Gene expression profiling in cumulus cells (CC) derived from a modified natural and stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures

Cumulus cells surrounding mature oocytes that developed to moruale/blastocyst stage on day 5 of IVF cycle were collected and used for gene expression profiling using Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST Arrays in order to determine differences in gene expression between the modified natural and stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. Microarray analysis was made on 8 individual CC samples, derived from 5 patients that first underwent MNIVF, followed by a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycle. As the quality of the isolated RNA derived from 2 of the MNIVF CC samples was not good, these samples were not included in the analysis. Altogether, 3 CC samples from MNIVF and 5 CC samples from COH cycles were included in microarray analysis.