• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1994

This experiment was investigated the effect of cell stage of embryos at 48 hours post-insemination On in vitro development of IVF embryos. The ovaries of Korean native cows or heifers were obtained from an abattoir and kept on 25 to 28$^{\circ}C$ and transported to laboratorty within 2 hrs. The oocytes were matured in vitro(IVM) for 24 hrs. in TGM-199 supplemented with 35 $\mu$g/$m\ell$ FSH, 10 $\mu$g/$m\ell$ LH, 1 $\mu$g/$m\ell$ estradiol-17$\beta$ and granulosa cells at 39$^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. They were fertilized in vitro(IVF) by epididymal spermatozoa treated with heparin for 24 hrs. , and then the zygotes were co-cultured in vitro(IVC) with bovine oviductal epithelial cells for 7 to 9 days. At 48 hrs. post-insemination, the embryos were classfied into 5 to 8-cell, 3 to 4-cell or 2-cell stage and then were co-cultured in vitro(IVC) with bovine oviductal epithelial cells until the embyos reached blastocyst stage. Embryos developed to blastocyst stage were stained with Hoechst 33342 for cell counting. The embryos of 5 to 8-cell stage at 48 hrs. post-insemination with grade I oocytes were significantly (P<0.05) better developed to blastocysts(63.0%) than 3 to 4-cell(42.0%) and 2-cell stage(2.7%) embryos which delayed in the early cleavage, and those embryos cleaved faster in the very early stage seemed to develop to blastocysts earlier. These results indicate that the embryos cleaved faster at 48 hrs. post-insemination seemed to develop to blastocysts earlier.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 1992

Cryopreservation of mouse embryos biopsied at 4-cell stage was investigated by ultrarapid freezing. Four-cell embryos were obtained from ICR mice on 55h after hCG injection. Zona pellucida of the embryos were partially dissected with a cutting pipet, and then single blastomeres were biopsied from the embryos followed by incubation in $Ca^2$+ and $Mg^2$+-free M16 medium for 30min. Biopsied embryos cultured for lh or 15h were frozen by ultrarapid freezing method using 3M DMSO or 5M glycerol as a cryoprotectant, respectively. The developmental rate of biopsied embryos after ultrarapid freezing and thawing to blastocysts was 81 % in the group of biopsied embryos cultured for lb and 98% in the group of biopsied embryos cultured for 15h, respectively. When biopsied embryos after ultrarapid freezing and thawing were transferred to the uteri of pseudopregnant recipients, normal live young were born. These results suggest that this freezing method can efficiently cryopreserve biopsied mouse embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.218-222
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• 1987

This study was conducted using inbred ICR mice to investigate the sex-ratio of preimplantation mouse embryos. For the investigation of sex-ratio of mouse embryos, the karyotype of embryos collected at 70-72, 74-76, 78-80 and 82-84 hr after HCG injection was analyzed by chromosomal analysis. Eight-cell embryos were cultrued up to blastocyst stage, then divided them into three groups(fast-, intermediate- and slow-) according to the blastocoel formation. The sex-ratio was also investigated by chromosomal analysis. 1. The highest apperance of eight-cell and morula was observed at the embryos collected respectively at 66-68 hr(84.6%) and 82-84 hr(79.3%) compared to any other group. 2. The successful rate of embryos sexing at 4-, 8-cell and morula stage were 23.1% (3/13), 42.1%(138/328) and 32.6%(47/141), respectively. The respective sex ratios (female vs male) of 4-, 8-cell and morula were 66.7:33.3, 49.3:50.7 and 39.5:60.5. 3. Of the 476 eight-cell embryos cultured in vitro, 427(89.7%) embryos were developed to the blastocysts and the number of fast-, intermediate- and show-developing embryos were 139, 144 and 144, respectively. 4. Female to male ratios fo fast-, intermediate- and slow-developing group were 23.0:77.0, 55.2:44.8 and 73.8:26.2, respectively. Significantly higher (P<0.05) number of female (48/65;73.8%) was observed in the group of slow-developing embryo than that out of total number of embryos(82/188;43.6%).

