Characterisation of a signal transduction pathway in the early embryo

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/302165

Funding Status
Closed

Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the .

Funded Activity Summary

The creation of embryos in the lab is important in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and potentially in cell therapies using embryonic stem cells. Yet, the development of the early embryo is not well understood. Creation of embryos in the lab is expensive and much of this cost is related to the relative inefficiency of the technology due to the high mortality of the resulting embryos. Typically, 45 - 80% of embryos produced by ART do not survive the first week. Hormones are essential chemical messengers that regulate the normal functions of the body. Early embryo development is dependent on the action of special hormones that are produced by the embryonic cells themselves. The actions of these hormones are necessary for their normal survival. ART compromises the production and action of several of these hormones. Currently, there is not a detailed picture of how these embryonic hormones act on the embryo to promote their survival. Cells respond to outside hormones by changing the activity of a number intracellular proteins that act as on-off switches. The combinatorial pattern of 'switch' settings is modified by hormones, which in turn can act to change the pattern of gene expression. This project will extend our extensive studies on the nature of action of the well-described embryonic hormone known as PAF. The mechanism by which this hormone acts to signal changes in the pattern of the embryo's gene expression will be investigated. An understanding of how these embryonic hormones work will in the future allow for significant improvements in embryo viability.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $208,500.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical biotechnology diagnostics (incl. biosensors)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

assisted reproductive medicine | calcium signaling | early pregnancy loss | fertility | in vitro fertilization | intracellular signal transduction | murine models | preimplantation growth factors

Related Links