小鼠体外受精、胚胎培养及胚胎快速冷冻的研究

目的　为扩大胚胎来源并获取特定胚龄胚胎 ,建立小鼠冷冻胚胎库。方法　运用超数排卵、体外受精与胚胎培养及胚胎冷冻技术系统研究了小鼠受精卵的体内发育与运行规律。卵母细胞的体外成熟与受精、单细胞胚胎培养及胚胎快速冷冻。结果　 (1)注射hCG后 12～ 2 0h受精卵发育至原核期 ,4 2～ 4 8h为 2 细胞期 ,4 8～ 6 0h为 4 细胞期 ,6 0～ 6 8h为 8 细胞期 ,以上各期受精卵均处于输卵管中 ;75～ 78h为桑椹胚 ,78～ 80h为致密桑椹胚 ,90～ 92h为早期囊胚 ,92～ 96h为囊胚 ,以上各期均处于子宫角中。 (2 )培养液中添加促性腺激素 (FSH与hCG) ,能显著提高卵母细胞的体外受精率 ,添加FCS和激素组的体外受精率又显著高于单独添加激素组 ,FCS还能显著提高胚胎发育。 (3)在培养液中添加EDTA ,能有效克服小鼠胚胎的 2 细胞阻断 ,其 2 细胞胚的发育率达 10 0 % ,8 细胞胚发育率达 5 5 %以上 ;牛、羊上皮细胞培养液上清也能有效克服 2 细胞阻断。添加乳酸钠和丙酮酸钠可使 2细胞与 8细胞期胚的发育率显著提高。 (4)以D PBS +甘油 +蔗糖为冷冻液 ,以D PBS +蔗糖为稀释液 ,对小鼠胚胎进行快速冷冻 ,桑椹胚的存活率为 6 9 3% ,早期囊胚的存活率为 6 0 4 %。结论　研究为将生物技术应用于小鼠 ,扩大卵子和胚胎来源     

猪体细胞核移植重构胚的体外发育(英文)

以卵丘细胞为核供体细胞组成重构胚 ,卵裂率达到 5 6.7% ,发育至桑椹胚率达到1 1 .7% ,囊胚率为 6.7% ,显著高于成纤维细胞重构胚 (P <0 .0 5 )。本文还研究了卵母细胞的采集方法、激活程序和卵龄对卵丘细胞核移植重构胚体外发育的影响。以血清饥饿法将卵丘细胞诱导至G0 G1 期 ,抽吸法 解剖法采集卵母细胞 ,体外培养 3 3～ 44h ,将卵丘细胞放至去核卵母细胞的卵周隙中 ,重构胚以钙离子载体A2 3 81 7或电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活处理 ,体外培养 6d。研究表明 ,卵母细胞采集方法、激活液中细胞松弛素 (CB)、激活程序并不影响重构胚的发育 (以卵龄 44h的卵母细胞为受体 ) ;而以电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活处理能提高重构胚发育能力 (以卵龄 3 3h的卵母细胞为受体 ) (P <0 .0 5 )。本研究显示 ,以电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活卵丘细胞重构胚 ,体外能发育至囊胚     

应用乙二醇冷冻小鼠胚胎：优化和简化程序的探索

提高解冻胚胎的发育能力和简化冷冻解冻程序是胚胎冷冻研究的两大永恒的主题。尽管乙二醇（EG）广泛用于家畜胚胎冷冻,但很少用于冷冻小鼠和人胚胎。为数很少的以EG慢冻小鼠或人胚胎的研究均采用较为复杂的人胚冷冻程序,未见简化程序和用EG冷冻小鼠桑椹胚的报道。采用简单的牛胚胎冷冻程序研究了发育时期、EG浓度、平衡方法、添加蔗糖以及解冻后脱除EG等对小鼠胚胎冻后发育能力的影响。结果显示：（1）致密晚期桑椹胚冻后体外培养囊胚发育率（81.92%±2.24%）和孵出率（68.56％±2.43%）显著（P＜0.05)高于4-细胞、8-细胞胚胎和致密早期桑椹胚胎;（2）1.8mol/L EG冷冻小鼠致密晚期桑椹胚的囊胚发育和孵出率显著高于其它浓度;（3）在EG中平衡10min的冻后囊胚发育显著好于平衡5、20或30min;（4）两步平衡冷冻胚胎的囊胚发育率和孵出率显著高于一步平衡;（5）用EG冷冻小鼠胚胎无需添加蔗糖;（6）解冻后可不脱除EG;（7）冻后发育的早期囊胚和囊胚细胞数明显少于体内发育胚胎。因此,用EG冷冻小鼠胚胎的最佳方案为：致密晚期桑椹胚用1.8mol/L EG不添加蔗糖、两步平衡15min、以简单的牛胚胎冷冻程序冷冻解冻、解冻后不脱除EG直接培养或移植。     