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2000

The development of single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos and the ability of such blastomeres to survive slow freezing were studied. Of 223, 60 and 188 single blastomeres isolated from 2-, 4- and 8-cell mouse embryos, respectively, 111 blastomeres (49.8%) from 2-cell embryos, 12 blastomeres (20.0%) from 4-cell embryos and blastomeres (16.5) from 8-cell embryos developed into blastocysts after culture for 96 hrs. The recovery rate was 54.2% (65/120), 46.4% (13/28) and 24.3% (17/70) of blastomeres derived from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos following freezing and thawing and the survival of frozen-thawed blastomeres was 27.1% (16/59), 36.4% (4/11) and 17.6% (3/17), and respectively. The apparently six normal fetuses were obtained from frozen-thawed blastomere from 2-cell embryos after transferring into the recipients. These results indicate that mouse btastomeres isolated from preimplatation stage embryos can survive storage in liquid nitrogen following slow freezing.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 1990

This study was conducted to develop a simple and efficient technique for fusing 2-cell mouse embryos to obtain tertraploid embryos. Various concentration of PEG and exposure times were compared in order to determine the best condition for fusion and subsequent of fused embryos. The results obtained were follows ; 1. The incidence of fusion induction treated with 40% PEG(70.8%) and 45%(62.7%) for 60 sec. exposure were higher than those of 40% and 45% PEG for 30 sec., 90 sec., or 120 sec. exposure group. Also, the highest incidence of fusion induction(76.9%) was achieved with 120 sec. exposure at 50% PEG concentration. 2. Fused embryos after PEG treatment were cleavaged 2-to 4-cell, 8-cell, morula and blastocyst at 20-24 hr., 30-34., 44-52 hr., respectively, and were not different from those obtained fleshly. 3. The high proportions of the embryos developed to blastocysts after blastomere fusion with 40% PEG for 60 sec., 45% PEG for 60 sec. and 50% for 120 sec. were 66.7%(42/63), 69.0%(29/42) and 32.0%(16/50), respectively, this trend indicated that the fusion rate was similar to the incidence of fused embryos forming blastocysts. 4. The cell number of blastocyst developed from fused embryos(18.7 2.6) was samller than that of untreated embryos(48.9 1.69)

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 1983

Present studies were conducted to investigate the developmental stage and the location of embryos in the reproductive tract at various times after ovulation, the morphologically normal after thawing of embryos preserved in liquid nitrogen, and the survival after transferring frozen-thawed embryos. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Embryo stage and location in the reproductive tract after hCG administration. For the investigation of embryo stage and location in the reproductive tract after ovulation, rabbits were laparotomized at 24, 40, 48, 72 and 120 hrs post hCG injection, simultaneously with mating. the oviducts and uteri were flushed out with PBS medium containing 50% rabbit serum, respectively. 1) Most of embryos was remained in the oviduct within 48 hrs, with the lapse of time, embryos were started to move to uterus and shifted in uterus at 72 hrs after hCG injection. 2) The representatives of embryos stage collected at 24, 40, 48, 72 and 120 hrs were 1-cell(60.4%), 8-cell to early morula (52.3, 39.3%), late blastocyst (95.5%) stages, respectively. 2. Morphological normality and survival of the frozen-thawed embryos. For the evalution of the quality and viability on the frozen-thawed embryos, immediately after thawing, embryos were assessed by morphologically normal under a dissecting microscope, and a further test of frozen-thawed embryos was made by transferring the morphologically normal embryos to the uteri of recipient rabbit induced pseudopregnancy by the injection of hCG at the time of hCG injection in donor rabbits. 1) The propotions of embryos which a, pp.ared morphologically normal was higher when 8-cell (85.7%) and morula(90.5%) were used for freezing than when 4-cell (66.7%) and blastocyst (75.8%) were used. 2) Preganacies were observed at Day 15 after transfer of frozen-thawed 8-cell (7/13), morula (19/42) and blastocyst (3/19) but not after transfer of embryos at 4-cell stage.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 1985

