甘蓝型油菜与紫罗兰属间杂交的植物遗传学研究

为探索属间杂种的遗传特点以及改良甘蓝型油菜油分品质,进行了甘蓝型油菜和紫罗兰的属间杂交。杂交母本为甘蓝型油菜奥罗（Brassica napusL.cv.oro)。父本为紫罗兰（Motthiola incana(L.)R.Br.)。将授粉7d后的油菜子房切下,消毒后,培养了添加适当植物激素的MS培养基。从750个离体培养的油菜授粉子房中,获得了2粒成熟胚胎,其结籽率为0.26%。将胚胎取出,转接于MS培养基（添加2.0mg/L6-BA和0.1mg/LNAA）,获得了丛生芽,将丛生芽分割为许多单芽,转接到新鲜培养基中,长成了22株小苗,杂种一代植株呈中间性,它的许多性状介于两个亲本之间,一些性状倾向母本,少数性状表现显著的超亲杂种优势,植株结实性差。杂种后代（F2）植株表现多样性,多数植株的性状倾向母本,能育。部分植株表现中间性,育性差,少数植株发育不良,不育,染色体研究表明,杂种一代植株为混倍体。在杂种体细胞中,许多细胞的染色体数为2n=26。为两个亲本的配子染色体数之和。杂种后代（F2）中,倾母植株的染色体数为2n=38。矮小植株的许多细胞具非整倍染色体数。如2n-1=37,2n 1=39。从杂种后代中获得了种子油分品质较好的植株,有可能用于油菜的品质育种。     

普通小麦与簇毛麦双二倍体的合成,育性及细胞遗传学研究

通过杂种幼胚无性系培养获得大量再生植株F_1,经秋水仙碱处理,合成了普通小麦与簇毛麦属间双二倍体(AABBDDVV)。其形态特征除株高、穗长、小穗数,籽粒大小和育性明显增加,生育期延长外,分别与各自的再生植株F_1相似。双二倍体的体细胞染色体数目变化范围为48—56。花粉母细胞减数分裂中期Ⅰ 2n=28Ⅱ的细胞占56.82％,每个细胞平均有27.10个二价体,1.44个单价体,0.08个三价体,0.03个四价体。经过连续两代单穗单株选择,结实率由15.91％提高到36.52％。     

新城疫病毒HN和F基因遗传变异相关性的研究

选取国内1999~2005年发生的NDV毒株,经CEF蚀斑纯化和SPF鸡胚增殖,对其融合蛋白(F)和血凝素-神经氨酸酶(HN)基因分别进行克隆测序,结合在GenBank中发表的具有F和HN基因的NDV序列,利用DNAStar软件,对其不同毒株的F或HN基因片段和全长、F和HN基因全长分别进行遗传变异的研究,利用统计学软件SPSS8.0进行同源性相关分析。结果表明:不同NDV毒株F或HN基因片段与其全长之间,核甘酸r≥0.973,氨基酸:0.911≤r≤0.968,遗传变异高度相关,但F与HN基因全长之间核甘酸的遗传变异呈现弱相关(r=0.312)。国内NDV野毒株之间HN核甘酸高度同源(同源率97%以上),而与La Sota同源率仅为79.2%~80.7%,且显示出明显的地域性。     

甘蓝型油菜与紫罗兰属间杂交的植物遗传学研究

为探索属间杂种的遗传特点以及改良甘蓝型油菜油分品质,进行了甘蓝型油菜和紫罗兰的属间杂交.杂交母本为甘蓝型油菜奥罗(Brassica napus L. cv. oro),父本为紫罗兰(Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br.).将授粉7 d后的油菜子房切下,消毒后,培养于添加适当植物激素的MS培养基.从750个离体培养的油菜授粉子房中,获得了2粒成熟胚胎,其结籽率为0.26%.将胚胎取出,转接于MS培养基(添加2.0 mg/L 6-BA和0.1 mg/L NAA),获得了丛生芽.将丛生芽分割为许多单芽,转接到新鲜培养基中,长成了22株小苗.杂种一代植株呈中间性,它的许多性状介于两个亲本之间,一些性状倾向母本,少数性状表现显著的超亲杂种优势,植株结实性差.杂种后代(F2)植株表现多样性,多数植株的性状倾向母本,能育.部分植株表现中间性、育性差,少数植株发育不良、不育.染色体研究表明,杂种一代植株为混倍体.在杂种体细胞中,许多细胞的染色体数为2n=26,为两个亲本的配子染色体数之和.杂种后代(F2)中,倾母植株的染色体数为2n=38,矮小植株的许多细胞具非整倍染色体数,如2n-1=37、2n+1=39.从杂种后代中获得了种子油分品质较好的植株,有可能用于油菜的品质育种.     