小鼠分离胚的培养和移植

将小鼠2—4细胞胚分离成为1/2半胚或2/4半胚后,在体外条件下进行培养,选择发育为桑椹胚、囊胚期的胚胎移植给假孕雌鼠。结果是,分离胚的囊胚发育率在Whitten和BMOC-Ⅲ中分别为88.1％和81.6％,1/2半胚和2/4半胚的发育率分别为89.0％和94.6％(p<0.05),F_1代和ICR1/2半胚的发育率分别为91.7％和49.2％(p<0.01)。在移植1/2半胚和2/4半胚的雌鼠中分别有3只和1只妊娠并产仔鼠2只和1只;在以1/2半胚,去透明带的整胚和保留透明带的整胚为对照移植的三个处理组中其雌鼠的妊娠率和产仔率分别为8.3％和2.8％,30.0％和10.8％,60.0％和36.7％,各处理组间均有显著差异(p<0.01)。     

绵羊胎儿成纤维细胞不同处理对核移植重构胚发育的影响

研究供体细胞代数、大小、周期以及基因转染处理对重构胚发育的影响. 结果如下: (i)体外培养5~7代细胞做供体核, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚率显著高于16~18代细胞的桑椹/囊胚率(17.3% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.05); (ii) 15~25 μm细胞做供体核, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚率为20.0%, 高于8~15 mm细胞、25~33 μm细胞桑椹/囊胚率(8.0%, 9.7%), 但效果不显著(P > 0.05); (iii) 血清饥饿与非血清饥饿的细胞做供体核, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚发育率没有显著性差异(11.8% vs. 18.6%, P > 0.05), 但非血清饥饿的效果要好于血清饥饿; (iv) 用0.05 μmol/L秋水仙素处理供体细胞效果最好, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚率可达27.5%, 而未处理或用0.1 μmol/L秋水仙素处理供体细胞, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚率分别为17.1%和12.1%, 但三者之间差异不显著(P > 0.05); (v) 以转染绿色荧光蛋白基因(GFP)细胞做供体核, 重构胚的桑椹/囊胚率显著低于非转基因细胞做供体核的桑椹/囊胚率(3.1% vs. 20.4%, P < 0.05). 上述结果表明, 传代少、中等大小的细胞更适合做供体核; 血清饥饿没有必要; 用0.05 μmol/L秋水仙素处理供体细胞有利于重构胚的发育; 转基因供体细胞对重构胚发育有影响.     

应用氯化锶对小鼠卵母细胞孤雌活化的研究

目的　探讨小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活的最佳作用条件。方法　将MⅡ期小鼠卵母细胞随机分为 2组 ,第一组 ,将小鼠卵母细胞分别放入 2、4、6、8、10mmol ml不同浓度的氯化锶激活液中 ,作用 6h ,观察激活率及囊胚发育率。第二组 ,将小鼠卵母细胞放入 10mmol ml氯化锶激活液中 ,分别作用 3、6、9h ,观察激活率及囊胚发育率。结果　第一组 ,激活率分别为 86 49%、82 6 1%、88 0 0 %、86 6 7%、81 18%。各组间差异无显著性。体内培养 72h回收囊胚 ,囊胚发育率分别为 0、31 42 %、43 33%、6 2 5 0 %、5 0 0 0 %。 6～ 10mmol mlSrCl2 激活液激活后囊胚发育率高于 0～ 4mmol ml(P <0 0 5 )。第二组 ,激活率分别为 82 86 %、89 6 1%、91.40 %。 72h囊胚发育率分别为 2 6 5 3 %、5 0 0 0 %、5 3 2 2 %。激活 6、9h的囊胚发育率高于激活 3h的囊胚发育率 (P <0 0 1)。结论　结果表明 ,6～ 10mmol ml的SrCl2 为卵母细胞孤雌活化的最佳作用浓度 ,6～ 9h的激活时间为最佳作用时间 ;表明SrCl2 的浓度和作用时间对小鼠卵母细胞的活化有显著的影响。     

