The Information Business, Where Next? The Vendors' Perspectives

Conference proceeding from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.Around the theme of the conference "WoW! Where Next?" each speaker will spend a few minutes detailing where they think their company is going, and will discuss from their point of view: What are the 3 critical opportunities for libraries and vendors that we must pay attention to in the next 5 years? What are the characteristics of strategies that libraries and suppliers need to learn in order to be successful? What are the risks we need to be ready to take? What are the risks they need to be ready to take?This item is part of the Living the Future collection. For more information about items in this collection, please email [email protected]

A macrophage and theca cell-enriched stromal cell population influences growth and survival of immature murine follicles in vitro

Innovations in in vitro ovarian follicle culture have revolutionized the field of fertility preservation, but the successful culturing of isolated primary and small secondary follicles remains difficult. Herein, we describe a revised 3D culture system that uses a feeder layer of ovarian stromal cells to support early follicle development. This culture system allows significantly improved primary and early secondary follicle growth and survival. The stromal cells, consisting mostly of thecal cells and ovarian macrophages, recapitulate the in vivo conditions of these small follicles and increase the production of androgens and cytokines missing from stromal cell-free culture conditions. These results demonstrate that small follicles have a stage-specific reliance on the ovarian environment, and that growth and survival can be improved in vitro through a milieu created by pre-pubertal ovarian stromal cell co-culture.</jats:p