The success of Assisted Reproductive Technology is critically dependent upon the use of well optimized protocols, based upon sound scientific reasoning, empirical observations and evidence of clinical efficacy. Recently, the treatment of infertility has experienced a revolution, with the routine adoption of increasingly specialized molecular biological techniques and advanced methods for the manipulation of gametes and embryos. This textbook – inspired by the postgraduate degree program at the University of Oxford – guides students through the multidisciplinary syllabus essential to ART laboratory practice, from basic culture techniques and micromanipulation to laboratory management and quality assurance, and from endocrinology to molecular biology and research methods. Written for all levels of IVF practitioners, reproductive biologists and technologists involved in human reproductive science, it can be used as a reference manual for all IVF labs and as a textbook by undergraduates, advanced students, scientists and professionals involved in gamete, embryo or stem cell biology.

Reproductive Physiology of Mammals: From Farm to Field and Beyond explores the fundamental principles of mammalian reproductive biology in the context of a society that values the management of the reproductive activity of human and nonhuman animals. The format of the book is compatible with traditional approaches to teaching courses in reproductive physiology, but emphasizes basic biological principles and comparative analyses of reproductive physiology. This departure from tradition is intended to accommodate studentsa growing interests in companion and wild animals and provide expertise that allows students to pursue careers that require literacy in basic science.

A unique interdisciplinary overview of the way mammals reproduce, this volume synthesizes research done by laboratory physiologists, behaviorists, population ecologists, and animal breeders. F. H. Bronson has drawn together the disparate literature in these areas to provide students and researchers with a comprehensive and biologically integrated approach to the study of mammalian reproduction. Each chapter presents a wealth of issues and questions, summarizing the current consensus on interpretations as well as viable alternatives under debate. The book is principally concerned with how environmental factors regulate reproduction. Bronson proposes that a mammal's reproductive performance routinely reflects simultaneous regulation by several environmental factors that interact in fascinatingly complex ways. Environment is defined broadly, and the chapters give equal weight to ecological and physiological factors when considering how variables such as food availability, ambient temperature, photoperiod, and social cues interact to regulate a mammal's reproduction. Particular attention is given to seasonal breeding, and a taxonomically arranged chapter underscores the importance of comparative and evolutionary biology to an understanding of mammalian reproduction. Mammalian Reproductive Biology is a powerful argument for the value and importance of interdisciplinary approaches to research. Its almost 1,500 references constitute the most comprehensive bibliography to date on this topic. Bronson also gives detailed consideration to promising areas for future research. Well organized, carefully planned, and clearly written, this book will become standard reading for scientists concerned with any aspect of mammalian biology.

"Newborn mammals can weigh as little as a dime or as much as a motorcycle. Some receive milk for only a few days, whereas others nurse for years. Humans typically have only one baby at a time following nine months of pregnancy, but other mammals have 20 or more young after only a few weeks in utero. What causes this incredible reproductive diversity? Reproduction in Mammals is a fascinating examination of the diverse reproductive strategies of a broad spectrum of mammals and the ways in which natural selection has influenced that diversity. While accounts of reproduction in individual taxa abound, this unique book's comprehensive coverage gathers stories from many taxa into a single, cohesive perspective that centers on the reproductive lives of females. The authors shed light on intriguing questions such as: Do bigger moms have bigger babies? Do primates have longer pregnancies than other groups? Do aquatic animals have particular patterns? Do carnivores like lions often produce larger litters than prey species? The book opens with the authors' definition of what constitutes a female perspective and an examination of the evolution of reproduction in mammals. It then outlines the individual female: her genetics, anatomy, and physiology. From this nuanced basis, the text progresses to mirror the female reproductive cycle and includes her interactions with males and offspring. The final section contextualizes the reproductive cycle within the rest of the world--both abiotic and biotic environments. To close, the authors include dedicated chapters on human concerns: conservation and women as mammals. Readers will come away from this thought-provoking book with an understanding not only of how reproduction fits into the lives of female mammals but also of how biology has affected the enormously diverse reproductive patterns of the phenotypes we observe today."-- Provided by publisher.

The results of this compilation of new research on the reproductive physiology of marsupials reveal much about their patterns of reproduction and evolution in comparison to monotremes and eutherians.

When you're looking for a comprehensive and reliable text on large animal reproduction, look no further! the seventh edition of this classic text is geared for the undergraduate student in Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. In response to reader feedback, Dr. Hafez has streamlined and edited the entire text to remove all repetitious and nonessential material. That means you'll learn more in fewer pages. Plus the seventh editing is filled with features that help you grasp the concepts of reproduction in farm animals so you'll perform better on exams and in practice: condensed and simplified tables, so they're easier to consult an easy-to-scan glossary at the end of the book an expanded appendix, which includes graphic illustrations of assisted reproduction technology Plus, you'll find valuable NEW COVERAGE on all these topics: Equine Reproduction: expanded information reflecting today's knowledge Llamas (NEW CHAPTER) Micromanipulation of Gametes and In Vitro Fertilization (NEW CHAPTER!) Reach for the text that's revised with the undergraduate in mind: the seventh edition of Hafez's Reproduction in Farm Animals.

The first detailed account of post-copulatory sexual selection and the evolution of reproduction in mammals.