绥芬河大麻哈鱼个体生物学研究

研究以2012至2017年在绥芬河东宁段采集的447尾大麻哈鱼(Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum)为材料,对其年龄与生长及繁殖特性等个体生物学特征进行研究分析。结果表明:绥芬河大麻哈鱼种群由1~+-5~+龄5个年龄组构成,其中雌性个体以3~+龄为主,雄性个体以2~+龄为主。大麻哈鱼雌、雄个体的体长-体重关系分别为:W=0.0082×L~(3.0604);W=0.0076×L~(3.0746),均属匀速生长类型;采用Von Bertalanffy生长方程拟合得到3~+龄大麻哈鱼雌、雄个体的叉长生长方程分别为:L_(t,F)=141.64×e~(-0.11)·(t+1.55));L_(t,M)=119.51×e~(-0.13·(t+1.45))。利用逻辑斯蒂方程估算大麻哈鱼雌、雄个体初次性成熟叉长(L_(50))分别为51.53和42.15 cm。ARSS分析显示雌、雄个体的L_(50)差异显著;大麻哈鱼的绝对繁殖力(F)、相对叉长繁殖力(F_L)和相对体重繁殖力(F_W)分别为3412粒、52.42粒/cm和1.17粒/g;F与叉长、体重、性腺重呈显著正相关关系,GSI与叉长、体重、F成显著负相关关系;F与叉长、体重的幂函数关系方程式分别为:F=0.0311×L~(2.7745)(R~2=0.638)和F=1.946×W~(0.9374)(R~2=0.704)。本研究为绥芬河大麻哈鱼资源保护工作提供基础资料。     

Hypoxia induces major effects on cell cycle kinetics and protein expression in Drosophila melanogaster embryos

Hypoxia induces a stereotypic response in Drosophila melanogaster embryos: depending on the time of hypoxia, embryos arrest cell cycle activity either at metaphase or just before S phase. To understand the mechanisms underlying hypoxia-induced arrest, two kinds of experiments were conducted. First, embryos carrying a kinesin-green fluorescent protein construct, which permits in vivo confocal microscopic visualization of the cell cycle, showed a dose-response relation between O2 level and cell cycle length. For example, mild hypoxia (Po2 approximately 55 Torr) had no apparent effect on cell cycle length, whereas severe hypoxia (Po2 approximately 25-35 Torr) or anoxia (Po2 = 0 Torr) arrested the cell cycle. Second, we utilized Drosophila embryos carrying a heat shock promoter driving the string (cdc25) gene (HS-STG3), which permits synchronization of embryos before the start of mitosis. Under conditions of anoxia, we induced a stabilization or an increase in the expression of several G1/S (e.g., dE2F1, RBF2) and G2/M (e.g., cyclin A, cyclin B, dWee1) proteins. This study suggests that, in fruit fly embryos, 1) there is a dose-dependent relationship between cell cycle length and O2 levels in fruit fly embryos, and 2) stabilized cyclin A and E2F1 are likely to be the mediators of hypoxia-induced arrest at metaphase and pre-S phase.     

Embryo transfer and sex determination following superovulated hinds inseminated with frozen-thawed sex-sorted Y sperm or unsorted semen in Wapiti (Cervus elaphus songaricus)

The aim of this study was to evaluate embryo production in superovulated wapiti hinds inseminated with either Y-sorted or unsorted semen. Eighteen hinds were allocated to three treatment groups: AI following multiple ovulation (CIDR/FSH) with 10×10(6) Y-sorted frozen-thawed semen (Y group, n=6), or 10×10(6) and 100×10(6) unsorted frozen-thawed semen for the unsorted (n=6) and the control group (n=6). The embryos from the sixth day following insemination were collected and classified. Fifteen embryos from the unsorted or the control group, and four embryos from the Y group were sex determinated based on DNA analysis of the amelogenin gene. Twenty-one embryos from the Y group and 42 embryos from the unsorted or the control group were transferred into 21 and 42 synchronized recipients via standard procedures on 6th day post estrus, respectively. There were no significant differences in the number of recovered eggs, transferable embryos, degenerated embryos or unfertilized oocytes per hind among the three groups of the control (9.2±3.6, 4.7±1.9, 3.0±2.0, 1.5±1.4), the unsorted (8.2±1.9, 4.8±0.7, 1.7±1.0, 1.7±1.0) and the Y group (8.8±4.2, 4.2±1.8, 2.2±1.2, 2.5±2.1), respectively (P>0.05). The sex ratio of embryos from the Y group (4M/0F) was significantly (P<0.05) distinct from that of the unsorted and control group (8M/7F). The sex ratio of the offspring from sexed embryos (8M/0F) was deviated significantly (P<0.05) from that of the non-sexed embryos (11M/9F). In conclusion, the results suggested that the male embryos of predicted sex can be achieved with AI of sex-sorted cryopreserved sperm. PCR amplification using the amelogenin gene primers can be applied to DNA analysis of micro samples from wapiti embryo biopsies for sex identification. The male offspring can be produced after transferred with the male embryos of predicted sex.     

