• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.247-251
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• 1997

This research was conducted to observe developmental capacity of the early embryos aggrigated to phytohemagglutinin-M(PHA-M) in the culture of mouse embryos in vitro. The results showed that the development of blastocyst increased to 2-celT >< 2-cell : 68. 9%, 4-cell $\times$4-cell : 92.5% and 8-cell $\times$8-cell : 97.3% in the aggrigated embryos of ICR mouse, and 2-cell $\times$ 2-cell : 90.0%, 4-cell $\times$4-cell : 93.9% and 8-cell $\times$ 8-cell : 100% in the aggrigated embryos of two different strains (ICR $\times$ CBA/J mouse). (Key words : aggrigated embryos, in vitro 2-cell block, phytohemagglutinin-M, blastocyst)

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1994

To confirm the overcome of in vitro 2-cell block, ICR mouse I-cell embryos were cultured in CZB media. All embryos in CZB were overcome in vitro 2-cell block and 92% of embryos were developed to the blastocyst at day 4. However, in m-KRB group(control) only 20% of embryos were developed over 2-cell. Any embryos in m-KRB did not develop to the morular stage. Developments and degenerations of ICR mouse I-cell embryos were compared in CZB medium prepared with water of three quality:(l) Milli-Q ultrafiltration water(UF);(2) Milli-Q reverse osmosis water(RO);(3) tap water(TAP). The objective was to evaluate the potential of quality control using ICR mouse 1-cell embryos. The more water was purified, the better embryo developments were supported and the less embryos were degenerated. As a quality control system, the culture of ICR 1-cell mouse embryos in CZB was useful.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 1986

In order to investigate the 'In Vitro 2-Cell Block' phenomenon found in certain mouse strains such as ICR, the present studies have been done. Fertilized eggs (1-cell) and 2-cell embryos recovered from the oviducts of the ICR mouse at the various time intervals after hCG injection to induce ovulation were cultured for 3 or 4 days to examine the capability for further cleavage beyond 2-cell stage. Consequently, it was found that some proportions of the 1-cell or 2-cell embryos recovered at 30 hours post hCG showed their cleaving capability and if the embryos were obtained after 48 hours of hCG injection, they were all at 2-cell stage and most of them developed to the blastocysts in vitro. It was also found that the embryos obtained at 27 hours post hCG showed their stronger capacity of further development in the groups cultured for shorter period than 24 hours in vitro before transferring to the oviduct. Based on the results, it can be inferred that mouse fertilized eggs should be remained inside the oviduct for a certain length of period after fertilization, or they should be cultured for a short period than 12 hours before returning back to the oviduct in order to develop to blastocysts. It was also found that though the embryos under the 2-cell block in culture showed normal feature up to 24 hours under the microscopical observation, they had already lost their capacity for the normal development, and if the culture of the 2-cell embryos was extended to 48 hours, they showed nuclei with heteropyknosis, and the vacuoles were were detected in the cytoplasm of embryonic cell if they were cultured for 72 hours.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 1994

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2005

Many studies have shown that the development of mouse early 2-cell embryos in vitro is related with the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ changes. In ICR strain mouse, the development of embryos arrests at early 2-cell stage, but the arrested early 2-cell embryos can be rescued by the addition of $Ca^{2+}$-related materials. Acetylcholine (ACh) increases intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ([$Ca^{2+}$]i) via the mAChR-PLC-IP3 pathway in mouse oocytes. We examined whether ACh rescues 2-cell block in mouse. In early 2-cell embryos, ACh increased [$Ca^{2+}$]i in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.001), and had an effect on rescue of 2-cell block and embryonic development. To identify the signal pathway involved in ACh-induced rescue of 2-cell block, we first applied an agonist of ACh receptor (AChR). Like ACh, carbachol increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ([$Ca^{2+}$]i) and atropine, an antagonist of ACh receptor, blocked the ACh-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase. In $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, ACh also increased [$Ca^{2+}$]i, indicating that $Ca^{2+}$ increased by ACh is mainly released from the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store. The ACh-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase was blocked by PLC inhibitor (U73122), ryanodine receptor (RyR) antagonist (dantrolene), and CaM KII inhibitor (KN-93), but not by IP3R antagonists (xestospongin C). These results show that ACh increases intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration via mAChR/PLC/RyR, and this contributes to the rescue of 2-cell block.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 1995

Culture medium (ASF-301) of tHUE-2 cell, human endothelial cell line, and culture medium of these cells (conditioned medium : CM) which affect embryonic development of in vivo fertilized 1-cell embryos of mouse were examined. Two-cell stage block of mouse embryos was overicomed in ASF-301 and CM without EDTA, which usually added in basic medium (modified Whitten Medium: MWM, control) to overcome the 2-cell stage block. The developmental rates of embryos to the blastocyst stage were significantly increased in MWM containing 12.5% of growth factors added to ASF-301 (10mg/ $\ell$ transferrin, 1mg/$\ell$ insulin, 0.01mg/$\ell$ EGF) than those of 100% addition and control, 78.0% vs 20.8 and 52.3%, respectively (P<0.05), but the growth factors was not affected the hatching rate of blastocyst. Using ASF-301 or CM which was not treated, embryonic development into the blastocyst and hatched blastocyst stages were not affected. However, proportions of embryonic development into the blastocyst and hatched blastocyst stages were significantly higher in dilution (ASF-301 1:10; CM 1:3~1:6) than those in control (P,0.05). In ASF-301 dialyzed M.W.<10000 dialysis membrane, the developmental rate upto the hatched blastocyst stage was significantly increased, compared to ASF-301 which was not dialyzed (P<0.05), and hatching rate of blastocyst of these group was singnificantly increased than those in MWM (P<0.05). Compared to CM which was not dialyzed, however, in dialyzed CM was significantly decreased, compared to untreated CM (P<0.05), especially any hatched blastocyst was not appeared. As a result of these experiments indicated that a kind or porper treatment such as a dilution of complex synthetic cell culture medium and conditioned medium, and that a optimal concentration of growth factors are usuful for embryo cultrue in vitro.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.269-280
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• 2003

