Robert Gilchrist Senior Research Officer Email: robert.gilchrist@adelaide.edu.au Contact information

Research Interests

The Animal Gamete Biology group (Dr Rob Gilchrist, Dr Jeremy Thompson and Professor David Armstrong) investigates fundamental physiological aspects of oocyte-granulosa cell interactions in an effort to improve understanding of mammalian oocyte biology and to better implement assisted reproductive technologies. Ovarian folliculogenesis consists of a series of ordered maturation and differentiation events of both the somatic and germ cell components that culminates in ovulation and the production of a mature oocyte that is able to support early embryogenesis. The immature oocyte and the follicular granulosa cells are in intimate contact and normal growth and development of the oocyte is entirely dependent on this association. Conversely, paracrine factors from the oocyte also have subtle effects on the somatic cell compartment. Thus the underlying hypothesis of our work is that the quality of the follicular milieu affects the normality of the developing oocyte, which in turn determines the developmental potential of the embryo.

Much of the laboratory work utilises culture techniques; in particular culture of immature oocytes, granulosa and cumulus cells, and embryos obtained by in vitro fertilisation (IVF). This work is primarily conducted using material from domestic species and mice. A marmoset monkey colony is also maintained on site and research using material from this primate makes up a critical and strategic component of the research. Much of the research is closely related to the routine clinical treatment of patients with impaired fertility. The group is not complete without Lesley Ritter (Research Assistant) and a liberal mix of graduate students and visiting research scientists.