家兔供体卵裂球细胞周期对核移植胚胎发育的影响

通过化学药物处理使家兔桑椹胚卵裂球的细胞周期分别同期化于G1、S或G2期 ,然后分别移入去核的MⅡ期卵母细胞中 ,以研究供体核细胞周期对家兔胚胎细胞核移植效率的影响。试验结果表明供体核细胞周期对家兔核移植胚胎的发育潜力有明显影响 ,以G1期卵裂球为供体的核移植重组胚的激活率、卵裂率、桑椹胚、囊胚和孵化囊胚率及囊胚平均细胞数分别为 87 3% (32 2 / 36 9)、 84 9% (2 99/ 35 2 )、 71 5 % (193/ 2 70 )、5 8 0 % (76 / 131)、 35 1% (4 6 / 131)和 12 6± 4 8,显著高于S期 [79 6 % (10 9/ 137)、 74 4% (93/ 12 5 )、30 3% (33/ 10 9)、19 3% (17/ 88)、 6 8% (6 / 88)和 118 8± 3 5 ]、G2期 [6 3 6 % (70 / 110 )、6 0 % (6 0 / 10 0 )、16 9% (11/ 6 5 )、 16 3% (7/ 43)、 4 7% (2 / 43)和 110 6± 5 8]和未经同期化处理的卵裂球 [78 1% (185 /2 37)、 73 2 % (15 8/ 2 16 )、 49 4% (4 3/ 87)、 32 2 % (2 8/ 87)、 12 6 % (11/ 87)和 12 0 5± 4 4](P <0 0 5 )。来源于G1期卵裂球的 144枚克隆胚胎移植到 12只受体中 ,6只妊娠并产下 19只活仔 ,产仔率为 13 2 % ,显著高于来源于S期 (5 8% ,7/ 12 0 )、G2期 (0 ,0 / 12 6 )或未同期化卵裂球的克隆胚胎 (5 3% ,8/ 15 0 ) (P <0     

实验兔胞内单精子注射技术

目的 建立实验兔胞内单精子注射技术(intracytoplasmic sperm injection,ICSI).方法 实验1比较了hCG注射后不同取卵时间对ICSI胚体外发育的影响.实验 2 比较了不同的激活方式对ICSI胚体外发育的影响.实验 3 比较了不同状态的兔精子ICSI胚胎体外发育结果.结果 (1)hCG注射后14 h取卵,其卵裂率、桑椹胚率和囊胚率(82.2%、72.9%和62.2%)都比16 h(75.9%、70.0%和53.3%)的高,但是差异无显著性(P>0.05);18 h取的卵注射后不能卵裂.(2)机械刺激组和离子霉素 6-DMAP组,ICSI后其卵裂率分别为82.2%和81.1%(P>0.05),桑椹胚率分别为72.9%和66.2%(P>0.05),囊胚率分别为51.3%和62.3%(P<0.05),机械刺激组和离子霉素组之间卵裂率和桑椹胚率差异无显著性,但是囊胚率差异有显著性.(3)新鲜精子组和冻融活精子组卵裂率(81.1%和68.8%)和囊胚率(62.3%和40.4%)差异有显著性(P<0.05),而桑椹胚率(66.2%和61.9%)差异无显著性(P>0.05).结论 精子冷冻前后,通过ICSI所得的桑椹胚均能孵化,表明已初步建立了实验兔的ICSI技术.     

影响山羊体外受精的因素

以屠宰山羊卵母细胞为材料研究了公羊个体、附睾不同部位精子、成熟培养和受精时卵丘存在与否、卵丘扩展程度及卵龄对山羊体外受精的影响。结果表明 :1)不同公羊精液在受精、卵裂和桑椹 /囊胚率上都有显著差异 ;2 )附睾尾精子和鲜精的受精、卵裂和桑椹 /囊胚率无显著差异 ,但显著高于附睾体和附睾头精子 ;3)成熟培养 2 4和 2 7h卵母细胞的的桑椹胚 /囊胚率显著高于培养 2 1和 30h卵母细胞 ;4 )卵丘扩展 3和 4级卵母细胞受精和桑椹胚 /囊胚率显著高于扩展 0和 1级卵母细胞 ;5 )成熟培养前机械去卵丘严重影响卵母细胞体外受精和桑椹胚 /囊胚率 ;6 )受精前完全去掉卵丘显著影响桑椹胚 /囊胚率     

不同群系小鼠胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存技术的研究

利用 EFS40 ,二步法对近交系 C5 7BL/6、DBA/2和远交群 ICR小鼠囊胚玻璃化冷冻保存 ,并对冷冻后胚胎体内、外发育效果进行比较。结果表明 ,相同条件下鲜胚经培养 ,近交系 C5 7BL /6小鼠的囊胚发育率 ( 93% )与 ICR( 1 0 0 % )相比差异不显著 ( P>0 .0 5 ) ;而两近交系的囊胚孵化率明显低于 ICR( P<0 .0 1 )。 C5 7BL/6、DBA/2小鼠囊胚冷冻后发育率 ( 93% ,96% )和孵化率 ( 5 2 % ,46% )与各自对照组 ( 1 0 0 % ,1 0 0 %和 61 % ,62 % )相比均无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 ) ;并且与 ICR冷冻组发育率和孵化率 ( 94% ,5 3% )之间也无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 )。两近交系冻胚移植妊娠与各自对照组和 ICR冷冻组比较均无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 )。C5 7BL/6胚胎移植产仔率 ( 35 % )与对照组 ( 5 1 % )之间差异显著 ( P<0 .0 1 ) ,而 DBA/2胚胎移植产仔率 ( 4 7% )与对照组和 ICR冷冻组 ( 39% ,5 8% )相比差异不显著 ( P>0 .0 5 )。     

Successful cryopreservation of expanded equine blastocysts

Effective cryopreservation of expanded equine blastocysts (> 300 μm in diameter) has been difficult, perhaps due to the volume of blastocoele fluid or the presence of the equine embryonic capsule. Recently, we reported normal viability of equine embryos after trophoblast biopsy, which resulted in blastocyst collapse. The present study addressed the effect of biopsy and resultant breach of the capsule and blastocyst collapse on survival of expanded equine blastocysts after vitrification. First, non-biopsied, small embryos (< 300 μm) were vitrified in fine-diameter microloader pipette tips using dimethylsulfoxide-containing medium (DM) or ethylene glycol-containing medium (EG). A third group was vitrified with EG, but was warmed using sucrose (EG/s). Embryos in the DM and EG/s treatments grew in culture after vitrification, and established pregnancies after transfer (3 of 12 and 3 of 6, respectively). Expanded blastocysts 300-730 μm in diameter were then biopsied and vitrified; rates of normal pregnancy (detection of embryonic heartbeat) after warming and transfer were 2 of 16 (13%) and 6 of 13 (46%) for DM and EG/s treatments, respectively (P = 0.05). Within the EG/s treatment, it appeared that greater loss of blastocoele fluid after biopsy was associated with higher survival. Therefore, an altered (“Central”) biopsy technique was used to aspirate blastocoele fluid, followed by vitrification in EG/s. Pregnancy rates were 1 of 8 (13%) for embryos cultured after warming and 4 of 7 (57%) for embryos transferred immediately after warming (P = 0.1). Finally, expanded blastocysts 407 to 565 μm in diameter were biopsied from the periphery, and blastocoele fluid was removed with gentle suction. After vitrification with EG/s, this resulted in a rate of normal pregnancy of 5 of 7 (71%). These findings demonstrated that blastocoele collapse and vitrification in fine-diameter pipettes allowed successful cryopreservation of expanded equine blastocysts.     

胚胎冷冻技术应用于抗菌肽转基因小鼠的保种传代

目的研究胚胎冷冻在抗菌肽转基因FVB小鼠保种传代中的应用。方法对6~8周正常雌性FVB小鼠进行超排分别与雄性杂合子抗菌肽转基因FVB小鼠交配,收集2-cell胚胎,进行胚胎冷冻。1周后进行胚胎复苏移植,通过PCR方法对仔代鉴定。结果冻存胚胎140枚,复苏获得存活胚胎98枚,移植85枚,产仔38只,获得阳性后代12只。结论通过胚胎冷冻技术保种及复苏移植技术可对抗菌肽转基因小鼠进行传代。     

