Objective Normal placental angiogenesis is critical for embryonic survival and development. Epigenetic modifications, such as methylation of CpG islands, regulate the expression and imprinting of genes. Epigenetic abnormalities have been observed in embryos from assisted reproductive technologies (ART), which could explain the poor placental vascularisation, embryonic/fetal death, and altered fetal growth in these pregnancies. Both cloned (somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SNCT) and monoparental (parthogenotes, only maternal genes; androgenotes, only paternal genes) embryos provide important models for studying defects in expression and methylation status/imprinting of genes regulating placental function. Our hypothesis is that placental vascular development is compromised during early pregnancy in embryos from ART, in part due to altered expression or imprinting/methylation status of specific genes regulating placental angiogenesis. We will evaluate fetal growth, placental vascular growth, and expression and epigenetic status of genes regulating placental angiogenesis during early pregnancy in 3 Specific Aims: (1) after natural mating; (2) after transfer of biparental embryos from in vitro fertilization, and SCNT; and (3) after transfer of parthenogenetic or androgenetic embryos. These studies will therefore contribute substantially to our understanding of the regulation of placental development and vascularisation during early pregnancy, and could pinpoint the mechanism contributing to embryonic loss and developmental abnormalities in foetuses from ART. Any or all of these observations will contribute to our understanding of and also our ability to successfully employ ART, which are becoming very wide spread and important in human medicine as well as in animal production. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicinegynaecologyreproductive medicinemedical and health sciencesclinical medicineobstetricsfetal medicineagricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandrymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsepigenetics Keywords assisted reproductive technologies cloning early pregnancy loss embryo imprinting in vitro fertilization methylation placental angiogenesis Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-LS7 - Applied life sciences, biotechnology and bioengineering: agricultural, animal, fishery, forestry/food sciences; biotechnology, chemical biology, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, industrial biosciences; environmental biotechnology. Call for proposal ERC-2007-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TERAMO EU contribution € 363 600,00 Address VIA RENATO BALZARINI 1 3 5 7 64100 Teramo Italy See on map Region Sud Abruzzo Teramo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Maria Luigia Scuteri (Dr.) Principal investigator Grazyna Ewa Ptak (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TERAMO Italy EU contribution € 363 600,00 Address VIA RENATO BALZARINI 1 3 5 7 64100 Teramo See on map Region Sud Abruzzo Teramo Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Maria Luigia Scuteri (Dr.) Principal investigator Grazyna Ewa Ptak (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
