User:Z3290815

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Lab 4 Online Assessment

1. The allantois, identified in the placental cord, is continuous with what anatomical structure?
2. Identify the 3 vascular shunts, and their location, in the embryonic circulation.
3. Identify the Group project sub-section that you will be researching. (Add to project page and your individual assessment page)

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Lab Attendance

--Z3290815 12:52, 28 July 2011 (EST)

--z3290815 11:05, 4 August 2011 (EST)

Lab 1: Assessment

1. Identify the origin of In Vitro Fertilization and the 2010 nobel prize winner associated with this technique.

In Vitro Fertilization is one technique used in Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) in which fertilization occurs outside of the body. In Vitro Fertilization is given its name from Latin origins; In Vitro meaning “in glass”. This is referring to the test tubes in which fertilization occurs, hence, the colloquial term for IVF babies are “test tube babies”. The first successful birth of an IVF baby was named Louise Brown born in the United Kingdom on the 25th of July, 1978. The development of In Vitro Fertilization and the successful birth of Louise Brown were by Robert G. Edwards. Consequently he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2010 for his developments. Although it wasn’t until 1978 when the first successful IVF human birth occurred, IVF can be dated as far back as the 1980’s by Walter Heape. He was a professor and physician and had conducted research on reproduction in multiple animal species and reported the first known case of embryo transplantation in a rabbit.

2. Identify a recent paper on fertilisation and describe its key findings.

The aim of this article[1] is to emphasize the advantages and the disadvantages of intracytoplasmic injection of sperm (ICSI) and how to maximise these potential benefits while minimising its complications. ICSI involves micromanipulation techniques involving the direct injection of spermatozoa into the oocyte.

Advantages:

- ICSI helps males with severe infertility which cannot be amended through medicine or surgery the option to parent a genetically related child.

- ICSI is used to alleviate severe male factor infertility due to the lack of sperm in the ejaculate due to severely impaired spermatogenesis.

- Previously the primary treatment option for infertile men with obstructive azoospermia was vasovasostomy or vasoepididymostomy to reverse vasectomy.

Disadvantages:

- There is increasing evidence of the involvement of genetic factors in male infertility and the potential risk of transmission of genetic disorders to the offspring.

- A thorough genetic evaluation of the couple, classification of infertility and adequate counselling of the implications and associated risks prior to embarking on the procedure is necessary.

3. Identify 2 congenital anomalies.

A congenital anomaly is when there is something unusual or different at birth. This can be a minor anomaly whereby the anomaly has no serious medical or cosmetic concern or a major anomaly where there is a serious medical or cosmetic concern for example:

- Atrial septal defect (ASD): form of congenital heart defect that enables blood flow between the left and right atria via the Interatrial septum.

- Spina bifida: a developmental congenital disorder and neural tube defect caused by an incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube.