• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.28-34
• /
• 1989

These experiments were carried out to determine the effect of cell stage in embryo bisection on the sub-Sequent in vitro and in vivo development in mouse. The embryos of ICR mouse were microsurgicaily bisected at 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stage using a microsurgical blade attached a micromanipulator. These demi-embryos without zona pellucida were cultured up to blastocyst stage and transferred to pseudopregnant mice, and the development of these demi-embryos was compared with the results of intact embryos of the corresponding cell stage. The successful rate of mouse embryo bisection at 4-cell stage (59.0%) was significantly (p <0.05) lower than those at 8-cell (75.6%), 2ce11 (80.7%) or morula stage (84.8%), and highest at blastocyst stage (95.7%). When the bisected embryos without any damage from microsurgery were cultured in vitro up to blastocyst,the in vitro de'velopment of demi-embroys bisected at morula to blastocyst was 91.6 to 95.3%, which was similar to the culture result of intact embryos of corresponding stage. However, the in vitro development of demi-em-bryos bisected at 2- to 8-cell stage was signiflcantiy (p <0.05) lower.The post-transfer implantation rate of demi-embryos developed in vitro to eu-blastocyst were 19.6 and 25.4% in demi-embryos bisected at morula and blastocyst stage,respectively and not significantly (P <0.05)different from the result of intact embryos of the same stage. However, the implantation rates of demi-embryos bisected at 2- or 8-cell stage were significantly (P <0.05) lower than the result from the intact embryos of the corresponding stage.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.389-393
• /
• 1991

To obtain monozygotic multiplets from 8-cell mouse embryos, we artificially constructed chimeric embryos by introducing one blastomere (donor) of 8-cell embryos of Fl hybrid (C57BL/6 X CBA) mice into 4-cell ICR mouse embryos (carrier) of which one blastomere had been previously removed with a micromanipulator. After 42 h of culture, the developmental frequency of chimeric embryos to normal morula and blastocyst was 95% (310/328). When chimeric embryos at morula or blastocvst stage were transferred to pseudopregnant mice,39%, (70/180) of them were born. Most of the offspring (56/70) were the carrier type in coat color, whereas only three of them were the donor type, of which ho were assumed to be derived from single 8-cell donor embryo. Because the two donor type mice Ivere the same sex and produced only the donor type offspring from a testcross, they are probably monozvgotic multiplets of 8-cell mouse embryos. However, since their internal chimerism was not able to be examined, it remains to be determined if their genetic constitutions are identical.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.35-40
• /
• 1989

The effects of cryoprotectants (glycerol, DMSO and ethylene glycol) and the concentrations (0, 0, 25, 0.5and 1.0 M) of sucrose in the diluent on the is vitro survival of mouse morulae froaen rapidly in liquid nitrogenvapour were examined. When the embryos were equilibrated in 1.5 M cryoprotectants +0.25 M sucrose in one-step or in 3.0 M cryoprotectants +0.25 sucrose in two-step and diluted with 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 M sucrose solution after thawing, high survival rates were obtained in ethylene glycol (48.0% to 88.2 %) or in glycerol (35.0 % to 77.8 %). These results show that 1.5 M ethylene glycol is a highly efficient cryoprotective agent for the rapid freezing of mouse morula embryos and 0.5 M sucrose was optimal concentration in the diluent after thawing.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 1997