Publications

1. Gilchrist RB, Nayudu PL, Nowshari MA & Hodges JK (1995) Meiotic competence of marmoset monkey oocytes is related to follicle size and oocyte-cumulus cell associations. Biol. Reprod. 52, 1234-1243. [3.6]
2. Gilchrist RB, Nayudu PL & Hodges JK (1997) Maturation, fertilization and development of marmoset monkey oocytes in vitro. Biol. Reprod. 56, 238-246. [3.6]
3. Gilchrist RB, Rowe DB, Ritter LJ, Robertson SA, Norman RJ and Armstrong DT (2000) Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor deficiency on ovarian follicular cell function. J. Reprod. Fert.. 120: 283-292 [2.9]
4. Li R, Norman RJ, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB (2000) Oocyte secreted factor(s) determine functional differences between bovine mural granulosa cells and cumulus cells. Biol Reprod 63: 839-845. [3.6]
5. Gilchrist RB, Wicherik M, Heistermann M, Nayudu PL and Hodges JK (2001) Changes in follicle-stimulating hormone and follicle populations during the ovarian cycle of the common marmoset. Biol. Reprod. 64: 127-135. [3.6]
6. Gilchrist RB, Ritter LJ and Armstrong DT (2001) Mouse oocyte mitogenic activity is developmentally coordinated throughout folliculogenesis and meiotic maturation. Developmental Biol. 240(1): 289-298 [5.5]
7. Thomas RE, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB. (2002) Differential effects of specific phosphodiesterase isoenzyme inhibitors on bovine oocyte meiotic maturation. Developmental Biol. 244(2): 215-225 [5.5]
8. Ryan NK, Woodhouse CM, Van der Hoek KH, Gilchrist RB, Armstrong DT and Norman RJ. (2002) Expression of leptin and its receptor in the murine ovary: possible role in the regulation of oocyte maturation. Biol. Reprod. 66(5): 1548-1554 [3.6]
9. Sutton ML, Gilchrist RB, Thompson JG. (2003) Effects of in vivo and in vitro environments on the metabolism of the cumulus-oocyte complex and influence on oocyte developmental capacity. Human Reproduction Update 9(1): 35-48. [3.7]
10. Gilchrist RB, Morrissey MP, Ritter LJ and Armstrong DT. (2003) Comparison of oocyte factors and transforming growth factor-ß in the regulation of DNA synthesis in bovine granulosa cells. Mol. Cellular Endocr. 201: 87-95. [2.6]
11. Sutton ML, Cetica PD, Beconi MT, Kind KL, Gilchrist RB and Thompson JG. (2003) The influence of oocyte-secreted factors and culture duration on the metabolic activity of bovine cumulus cell complexes. Reproduction 126(1): 27-34. [2.3]
12. Thomas RE, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB. (2004) Bovine cumulus cell-oocyte gap junctional communication during in vitro maturation in response to manipulation of cell-specific cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosophate levels. Biol. Reprod. 70(3): 548-556. [3.6]
13. Hickey TE, Marrocco DL, Gilchrist RB, Norman RJ and Armstrong DT. (2004) Interactions between androgen and growth factors in granulosa cell subtypes of porcine antral follicles. Biol. Reprod. 71(1): 45-52. [3.6]
14. Gilchrist RB, Ritter LJ and Armstrong DT. (2004) Oocyte-somatic cell interactions during follicle development in mammals. Animal Reprod. Sci. 82-83:431-46. [1.7]
15. Gilchrist RB, Ritter LJ, Cranfield M, Jeffery L, Amato F, Scott S, Myllymaa S, Lankinen H, Kaivo-Oja N, Mottershead DG, Groome NP, Ritvos O. (2004) Immunoneutralization of growth differentiation factor 9 reveals it partially accounts for oocyte mitogenic activity. Biol. Reprod. 71(3): 732-739. [3.6]
16. Sutton-McDowall ML, Gilchrist RB, Thompson JG. (2004) Cumulus expansion and glucose utilisation by bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes during in vitro maturation: the influence of glucosamine and follicle stimulating hormone. Reproduction 128: 313-319. [2.6]
17. Thomas RE, Thompson JG, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB. (2004) Effects of specific phosphodiesterase isoenzyme inhibitors during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes on meiotic and developmental capacity. Biol. Reprod 71(4):1142-1149. [3.6]
18. Kaivo-Oja N, Mottershead DG, Mazerbourg S, Myllymaa S, Duprat S, Gilchrist RB, Groome NP, Hsueh AJ and Ritvos O. (2005) Adenoviral gene transfer allows Smad-responsive gene promoter analyses and delineation of type I receptor usage of transforming growth factor ß family ligands in cultured human granulosa luteal cells. J. Clin. Endocr. Metb. 90: 271-278. [5.9]
19. Sutton-McDowall ML, Gilchrist RB and Thompson JG. (2005) The effect of hexoses and gonadotrophin supplementation on bovine oocyte nuclear maturation during in vitro maturation in a synthetic follicle fluid medium. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17: 407-415. [1.1]
20. Dragovic RA, Ritter LJ, Amato F, Schulz SJ, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB. (2005) Role of oocyte-secreted growth differentiation factor 9 in the regulation of mouse cumulus expansion. Endocrinology 146(6): 2798-2806. [5.1]
21. Hickey TE, Marrocco DL, Amato F, Ritter LJ, Norman RJ, Gilchrist RB and Armstrong DT. (2005) Androgens augment the mitogenic effects of oocyte-secreted factors and growth differentiation factor 9 on porcine granulosa cells. Biol. Reprod. 73(4): 825-832 [3.6]
22. Kireta S, Zola H, Gilchrist RB and Coates PTH. (2005) Cross-reactivity of anti-human cytokine receptor and anti-TNF family antibodies with common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) leukocytes. Cellular Immunology 236(1-2): 115-122 [1.8]
23. Hussein TS, Froiland DA, Amato F, Thompson JG and Gilchrist RB. (2005) Oocytes prevent cumulus cell apoptosis by maintaining a morphogenic paracrine gradient of bone morphogenetic proteins. J. Cell Sc. 118(22): 5257-5268. [6.9]
24. Sutton-McDowall ML, Mitchell M, Cetica P, Dalvit G, Pantaleon M, Lane M, Gilchrist RB and Thompson JG. (2006) Glucosamine supplementation during in vitro maturation inhibits subsequent oocyte developmental competence: possible role of the hexosamine pathway as a regulator of developmental competence. Biol. Reprod. 74(5): 881-888 [3.6]
25. Hussein TS, Thompson JG and Gilchrist RB. (2006) Oocyte-secreted factors enhance oocyte developmental competence. Dev. Biol. 296: 514-521 [5.4]
26. Prasad S, Humphreys I, Kireta S, Gilchrist RB, Bardy P, Russ GR, Coates PT. (2006) MHC class II DRB genotyping is highly predictive of in vitro alloreactivity in the common marmoset. J Immunological Methods 314: 153-163 [2.0]
27. Gilchrist RB, Ritter LJ, Myllymaa S, Kaivo-Oja N, Dragovic RA, Hickey TE, Ritvos O and Mottershead DG. (2006) Molecular basis of oocyte-paracrine signaling that promotes mouse granulosa cell proliferation. J. Cell Sc. 119(18): 3811-3821 [6.9]
28. Thompson JG, Lane M and Gilchrist RB. (2006) Metabolism of the bovine cumulus-oocyte complex and influence on subsequent developmental competence. Reprod. Suppl. (in press).
29. Gilchrist RB and Thompson JG. Oocyte maturation: emerging concepts and technologies to improve developmental potential in vitro. Theriog. (in press)
30. Dragovic RA, Ritter LJ, Schulz SJ, Thompson JG, Armstrong DT and Gilchrist RB. Oocyte-secreted factor activation of SMAD2/3 signaling enables initiation of mouse cumulus cell expansion. Biol. Reprod. (submitted 19/9/06)
31. Lekamge DN, Barry MF, Kolo M, Lane M, Gilchrist RB, Tremellen KP. Baseline serum anti-Müllerian hormone predicts outcome during in-vitro fertilization. Hum. Reprod. (submitted)
32. Mayes MA, Laforest MF, Darou G, Guillemet C, Gilchrist RB and Richard FJ. AMPK stimulators delay meiotic resumption in porcine oocytes. Biol. Reprod. (submitted)
33. Yeo CX, Gilchrist RB, Thompson JG and Lane M. Growth differentiation factor 9 during oocyte in vitro maturation improves subsequent embryonic development and fetal outcome. Hum. Reprod. (in prep)
34. Grupen CG, Gilchrist RB, Nayudu PL, Barry MF, Schulz SJ, Ritter LJ and Armstrong DT. Marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) follicular development and oocyte maturation following ovarian stimulation with and without human chorionic gonadotrophin. Reprod. (in prep)