Preface; Abstract; Contents; Heat Shock Proteins and Maternal Contribution to Oogenesis and Early Embryogenesis; 1 Introduction; 2 Invertebrates; 2.1 Drosophila melanogaster; 2.2 Caenorhabditis elegans; 3 Vertebrates; 3.1 Danio rerio; 3.2 Xenopus laevis/Xenopus tropicalis; 3.3 Mammals (Mus musculus); 4 Conclusion and Future Perspectives; References; The Unmysterious Roles of HSP90: Ovarian Pathology and Autoantibodies; 1 Introduction; 2 Autoimmunity and Ovarian Autoimmunity; 3 Antigens Involved in Ovarian Autoimmunity; 4 Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs).

1.1 Adaptation and Differentiation1.2 Contributions of Immune System Activation; 2 The HSPB Family; 3 Uterine Expression of HSPB Members; 3.1 HSPB1; 3.2 CRYAB (HSPB5); 3.3 HSPB8 and BAG3; 3.4 HSPB6; 4 Future Directions; References; The Role of Hsp70 in the Regulation of Autophagy in Gametogenesis, Pregnancy, and Parturition; 1 Introduction; 2 Gametogenesis; 3 Embryogenesis; 4 In Vitro Fertilization; 5 Pregnancy Complications; 6 Summary and Future Directions; References; Roles of Grp78 in Female Mammalian Reproduction; 1 Introduction.

2.5 HSP40 Co-Chaperone Regulation of HSP70 Function2.6 BAG6 Co-Chaperone Regulation of HSP70 Function; 3 The Role of Hspa2 in Male Germ Cell Development and Function; 3.1 The Role of HSPA2 in Mouse Germ Cell Development; 3.2 The Role of HSPA2 in Germ Cell Development of Non-rodent Species; 3.3 The Role of HSPA2 in Human Sperm Function; 4 Mechanisms Underpinning the Loss of Hspa2 from the Spermatozoa of Infertile Patients; 5 Conclusions; References; The Potential Functions of Small Heat Shock Proteins in the Uterine Musculature during Pregnancy; 1 The Myometrium during Pregnancy.

3.3 Interplay between HSF1 and HSF2 in Spermatogenesis3.4 Contribution of HSF1 and HSF2 to the Heat Shock Response in Testes; 3.5 HSF1 as a Quality Control Factor in Male Germ Cells; 4 Summary and Future Directions; References; Heat Shock Protein A2 (HSPA2): Regulatory Roles in Germ Cell Development and Sperm Function; 1 Introduction; 2 Structural and Biochemical Characteristics of the Hsp70 Family; 2.1 Overview of the Heat Shock Protein 70 Family; 2.2 Structural Features of the Heat Shock Protein 70 Family; 2.3 Structural Features of HSPA2; 2.4 The Importance of HSPA2 Complexation.

5 Heat Shock Protein-90 (HSP90) in Ovarian Biology, Localization, and Function6 HSP90 Autoantibodies and Ovarian Pathology; 7 HSP90 Interactome; 8 Proposed Autoimmune-Mediated Ovarian Infertility via HSP90 as a Game Player; 9 Summary, Outlook, and Future Directions; References; The Role of Heat Shock Factors in Mammalian Spermatogenesis; 1 Spermatogenesis Overview; 2 General Characteristics of Heat Shock Transcription Factors; 3 The Role of HSFs in Spermatogenesis; 3.1 Patterns of HSF Expression in Mammalian Testes; 3.2 Relevance of HSFs for Normal Spermatogenesis.

Due to the paucity of reviews on this subject, this volume aims to be timely and promote additional basic and translational research on these proteins in reproductive system development and function within the fields of Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology. The breadth of the work being conducted within Reproduction is exemplified by the contributors to this series who will provide reviews on: Grp78 roles in female reproduction, small heat shock proteins/co-chaperones as players in uterine smooth muscle function, the role of heat shock proteins in sperm function and maternal contribution to oogenesis and early embryogenesis, heat shock factors and testes development, HSP90 in ovarian biology and pathology, and the role of HSP70 in regulation of autophagy in pregnancy and parturition.