These experiments were carried out to examine the development capacity of sexed and then bisected embryo from 8-cell to morula stage. Antisera to histocompatibility-Y(H-Y) antigen were prepared in inbred SD female rat by repeated immunization of spleen cell or testis supernatant from males of same strain. Male and female embryos were separated by delaying development of embryos against H-Y antibody. After sexing, rabbit embryos were bisected and aggregated. The results obtained from the these experiments were summuerized as follows: 1. When mouse and rabbit 8-, 16-cell and morular embryos were culature in H-Y antiserum, the ratio of embryo which has developed to hatching blastocyst was 53.4, 46.3 and 57.4% in mouse embryos, and 49.0, 52.0 and 61.0% in rabbit embryo, respectively. The ratio of mouse and rabbit embryos developed to hatching blastocyst showed nearly natural sex rate(50%), except rabbit mourla showed a little higher ratio(61.0%) as compared to natural sex ratio. 2. When rabbit demi-embryos from 8-, 16-cell embryo and morula were cultured, the percentage of demi-embryos was 70, 68 and 58% without zona pellucida removed, and 62, 69 and 51% with zona pellucida. The rate of aggregation was higher in 8- and 16-cell demi-embryos than in morula demi-embryo. 4. When sexed-demi-embryo was aggregated with another demi-embryo with demi-embryo with same sex, the rate of embryo developed to blastocyst was 60, 50 and 25%, respectively. Eight-cell demi-embryo showed highest rate. In conclusion, it showed that H-Y antiserum which was made by rat spleen cell enabled sexing rabbit embryos. And when rabbit sexed 8-, 16-cell and morula demi-embryo were aggregated, they were developed to eu-blastocyst which suggested the potential of sexed embryo manipulation.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
• /
• v.8
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 1990

The study was carried out to investigate the viability of mouse embryos bisected at the stages of 8-cell, morula and blastocyst and, also, to find out the feasibility of offspring production by transfer of the bisected blastocysts with Quick-splitting. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. The mouse embryos were bisected with bio-cut blade at the stages of 8-cell and morula, and cultured in Medium 2. The bisected embryos were developed to blastocyst stage by 64% and 81%. respectively. 2. The blastocyts which were cultured in Medium 2 after being bisected at the stages of 8-cell and morula were observed normal outgrowth in Ham's F-10 medium by 86% and 90%, respectively. 3. The blastocyts which were Quick-splitted in Medium 2 were observed normal outgrowth by 97%. however, no offspring was obtained by transfer of Quick-splitted blastocysts.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.229-234
• /
• 1991

Thc chimeric morulae were produced following aggregation of the half embryos which were microsurgically bisected at 8-cell and early morula stage. Different phenotypic embryos were obtained by mating ICR female mice with ICR or CBA male mice. The early morula stage was thc desirable stage for the aggregation of mouse embryos after bisection. The post-thawed survival rates of bisected-aggregated embryos that developed into normal blastocyst after conventional freezing in DMSO and ethylene glycol were 30.5 and 32.896, respectively. One offspring was produced by transferring the 67 frozen-thawed bisected-aggregated embryos.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.233-238
• /
• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of cryoprotective agents and thawing temperature on the survival rate of the bisected embryos of mouse. The results of this study were summairzed as follows: 1. In in vitro culture after frozen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol or propanediol and thawed, the rates of normally developed bisected morula which was denuded were 31.7, 39.1, 28.0 and 23.1%, respectively. 2. The survival rates of bisected morula encased into the zona pellucida in in vitro culture after frozen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol or propanediol and thawed were 72.4, 68.7, 64.0 and 59.5%, respectively. 3. The survival rates of bisected denuded blastura in in vitro culture after frozen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol or propanediol and thawed were 48.3, 44.8, 32.1 and 28.6%, respectively. 4. The survival rates of bisected blasturae encased into the zona pellucida in in vitro culture after frozen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol or propanediol and thawed were 73.6, 67.4, 53.0 and 49.1%, respectively. 5. In in vitro culture after frozen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol or propanediol and thawed at room temperature, the rates of the normally developed bisected morula which was encased into the zona pellucida were 67.1, 62.3, 57.7 and 53.0%, respectively, and those of the bisected blasturae encased into the zona pellucida were 70.8, 65.4, 56.6 and 52.1%, respectively. 6. The survival rates of bisected morula which was encased into the zona pellucida in in vitro culture after forzen with DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycerol or propanediol and thawed at 37$^{\circ}C$ were 74.3, 71.3, 63.9 and 57.4%, respectively, and those of bisected blastura encased into zona pellucida were 76.0, 69.1, 61.1 and 56.1%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 1984