PROTEINS IMMUNOLOGICALLY RELATED TO DEHYDRINS IN FUCOID ALGAE

Adult fucoid algae on Atlantic shores have well-characterized, species-specific tolerances to the varying levels of desiccation that occur from the low to high intertidal zones; however, less is known about embryonic tolerances and their mechanistic basis. We investigated this by 1) exposing embryos of Fucus evanescens C. Agardh, F. spiralis L., and F. vesiculosus L. from the Maine shore to osmotic desiccation in hypersaline seawater and 2) examining whether these embryos contain species-specific dehydrins, proteins first identified in higher plants that are hypothesized to confer tolerance to dehydration. Embryonic survival when cultured in hypersaline seawater >100 practical salinity units (psu) correlated with the position of these species in the intertidal zone (F. spiralis > F. vesiculosus > F. evanescens), but all 1-day-old embryos of these species tolerated treatment with 100 psu or lower seawater. Proteins (17–105 kDa) immunologically related to dehydrins were detected on western blots with dehydrin antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide representing the conserved motif of dehydrins in higher plants. These proteins were constitutive and unstable when subjected to prolonged (>15 min) temperatures above 55° C, unlike most higher plant dehydrins, which are inducible and remain soluble at 75°–100° C. The presence of these proteins was species- and stage-specific. Sperm of F. vesiculosus had a characteristic protein of 76 kDa, whereas eggs and embryos (6 h to 3 days old) had a 92-kDa protein. By 1 week of age, expression of the 92-kDa protein decreased, and the 35-kDa protein of adults was present. Embryos of A. nodosum L. and Pelvetia compressa J. Agardh DeToni contained an 85-kDa protein rather than the 92-kDa protein of Fucus embryos (F. distichus L., F. evanescens, F. spiralis, and F. vesiculosus). The 92-kDa protein became more abundant in embryos exposed to hyperosmotic seawater at 50 psu (F. evanescens and F. vesiculosus) or 150 psu (F. spiralis); however, dehydrin-like proteins of some molecular masses decreased in abundance simultaneously. Further characterization of these proteins is required to establish whether they protect embryos against intertidal desiccation.     

Some aspects of the reproductive biology of Spratelloides gracilis (Schlegel) in the Ysabel Passage, Papua New Guinea

Fecundity, length at first spawning, spawning seasonality and ovarian development of Spratelloides gracilis were determined by examining preserved ovaries from fish captured over a 5-year period. Fecundity ( F ) was estimated from the number of eggs in the most advanced ovarian mode and was related to fish length ( L ) by the function: log_e F =3.764 log_eL-7.308, and to weight ( W ) by: log_eW= 1.210 log_eW+7.337. Spawning was observed in most months of the year without any recognizable pattern between the years. Ova diameter frequencies were bimodal but the smaller mode remained stationary regardless of the position of the larger mode. This was interpreted as evidence that individual fish may spawn only once. From data on egg length versus fish length and gonad index versus fish length it was estimated that fish were first capable of spawning at 45 mm (fork length).     

Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration in Cornus florida

Somatic embryos were initiated from 12 to 15 weeks postanthesis (WPA) zygotic embryos of Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood) cultured on Murashige-Skoog (MS) or Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium amended with either 3 mg/L 2,4-D or 5 mg/L 2,4-D and 1 mg/L kinetin. White, opaque globular and early cotyledonary stage embryos were formed directly on detached cotyledons from 2 of the 5 trees sampled after 7 weeks of culture. Morphologically mature embryos developed after an additional 4 weeks incubation on medium without growth regulators; however, many of the embryos were fused in pairs along the entire length of the hypocotyl-radicle axis. Indirect embryogenesis was observed from callus cultures initiated from 9 to 15 WPA zygotic embryos. These cultures have continued to produce embryos for 16 months. Many of the embryos formed roots on germination medium, but only 12% formed plantlets and none developed past the first true leaf stage.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - FPA Formalin-propionic acid-ethanol (50%) - WPA weeks post-anthesis     

A demonstration of a 1:1 correspondence between chiasma frequency and recombination using a Lolium perenne/Festuca pratensis substitution

A single chromosome of the grass species Festuca pratensis has been introgressed into Lolium perenne to produce a diploid monosomic substitution line 2n = 2x = 14. The chromatin of F. pratensis and L. perenne can be distinguished by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), and it is therefore possible to visualize the substituted F. pratensis chromosome in the L. perenne background and to study chiasma formation in a single marked bivalent. Recombination occurs freely in the F. pratensis/L. perenne bivalent, and chiasma frequency counts give a predicted map length for this bivalent of 76 cM. The substituted F. pratensis chromosome was also mapped with 104 EcoRI/Tru91 and HindIII/Tru91 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), generating a marker map of 81 cM. This map length is almost identical to the map length of 76 cM predicted from the chiasma frequency data. The work demonstrates a 1:1 correspondence between chiasma frequency and recombination and, in addition, the absence of chromatid interference across the Festuca and Lolium centromeres.     

Effects of acute exposures to elevated temperatures on rat embryo growth and development in vitro

Day 10 rat embryos (8-12 somites) cultured in vitro were exposed to elevated temperatures (41-43 degrees C) for varying lengths of time. A 15-minute exposure to a temperature of 43 degrees C (109.4 degrees F) was sufficient to produce malformed embryos when observed on day 11. Longer exposures at this temperature produce higher incidences of malformed embryos and also more severely affected embryos. Temperatures of 42 degrees C (107.6 degrees F) or 41 degrees C (105.8 degrees F) also produced malformed embryos, but the required length of exposure was increased compared to 43 degrees C. The minimal length of exposure at 42 degrees C was 60 minutes, while at 41 degrees C it was increased to 4 hours. The central nervous system was particularly sensitive to increased temperatures, and embryos exposed to "teratogenic doses" of hyperthermia exhibited primarily microcephaly and microphthalmia. In addition, histological analyses revealed that at 4.5 hours after a 30-minute exposure to 43 degrees C, necrotic debris was prevalent in the neuroepithelium, less prevalent in the surrounding mesenchyme and surface ectoderm, and absent in the tissues of the heart.     

淮河上游南湾湖麦穗鱼年龄与生长的研究

2014年的3月、5月、7月和12月在淮河上游南湾湖采集麦穗鱼(Pseudorasbora parva)样本532尾, 对麦穗鱼的年龄组成与生长进行分析。结果表明样本的体长分布范围为35.82—88.28 mm, 平均体长为(61.61±11.8) mm, 体重的分布范围为3.07—59.17 g, 平均体重为(19.23±10.73) g。雄性个体比雌性个体大, 雌雄性比为0.64鲶1。群体的年龄组成为1—3龄, 其中3龄样本数量占优势为57.38%。体长与体重的关系是雌性W=9.602E–5L2.928 (R2=0.883); 雄性W=4.487E–5L3.116 (R2=0.889), 雌雄样本间存在显著性差异(F=5.241, P<0.05)。麦穗鱼的鳞径与体长之间呈线性关系, 并且雌雄样本的鳞径与体长之间的关系差异性显著(F=78.405, P<0.05)。生长参数分别是雌性: L_∞=107.005, K=0.246, t₀= –0.76; 雄性: L_∞=145.254, K=0.181, t₀= –0.66。生长拐点是雌性3.607龄对应的体长和体重分别为70.46 mm和24.72 g, 雄性5.619龄对应的体长和体重分别为98.64 mm和73.53 g。研究结果表明雌性为匀速生长, 雄性为异速生长; 雄性麦穗鱼比雌性麦穗鱼的生长速度快。     

Effect of selected factors on the effectiveness ofCapsicum annuum L. anther culture

The primary aim of the study was to establish the effectiveness of induced androgenesis in in vitro anther culture of two pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) breeding lines--ATZ1 and PO, and a hybrid between these two lines (ATZ1 x PO)F1. Anther culture was maintained according to the method developed by Dumas de Vaulx et al. (1981) with some modifications. The experiment revealed that the effectiveness of androgenesis ranged from 4 %; for the ATZ1 line to 1.5 %; for the (ATZ1 x PO)F1 and strongly depended on the developmental stage of flower buds, as well as the conditions for anther culture maintenance. The development of androgenic embryos was successfully induced only in anthers which originated from the flower buds with petals equal or slightly longer than sepals and there was a clear relationship between the length of the period of anther induction on CP medium and the level of kinetin in R1 regeneration medium.     