草地早熟禾胚胎学研究 Ⅲ．多胚囊及多胚现象

报道了草地早熟禾中多胚囊的起源、发育和结构。在１个胚珠中,大孢子母细胞周围可以有一到多个起源于珠心细胞的胚囊原始细胞,并可以发育成为多胚囊,其中具有两个胚囊的可以发育成为成熟胚囊。起源于珠心的体细胞无孢子生殖胚囊的发育属于山柳菊型。两个成熟胚囊中,都可以形成胚和胚乳,因而形成了具假多胚的种子。位于中部的胚来源于珠心还囊,属于无融合生殖形成的胚。两个以上的多胚囊不能形成成熟胚囊。     

Factors affecting chilled storage of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Chilled storage of zebrafish embryos was investigated at a temperature that arrests embryonic development as this technique might offer interesting practical applications. Five parameters played an important role for chilled storage: (a) storage temperature, (b) development stage of embryos, (c) storage solution (extender), (d) postchilling treatment, and (e) inhibition of growth of microorganisms by antibiotics. The optimal chilling temperature was 8 °C. Prim-5 stage (24 h postfertilization [hpf]) and prim-25 stage (36 hpf) embryos had similar high chilling resistance and could be chilled for 33 h without a loss in viability. Five-somite stage (12 hpf) embryos had a lower chilling resistance and could be chilled only for 14 h without a loss in viability. After longer incubation periods, the viability started to decrease. Under these conditions, chilling in physiologic saline solutions was superior to that in water. Fifty percent of the prim-5 stage and prim-25 stage embryos survived for 41 h at 8 °C in water but for 46 h in physiologic saline solution. A similar effect was observed for 5-somite stage embryos (50% survival rate in water, 28 h; 50% survival rate in physiologic saline solution, 35 h). When embryos were incubated in physiologic saline solution instead of water in the postchilling phase, the embryo viability was positively affected, too. Also, supplementation of the storage solution with antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin) increased the viability of chilled embryos. In summary, the current study shows that chilled storage of zebrafish embryos is possible for sufficiently long periods to synchronize the development of embryos deriving from different spawning dates or to delay the development for experimental purposes. To prolong the storage periods, further development and standardization of the methodology is necessary.     

Embryo quality and transcervical technique are not the limiting factors in donkey embryo transfer outcome

Embryo transfer (ET) in the donkey resulted in a very low recipient pregnancy rates. The aim of these studies was to investigate if nonsurgical transfer techniques or donkey embryo quality affect donkey recipient pregnancy failure. In Study 1, the impact of transfer technique was investigated by evaluating if cervical catheterization is associated with prostaglandin release and suppression of luteal function and if donkey recipients would become pregnant after nonsurgical transfer of horse embryos. Four jennies, from 5 to 8 d after ovulation, were submitted to a sham transcervical ET and to evaluation of PGFM and progesterone plasma concentrations. Five 8 d horse embryos were nonsurgically transferred into synchronized donkey recipients (HD). Cervical stimulation caused a transient PGF_2α release in two of four jennies in the absence of a significant decrease in progesterone plasma concentration. All transferred horse embryos resulted in pregnancies in the jenny recipients. In Study 2, donkey embryo viability was investigated by 1.2 meters, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining of 10 embryos and by the transfer of 6 and 12 donkey embryos in synchronized mare (DH) and donkey (DD) recipients, respectively, of known fertility. The estimated proportion of dead cells in DAPI stained embryos was 0.9% (range 0-3.9%) and below what is considered normal (20%) for horse embryos. Three of six and six of 12 of the DH and DD ETs, respectively resulted in pregnancies at 14 and 25 d (50%), a higher pregnancy rate than previously reported after DD ET. The overall results of this study suggest that the transcervical technique for ET and donkey embryo viability are not the reasons for the low pregnancy rates that have previously been described in donkey recipients, and that nonsurgical ET in donkeys can result in acceptable results.     

Divergent selection for in vitro developmental capacity of preimplantation mouse embryos

Summary Replicated divergent selection was conducted for two generations in ICR mice for in vitro developmental capacity (IVDC; percentage of fertilized one-cell zygotes developing to blastocysts in vitro per female donor). Realized heritabilities based on high and low selection were 0.03±0.08 and –0.11±0.09 in replicate 1, and 0.10±0.11 and 0.08±0.10 in replicate 2. No differences were detected between selection lines (P>0.2) or replicates (P>0.1). Estimate of heritability in the base population based on 332 daughter-dam pairs was 0.14±0.18. These results indicate that additive genetic variance contributes little to the phenotypic variance in this trait. Considerable phenotypic variation in IVDC was observed (mean=49.3; SD=31.0), with a range of IVDC from 0%–100%. Utilization of donor female as a blocking factor is suggested for designs of experiments with preimplantation embryos to increase precision and power of statistical analyses.     