These experiments were carried out to obtain basic information necessary for in vitro culture of aggregated mouse embryos. Inbred ICR mice were used to obtain embryos. The zona pellucida was removed by placing the embryos in Whittingham's medium containing 0.5% protease for about 5-10minutes at 37$^{\circ}C$. Total 263 pairs of 2-, 4- and 8-cell zona free mouse embryos were subjected to aggregation by physical pressure and cultured in Whittingham's medium under the gas phase of 5% CO2 in air at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 24 to 60 hours. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: 1. Time needed for fusion of 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos were 0-3, 0-3 and 0-3 hours, respectively and average time needed for in vitro development of 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos after aggregation to morula and blastocyst were 42, 30 and 13.5 hours, and 51, 39 and 27 hours, respectively. 2. Of total 263 pairs of naked embryos, 227 were firmly aggregated together and the rats of aggregation in 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos were 71.8, 88.3 and 97.0%, respectively. 3. The rates of aggregated pairs which obtained from 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos developed to morula were 96.7, 95.6 and 96.9%, respectively, and embryos developed to blastocysts were 88.5, 89.7 and 90.8%, respectively. 4. Conspicuous differences in size of volume and inner cell masses between single and double blastocysts were observed. Although a single blastocolic cavity was formed in most double blastocysts, several formed two distinct cavities from the very beginning.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.205-212
• /
• 1998

A sodium-independent facilitative glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) is a major route by which glucose can be transported across the plasma membrane of mouse embryo. Although it has been known that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promotes glucose transport into the mouse embryo, whether IGF-I directly regulates transcription of Glut1 has been uncovered in mouse preimplantation embryo. This study was aimed to elucidate the role of glucose and IGF-I in development and Glut1 expression in preimplantation mouse embryo. Two-cell embryos developed in blastocyst regardless of the glucose in the presence of pyruvate. IGF-I significantly increased the number of blastomeres in the mid-blastula. Deprivation of glucose did not affect the amount of Glut1 transcripts in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo. IGF-I potentiated Glut1 expression in morula cultured from 2-cell embryo even in the absence of glucose. Taken together, it is concluded that depletion of glucose does not promote Glut1 expression the in morula cultured form 2-cell embryo, and that increment of Glut1 expression possibly mediates embryotropic effect of IGF-I on preimplantation mouse embryo.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.167-172
• /
• 1990

This study was carried out to clarify the effects of various kinds of cryoprotectants which were frequently used in freezing embryos of domestic animals on the survival of frozen-thawed mouse embryos. Mouse embryos were collected by hyperstimulation induction of ICR mouse. The samples were slowly cooled ($l^{\circ}C/min$) to temperatures between $-7^{\circ}C$ and $-30^{circ}C$ before direct transfer to liquid nitrogen ($-196^{\circ}C$) and thawed rapidly ($-500^{\circ}C$/min). As cryoprotectants, Glycerol, DMSO, Ethylene glycol and Propylene glycol were used and applied each 2 cell, 8 cell, morula in embryo stage. After normal mouse embryos developed to blastocyst by in vitro culture, we observed recovery rate and developing rate of embryos at thawing. The results obtained in these experiments were as follows : 1. The in vitro development rate from the frozen-thawed 2 cell embryos to the blastocyst were 67.7% in ethylene glycol, 65.7% in Propylene glycol, 55.2% in glycerol and 50.0% in DMSO respectively. 2. The in vitro development rate from the frozen-thawed 8 cell embryos to the blastocyst were 83.6% in DMSO, 75.7% in glycerol, 52.2% in propylene glycol respectively. 3. The in vitro development rate from the frozen-thawed morula to the blastocyst were 84.2% in glycerol, 80.0% in DMSO, 66.6% in propylene glycol and 55.2% in ethylene glycol respectively.