The extensive length-force relationship of porcine airway smooth muscle.

The full functional length range of trachealis muscle was measured to identify a precise reference length and to assess the length changes that the myofilament lattice can accommodate. The initial reference length (L(10%)) was that where rest tension equaled 10% of total force (passive tension plus active force). Total force at this length served as a force reference (F(ref) = 219 +/- 12 kPa, N = 7). Muscles initially adapted at L(10%) for 30-60 min had no rest tension when shortened to <0.9 L(10%). Passive tension rose steeply and linearly with slope 11.2 F(ref)/L(10%) at lengths >1.04 L(10%). Rest tension at 1.1 L(10%) declined by <10% over 1 h. The steep slope and stability of rest tension at long lengths suggest that a parameter of the slope could serve as a precise, reproducible reference length. Active force was nearly constant at lengths 0.33-1.0 L(10%) and declined steeply at lengths between 0.1 and 0.2 L(10%), extrapolating to zero at 0.076 L(10%). Muscles visibly reextended during relaxation at lengths <0.25 L(10%). At long lengths, force extrapolated to zero at 1.175 L(10%). The >15-fold length range (0.076-1.175 L(10%)) for force generation and nearly constant force over a greater than threefold length range is likely produced by several structural accommodations, including filament sliding, an increased number of sliding filaments in series, and increased length of passive structures in series with the sliding filaments. Visible reextension during relaxation suggests that the lattice does not undergo plastic adaptations at lengths <25% L(10%) and that lattice plasticity is limited to a three- to fourfold length range.     

Physical and genetic mapping in the grasses Lolium perenne and Festuca pratensis

A single chromosome of the grass species Festuca pratensis has been introgressed into Lolium perenne to produce a diploid monosomic substitution line 2n = 2x = 14. In this line recombination occurs throughout the length of the F. pratensis/L. perenne bivalent. The F. pratensis chromosome and recombinants between it and its L. perenne homeologue can be visualized using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). GISH junctions represent the physical locations of sites of recombination, enabling a range of recombinant chromosomes to be used for physical mapping of the introgressed F. pratensis chromosome. The physical map, in conjunction with a genetic map composed of 104 F. pratensis-specific amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), demonstrated: (1) the first large-scale analysis of the physical distribution of AFLPs; (2) variation in the relationship between genetic and physical distance from one part of the F. pratensis chromosome to another (e.g., variation was observed between and within chromosome arms); (3) that nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) and centromeres greatly reduce recombination; (4) that coding sequences are present close to the centromere and NORs in areas of low recombination in plant species with large genomes; and (5) apparent complete synteny between the F. pratensis chromosome and rice chromosome 1.     

Cytotaxonomy of Ferula L. in China

The karyotypes of somatic cells of three species in Ferula L. (Umbelliferae) from China are reported for the first time in this paper. F. licentiana Hand. -Mazz., endemic to China, has the karyotype formula of 2n= 22= 14m+ 2sm+ 6st( 2SAT), which consists of nine pairs of L chromosomes (the relative length > 8.0) and two pairs of M chromosomes (the relative length, 8.0- 6.0). The index of the karyotypic asymmetry (AS. K%) is 36.36%, and the karyotype belongs to 2A (Stebbins 1971). F. licentiana var. tunshanica (Su) Shan et Q. X. Liu has the karyotypic formula of 2n=22= 14m+ 8st(2SAT), and the other characters of karyotype are very similar to those of F. licentiana. The karyotypic formula of F. bungeana Kitag. is 2n=22= 12m+ 6sm+ 2st. There are 8 pairs of L chromosomes and 3 pairs of M chromosomes in this karyotype. The AS.K% is 45.45% and thus the karyotype is rather symmetrical (2A). Based on above data, F.licentiana var. tunshanica may be treated as a variety of F.licentiana and F.bungeana be separated from Subgen. Peucedanoides. According to our study and available data, we consider that the basic chromosome number of Ferula is x= 11. The karyotypic evolution of 11 species in the genus from China is analysed. All species are grouped into 5 groups based on the cluster analysis of chromosome data: I.F. akitschensis B. Fedtsch. ex K.-Pol.; II. F. lapidosa Korov., III. F. bungeana. The above-mentioned three species belong to Subgen. Peucedanoides in classification. IV. This group is divided into two subgroups: (1) F. syreitschikowii K.-Pol. and F. ovina (Boiss.) Boiss.; (2) F. lehmannii Boiss., F. licentiana, F. licentiana var. tunshanica, F. Kirialovii Pimen. and F. sumbul (Kauffm.)Hook. f., in which F.lehmannii belongs to Subgen. Merwia, F. syteritschikowii to Subgen. Narthex and the rest five species to Subgen.Peucedanoides. V. F.caspica M. Bieb. of Subgen. Doromatoides.     

