The Effect of Uterine Environment during Peri-implantation Period on the Ultrastructure of Zona Pellucida in Mouse Oocytes and Embryos

착상기간의 자궁내 환경이 생쥐 난자 및 배아의 투명대 미세구조에 미치는 영향

  • Han, Sung-Won (Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Chung, Ho-Sam (Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kang, Hee-Gyoo (Eulji Medical Science Institute, Eulji Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Ho-Joon (Eulji Medical Science Institute, Eulji Medical Center) ;
  • Gye, Myung-Chan (Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyonggi University) ;
  • Kim, Sung-Rye (Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University) ;
  • Kim, Moon-Kyoo (Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University)
  • 한성원 (한양대학교 자연과학대학 생명과학과) ;
  • 정호삼 (한양대학교 의과대학 해부학교실) ;
  • 강희규 (을지병원 의과학연구소) ;
  • 이호준 (을지병원 의과학연구소) ;
  • 계명찬 (경기대학교 이과대학 생물학과) ;
  • 김성례 (이화여자대학교 의과대학 의학과) ;
  • 김문규 (한양대학교 자연과학대학 생명과학과)
  • Published : 1999.09.30

Abstract

In the studies on the hatching mechanisms in mammals, many investigators focused on the embryonic intrinsic factor(s) in in vitro culture, but the uterine environment as the extrinsic factor(s) is thought to play an important role in hatching mechanism. Therefore, to evaluate the effect of uterine environment on the hatching event in vivo, the immature(GV) and ovulated(MII) oocytes, and the late 2-cell embryos of mouse were transferred to pseudopregnant foster mother's uterus during peri-implantation period. So it was verified whether there would happen hatching by only uterine environment independently on embryonic stage. The ultrastructural changes of the zona surface of transferred group were compared with those 01 in vivo and vitro group by SEM. 36 hrs after transfer, the immature and ovulated oocytes almost degenerated, and the late 2-cell embryos developed to various embryonic stages. However, the embryos which didn't develop to blastula stage did not hatch. The ultrastructural network of ZP in transferred group seemed to be smoothed uniformly, which was different from in vitro group. In conclusion, it is suggested that the uterine environment during peri-implantation period enhances the embryo hatching by provoking the structural change of ZP.

Keywords