduced levels of FSH (P  = 0.0013), LH (P  = 0.0082) and estradiol (P  = 0.0155), decreased uterine (P  < 0.0001) and ovarian weights (P  = 0.0002), and a lack of CL at 21 days after GnRHa implantation. T-only and GnRHa+T-treated animals were acyclic throughout the treatment period, had sustained elevated levels of T, suppressed LH levels (P  < 0.0001), and an absence of CL compared to controls (P  < 0.0001). Paired ovarian weights were reduced in the T-only and GnRHa+T groups compared with the control and GnRHa-only groups. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although it is an appropriate tool to provide relevant findings, precaution is needed to extrapolate mouse model results to mirror human reproductive physiology. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS To our knowledge, this study describes the first mouse model mimicking gender-affirming hormone therapy in peripubertal transmasculine youth. This model provides a tool for researchers studying the effects of GnRHa-T therapy on other aspects of reproduction, other organ systems and transgenerational effects. The model is supported by GnRHa suppressing puberty and maintaining acyclicity during T treatment, lower LH levels and absence of CL. The results also suggest GnRHa+T therapy in peripubertal female mice does not affect ovarian reserve, since the number of primordial follicles was not affected by treatment. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research grants KL2 TR 002241 and UL1 TR 002240 (C.D.C.); National Institutes of Health grants F30-HD100163 and T32-HD079342 (H.M.K.); University of Michigan Office of Research funding U058227 (A.S.); American Society for Reproductive Medicine/Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility grant (M.B.M.); and National Institutes of Health R01-HD098233 (M.B.M.). The University of Virginia Center for Research in Reproduction Ligand Assay and Analysis Core Facility was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD/NIH grants P50-HD028934 and R24-HD102061. The authors declare that they have no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this exploratory study, we examine perceptions of commercial surrogacy and how these perceptions might influence decisions about how to allocate financial resources to those involved in the surrogacy market in a U.S. sample. We surveyed 340 participants through MTurk and students enrolled in psychology courses at Muhlenberg College on their perceptions of surrogacy and their decisions on how to allocate compensation. Findings indicate that the surrogate's marital status influenced financial allocations to parties involved in the surrogacy arrangement, and men and those high in hostile sexist attitudes offered less money to surrogates and more money to doctors. These findings support previous studies showing how ambivalent sexism influences attitudes toward reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female pediatric cancer survivors often develop Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) owing to gonadotoxic effects of anticancer treatments. Here we investigate the use of a cell-based therapy consisting of human ovarian cortex encapsulated in a poly-ethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel that replicates the physiological cyclic and pulsatile hormonal patterns of healthy reproductive-aged women. Human ovarian tissue from four donors was analyzed for follicle density, with averages ranging between 360 and 4414 follicles/mm3. Follicles in the encapsulated and implanted cryopreserved human ovarian tissues survived up to three months, with average follicle densities ranging between 2 and 89 follicles/mm3 at retrieval. We conclude that encapsulation of human ovarian cortex in PEG-based hydrogels did not decrease follicle survival after implantation in mice and was similar to non-encapsulated grafts. Furthermore, this approach offers the means to replace the endocrine function of the ovary tissue in patients with POI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]