Objective: We reported the overcoming effect of $Ni^{2+}$ on the in vitro 2-cell block of mouse embryos. In this study, we aim to investigate whether $Ni^{2+}$ should induce intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ transient in the mouse embryos. Materials and Methods: Embryos were collected at post hCG 32hr from the oviduct of the ICR mouse and cultured in M2 medium omitted phenol red. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was checked by using a confocal laser scanning microscope and fluo-3AM by using various intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ antagonists. Results: In 1mM $Ni^{2+}$ treated medium which contained $Ca^{2+}$(1.71mM), 75.7% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient about 200 sec later. In the $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, 69.8% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient. In U73122, phospholipaseC(PLC) inhibitor (5uM, 10min) pretreated group, 33.3% of the embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient. Heparine, inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor(IP3R) antagonist preinjected embryos showed no response with 1mM $Ni^{2+}$. In danthrolene treatment, ryanodine receptor(RyR)-antagonist, 43% embryos showed $[Ca^{2+}]i$ transient but they showed delayed response about 340sec in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. Conclusions: Summing up the above results, $Ni^{2+}$ seems to induce $Ca^{2+}$-release from the $Ca^{2+}$-store even in the $Ca^{2+}$-free medium. IP3 receptors of the mouse 2-cell embryos might have an essential role for the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase by $Ni^{2+}$.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 1992

Development in vitro of 2-cell mouse embryos was examined after appropriate exposure to oviductal milieu to demonstrate biological activity present in the oviducts. ICR and ($C57Bl/6{\times}Balb/c$) $F_1$ hybrid mice were superovulated and mated for the recovery of early embryos. Embryos were recoverd at every 2h intervals from 32h post-hCG(hph) to 56 hph. The proportions of developmental stages were determined in the recovered embryos. Development in vitro of 2-cell embryos was more rapid in $F_1$ hybrid than in ICR, showing high proportions of 4-cell embryo and blastocyst at 120 hph. 100% of blastocyst development was obtained at 38hph in $F_1$ hybrid and at 50 hph in ICR when 2-cell embryos were cultured upto 120hph in vitro. Moreover, in vitro culture of oviducts containing 2-cell embryos in ICR mice for 12h from 34hph to 46hph increased developmental capacity of ICR mouse embryo in vitro. The results indicate that oviductal environment contains substances having mitogenic activity and overcoming early cell block in vitro. The mitogenic activity is effective in vitro as well as in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 1992

These studies were carried out to overcome 2-cell block and in vitro development to blastocysts in vitro fertilization of mouse embryos. The unfertilized ova were obtained by superovulation in ICR mice of 4 to 6 weeks old. Tyrode's 280 solution was used as basal media, and the pH range of media examined was designed from 6.5 to 7.5 with 0.2 interval and the range of osmolality from 250 to 370 mOsm with 20 interval, and the period of sperm preincubation examined was 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. The ova developed to 2-cell embryos after 26hrs of incubation with preincubated sperm were evaluatated as in vitro fertilized ones. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. The optimal ranges of pH and osmolality of culture media and of sperm preincubation time for in vitro development of in vitro fertilized ova to blastocyst were pH 7.1 to 7.3, 250 to 350 mosmol and 60 to 180 min, respectively. 2. With the media of pH 7.1, 310 mOsm and sperm preincubation period of 120min in another experiment of large sample size, the in vitro fertilized ova was found 66.5% and the in vitro development of in vitro fertilized ova to blastocyst was found 35.8%. From the above results it was concluded that the optimal conditions of pH and osmolality of the media for mouse IVF and embryo culture, and the period of sperm preincubation might be 7.1, 310 mOam and 120min, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.110-115
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• 1984

These experiments were carried out to obtain the information about the optimal pH osmolality affecting in vitro fertilization of the mouse eggs, to elucidate the 2-cell block to development in vitro and to find out the method of controlling the subsequent embryo development in vitro. pH and osomlality was adjusted by adding NaCl or NaHCO3 to the basic salt solution. In vitro fertilization were carried out by inroducting the cumulus masses to the suspension of epididymal spermatozoa at each pH, osmolality, and 10${\mu}$M-EDTA medium. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: 1. The fertilization rates in vitro at each medium of 235, 252, 269, 286, 306, 323, 345, 368, 393 mosmol were 15.6, 38.2, 65.7, 75.6, 80.9, 74.3, 58.1, 35.1, 24.3, 11.1%, respectively. 2. The fertilization rates in vitro at each medium of pH 6.1, 6.4, 6.7, 7.0, 7.3, 7.6, 7.9, 8.1 were 11.8, 17.9, 32.4, 61.9, 79.5, 76.7, 53.5, 13.6%, respectively. 3. In case of ICR female x ICR male embryos, the development rate of 2-cell embryos to 4-8 cell embryos was 16.2% at normal medium, but the rate was increased to 49.3% in medium containging 10 ${\mu}$M-DETA; In case of C3H female x ICR male embryos, the development rate was 41.0% at normal medium, but the rate was increased to 71.7% at 10 ${\mu}$M-EDTA-medium.