A paracrine hormone of skeletal muscle acts as an endocrine signal for the synthesis of a sex hormone. Scientists at McGill University have observed in mice how myostatin, which inhibits the development of muscle mass to control its growth, also stimulated the production of the pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), modulating ovarian function. The hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis could include an additional element through a yet unknown role in muscles.

Cornerstone Robotics Ltd. raised more than $70 million in a series C round to expand its international footprint and accelerate R&D efforts for its robotic surgery solutions. The funds will allow the Hong Kong-headquartered company to accelerate commercialization of new surgical robotic products, conduct clinical trials, obtain regulatory approvals and promote global adoption of advanced robotic surgical solutions.

Celmatix Therapeutics (Celmatix Inc.) has announced a new drug program for endometriosis, with the development of a novel Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor that targets pain and inflammation. The company’s aim to focus on JNK inhibitors with greater specificity for JNK1 and JNK3 than for JNK2 led it to license lead compounds from Baylor College of Medicine.

Around the end of every year, the media reports on pregnancy and women who give birth on the last and first days of the new year. They tell their stories, the names of their babies and the cities where they were born. While 2024 was coming to an end, gynecologists and other researchers finalized their publications to improve the health of women and their babies. The formation of the placenta or the study of preeclampsia are some of the first and last stories that greet and say goodbye to 2024. Those of 2025 will be born soon.

Around the end of every year, the media reports on pregnancy and women who give birth on the last and first days of the new year. They tell their stories, the names of their babies and the cities where they were born. While 2024 was coming to an end, gynecologists and other researchers finalized their publications to improve the health of women and their babies. The formation of the placenta or the study of preeclampsia are some of the first and last stories that greet and say goodbye to 2024. Those of 2025 will be born soon.

Cyclins regulate steroid receptor action in cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-dependent and independent manners. In addition to regulating the cell cycle, cyclin A2 (CCNA2) also mediates female sex steroids 17 β-estradiol and progesterone signaling in vitro, which is essential for fertility.

A gene therapy based on an enhanced lipid nanoparticle (LNP) loaded with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA could be developed for the treatment of preeclampsia, according to a study in mice in which it alleviated maternal hypertension until the end of gestation and improved fetal health. Preeclampsia is a disease that affects 3% to 5% of pregnant women, who suffer from hypertension and proteinuria, elevated levels of protein in the urine, during pregnancy.

Nua Surgical Ltd. secured €6.5 million ($6.9 million) in series A financing to support regulatory clearance in the U.S. and early commercialization of its Stericision C-section retractor. The device is a self-retaining surgical retractor designed to improve outcomes for mothers undergoing a caesarean section.

In breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy reduces the tumor before surgery. However, the response to this treatment does not depend solely on the subtype of malignancies. Other factors could play a key role in its effectiveness, as shown in a study that described how the estrous cycle phases contribute to this variation.