Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
06:15
Use of Bisection to Reduce Mitochondrial DNA in the Bovine Oocyte
Published on: July 6, 2022
2.6K
Acrolein, a commonly found environmental toxin, causes oocyte mitochondrial dysfunction and negatively affects embryo
Roohi Jeelani1, Charalampos Chatzicharalampous1, Hamid-Reza Kohan-Ghadr1
1a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development , Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit , Michigan , USA.
Free Radical Research
|June 12, 2018
Summary
Acrolein, a toxin and cyclophosphamide (CTX) metabolite, damages mouse oocyte mitochondria and induces apoptosis. This negatively impacts embryo development, highlighting fertility concerns.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Toxicology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Acrolein is a known toxin and a metabolite of the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide (CTX).
- Previous studies linked acrolein to mouse oocyte quality decline via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of varying acrolein concentrations on mouse oocyte mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis.
- To assess the impact of acrolein exposure on in vitro mouse embryo development.
Main Methods:
- Metaphase II mouse oocytes were exposed to acrolein and CTX (10 & 25 µM).
- Mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed using the JC-10 assay.
- Oocyte apoptosis and subsequent in vitro embryo development were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Acrolein exposure significantly damaged oocyte mitochondrial membranes and induced apoptosis (p < 0.05).
- CTX exposure yielded similar detrimental effects on oocytes (p < 0.05).
- Acrolein significantly inhibited in vitro embryo development in a dose-dependent manner, leading to arrested growth and poor embryo quality.
Conclusions:
- Acrolein accumulation, ROS generation, and mitochondrial dysfunction are key factors affecting oocyte and embryo quality.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing alternative or supplemental fertility treatments.
- CTX and its metabolite acrolein pose significant risks to reproductive health.
Related Concept Videos
02:59Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
9.3K
Among all the organelles in an animal cell, only mitochondria have their own independent genomes. Animal mitochondrial DNA is a double-stranded, closed-circular molecule with around 20,000 base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA is unique in that one of its two strands, the heavy, or H, -strand is guanine rich, whereas the complementary strand is cytosine rich and called the light, or L, -strand. Compared to nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA has a very low percentage of non-coding regions and is marked by...
9.3K
03:24Common Ion Effect
47.0K
Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Châtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
47.0K
01:15Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus
3.8K
Development of the reproductive organs in an embryo starts from a bipotential state. This means the early embryo can develop either male or female reproductive organs. The formation of these organs begins with the growth of gonadal ridges that arise from the intermediate mesoderm during the fifth week of development.
Near the gonadal ridges, two duct systems are present: the mesonephric ducts (Wolffian ducts) and paramesonephric ducts (Müllerian ducts). These ducts form the basis for the...
Near the gonadal ridges, two duct systems are present: the mesonephric ducts (Wolffian ducts) and paramesonephric ducts (Müllerian ducts). These ducts form the basis for the...
3.8K
01:36Types of Toxins
3.7K
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
3.7K
02:16Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes
16.5K
The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...
16.5K
02:19Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes
4.2K
A eukaryotic cell can have up to three different types of genetic systems: nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast. During evolution, organelles have exported many genes to the nucleus; this transfer is still ongoing in some plant species. Approximately 18% of the Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome is thought to be derived from the chloroplast’s cyanobacterial ancestor, and around 75% of the yeast genome derived from the mitochondria’s bacterial ancestor. This export has occurred...
4.2K