枣合子胚和体细胞胚发育过程的观察与比较

本实验对临猗梨枣、壶瓶枣、晋矮1号等13个品种的枣胚的发育过程进行了观察,并诱导晋矮1号成熟胚的愈伤组织通过体细胞胚发生途径形成再生植株。结果表明:体细胞胚产生于愈伤组织的表层细胞或内部细胞。在鱼雷胚期已有导管的分化,子叶期的维管组织呈“Y”形。枣合子胚及体细胞胚的发育均经历了原胚、球形胚、心形胚、鱼雷胚和子叶胚五个时期。大多数品种的枣胚从球形胚期或心形胚期即开始败育,只有极少数品种可发育到成熟胚,而且合子胚形成的能力、胚败育时发育的程度等均存在着大的品种间差异,同一品种甚至同一子房内胚的发育进程也不同步。     

Retrospective study of factors affecting multiple ovulations,embryo recovery,quality, and diameter in a commercial equine embryo transfer program

In this study, 198 donor mares of different breeds, ages, and reproductive category were inseminated with fresh, cooled and frozen or frozen and cooled semen at the embryo transfer station or in private artificial insemination centers during 10 breeding seasons. The results of this activity were retrospectively analyzed by Pearson Chi-square test and logistic regression to evaluate factors affecting multiple ovulations, embryo recovery, embryo quality, and embryo diameter. Out of the 661 cycles, 937 ovulations were recorded (mean ovulations/cycle: 1.42 ± 0.58). Ovulation rate and incidence of multiple ovulations were significantly affected by age, breed, and reproductive category. Uterine flushings for embryo recovery were performed between 7 and 10 days after ovulation and resulted in the recovery of 338 embryos (51.1% embryos/cycle and 36.1% embryos/ovulation, respectively). At least one embryo was recovered in 298 flushings (45.1%). The factors affecting embryo recovery were age, breed, reproductive category, type of semen, number of ovulations, and location of artificial insemination. Flushing protocol and day of flushing had no effect on embryo recovery. Age, type of semen, number of ovulations, and day of flushing had a significant influence on embryo diameter (N = 215). None of the factors included in the model had an effect on embryo quality distribution.     

Effect of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone during bovine in vitro maturation on development following in vitro fertilization and nuclear transfer

The effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) (0, 100, 10,000 lU/ml) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (20 μg/ml) supplementation during in vitro maturation of slaughterhouse-derived oocytes on polar body formation and embryo development subsequent to in vitro fertilization and nuclear transfer were evaluated. Go-nadotropin supplementation of maturation medium in the presence of serum neither enhanced the proportion of oocytes forming a polar body nor significantly affected development following in vitro fertilization or nuclear transfer, except at the highest LH concentration. A very high concentration of LH (10,000 lU/ml) significantly decreased polar body formation, initial cleavage, and blastocyst development (P < 0.05). © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Shaping the norms that regulate international commerce of embryos

As various embryo technologies in livestock were developed and evolved to a state of usefulness over the past 40 years, scientists with a specific interest in infectious diseases sought to determine the epidemiologic consequences of movement, especially international movement, of increasing numbers of embryos. Many of the foundational studies in this area were reported in Theriogenology, beginning in the 1970s and especially throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Unquestionably, Theriogenology has been a widely used venue for dissemination of basic information on this subject, which ultimately led to the development of the now universally accepted techniques for certification of embryo health. Today it is well-recognized that movement in commerce of embryos, especially in vivo–derived embryos, is a very low-risk method for exchange of animal germ plasm. This paper chronicles the evolution of strategies for health certification of embryos. An overview is provided of the calculated efforts of practitioners, scientists, and regulators to organize, forge necessary partnerships, stimulate needed research, provide purposeful analysis of the results, and, through these processes, guarantee the universal acceptance of efficient protocols for certifying the health of embryos intended for movement in international commerce.