Mouse embryos of 8-cell stage and compacted morulae(approximately 16 cells) containing different number of blastomeres were bisected and cultured in vitro to determine the developmental potentials of the divided embryos compared with those of unmanipulated control embryos. The results were as follows. 1. Micromanipulation was performed successfully by means of a simple manipulator which holds a fine glass, needle, without the use of any micro-instruments for support. 2. The percentage of bisected morulae with 7-9 blastomeres that developed to eu-blastocyst was 94.1% while only 64.8% of the bisected 8-cell embryos with 4 blastomeres developed to eublastocysts (p<0.05). 3. The percentage of eu-blastocysts decreased, while that of pseudoblastocysts and trophectodermal vesicle increased as the number of blastomeres decreased in the bisected embryos of the two stages. 4. The time of the blastocoele re-formation of the bisected and control embryos was not significantly different in morulae stage embryos, but it was significantly delayed in the 8-cell stage embryos (Eu-B, Pseudo-B) compared with control embryos (P<0.01, P<0.05 respectively).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.325-330
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• 1994

The study has been carried out in order to evaluate the effects of embryonic stage, and cryopreservation method on the rates of viability and development of the cryopreserved mouse early embryos. The results were as following:In the treatment steps of cryoprotectant, for the fertilized oocyte with pronucleus(PN), 2-step was better than the others. And for the other embryos, 4-step was better than 2- or 3-step. In respect to the embryonic stage, as the embryos developed from fertilized oocytes to 8-cell embryos, the rates of viability and development were increased higher. Therefore, 8-cell embryo was better stage than the others. In respect to the kind of cryoprotectants, PROH was better than DMSO for the fertilized oocyte, as a cryoprotectant. DMSO, for the 2-cell embryos and PROH and DMSO for the 4- and 8-cell embryos were suitable for cryopreservation.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2007

The present study was examined the expression patterns of cdx2 gone, n lineage marker, in the mouse and bovine developmental stage embryos and whether one blastomere of two- and/or four-cell bovine embryos develop to specific lineage (ICM or TE) of blastocyst by injection of Texas red conjugated dextran as a lineage tracer. It was also investigated the allocation of ICM and n cells in bovine blastocysts derived from one blastomere of two-and/or four-cell stage embryos. Firstly, it was observed that expression of cdx2 appeared symmetric and asymmetric distribution at the two-cell stage mouse embryos. from four-cell to morula stage mouse embryos, the expression of cdx2 gene was observed in almost all blastomeres. In case of bovine embryos, localization of cdx2 was similar to pattern of mouse embryos. The Dextran-labeled blastomere of two- and/or four-cell embryos contributed to both ICM and TE cells in bovine blastocysts. And also, it was confirmed that a single blastomere derived from two-cell stage bovine embryos could develop to the normal blastocyst with both ICM and TE cells. These results show that two-and/or four-cell stage is not the specific stage to determine the cell rate for ICM and TE, and which is not correlated with the expression of cdx2 gene.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1997

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of embryo cell stage at 18h post-fusion and oocyte preactivation on sebsequent in vitro developmental potential in the nuclear transplant rabbit embryos. The embryos of 16-cell stage were collected and synchronized to G$_1$ phase of 32-cell stage. The recipient cytoplasms were obtained by removing the first polar body and chromosome rnass from the oocytes collected by non-dis-ruptive microsurgery procedure. The separated G$_1$ phase blastomeres of 32-cell stage were injected into non-preactivated recipient cytoplasms. Otherwise, the enucleated recipient cytoplasms were preactivated by electrical stimulation at 18h post-hCG injection and the separated G$_1$ phase blastomeres of 32-cell stage were injected. Mter culture until 20h post-hOG injection, the nuclear transplant oocytes were electrofused by electrical stimulation. The fused nuclear transplant embryos were classified into 3~4-cell, 2-cell and 1-cell stage at 18 hrs post-fusion and cultured until the embryos reached blastocyst stage. The developmental rate to blastocyst stage was significantly (P <0.05) higher in all the reconstituted embryos of 3~4-cell stage(58.0%) than in 2 and icell stage. The developmental rate to blastocyst stage in the embryos of 3~4-cell stage at 18 hrs post-fusion was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the reconstituted without oocyte preactivation(77.8%) than in the oocyte-preactivated embryos (33.3%). These results indicated that the higher rate of in the in vitro development to blastocyst stage might be obtained form the embryos which were reconstituted with nuclear donor of G$_1$ phase and non-preactivated oocyte, and developed more rapidly for 18 hrs post-fusion.