User:Lilyhamilton14/sandbox

In vitro activation (IVA)
Stimulation of the Atk pathway activates dormant primordial follicles. The hippo signalling pathway regulates growth by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis, disrupting this pathway stimulates cell growth and proliferation. In vitro activation (IVA) consists of the combination of disrupting the hippo signalling pathway and stimulation of Akt signalling to activate ovarian follicle growth and maturation. Atk pathway activation can be artificially induced by Atk stimulating drugs such as PTEN inhibitors and PI3K activators and hippo signalling disruption is achieved through fragmentation of ovarian cortex via various methods. Growth of follicles can be seen in subsequent autografts, mature eggs can be retrieved and IVF carried out making it a good candidate for fertility preservation. Drug free IVA may alternatively be used. This is the same as IVA however no drugs are used to stimulate the Atk pathway, only ovarian cortex fragmentation is used.