The roles of pyruvate, lactate and glucose during preimplantation development of embryos from F1 hybrid mice in vitro.

Embryos of certain inbred mouse strains, and their F1 hybrids, are able to develop from the 1-cell to blastocyst stage in simple chemically defined media containing lactate (L), pyruvate (P) and glucose (G). The individual roles of these substrates in supporting complete preimplantation development in vitro was examined with 1-cell F2 embryos from B6CBF1 hybrid mice. Embryos collected between 26 and 27 h post hCG were cultured in medium containing L, P, LP or LPG. After 50 h in culture, the proportions developing to the morula stage were 1%, 83%, 94% and 100%, respectively. In combination, lactate and pyruvate appeared to act synergistically and both the rate and level of development to the morula stage were unaffected by the absence of glucose. After a further 46 h in culture, only the embryos grown in the presence of glucose developed into blastocysts. In LP medium, embryos arrested at the compacted morula stage late on day 3 of development. As culture continued in the absence of glucose, embryos decompacted (approximately 82 h post hCG) and subsequently degenerated. Exposure to medium containing glucose for the first, second or third 24 h period in culture was sufficient to support the morula-to-blastocyst transition. Glucose still supported this transition when embryos were transferred to LPG medium 3 h after the completion of compaction (76 h post hCG), but was ineffective 6 h later (82 h post hCG) once decompaction had commenced. We conclude that lactate and pyruvate together are able to support normal development of 1-cell F2 embryos to the morula stage in vitro, but that glucose is an essential component of the culture medium for development to the blastocyst stage.     

Genetic control of survival of frozen mouse embryos

Lines of mice selected for increased litter size (L+), increased body weight (W+), or randomly (K) were used to study genetic variation in embryo cryosurvival in response to standard cryopreservation protocols. A total of 60528-cell embryos from 400 females were used in two studies. In Study 1, embryos from L+, W+, and K were frozen by slow-cool and ultrarapid (direct-plunge) methods to evaluate effects of selection on cryosurvival and genotype X freezing method interaction. Post-thaw survival (PTS) was measured as percentage of recovered embryos developing in vitro to blastocyst per donor female. Nonfrozen control embryos developed similarly for each line. Within slow-cool freezing, lines differed (W+ greater than K, W+ = L+, L+ = K; p less than 0.05); no differences were observed within the ultrarapid freezing. However, line X method interaction effects on PTS were not significant. In Study 2, reciprocal crosses were made between L+ and K and between W+ and K. Hybrid and pure line embryos were frozen by slow-cooling. Control embryos developed similarly for all genotypes. Selection lines did not differ for overall PTS. However, hybrid embryos from L+ dams were superior to those from K dams (84 vs. 61%; p less than .001). No overall embryo heterosis was observed. Differences were not significant among embryo genotypes or treatments for cell number or in vivo survival. These results demonstrate significant correlated responses in embryo post-thaw cryosurvival due to selection, and implicate both maternal and embryonic genomes as controlling mouse embryo cryosurvival.     

Assay of embryo-derived platelet activating factor (EDPAF) by an equine platelet aggregation assay: Preliminary data concerning its presence in bovine embryo culture media

This study was designed to establish a sensitive bioassay for bovine platelet-activating factor (PAF), to determine if the bovine embryo secretes PAF in vitro and if PAF release is correlated with the embryo's potential to establish a pregnancy. Using an equine platelet aggregation assay, lipid extracted culture media from 33 Day-7 embryos (individually cultured for 18 hours in 1 ml of Ham's F10 containing 0.4% BSA at 37 degrees C in an air: CO2 mixture of 95:5 prior to their transfer to recipient heifers) and from control media (n=15, Ham's F10+0.4% BSA incubated simultaneously without embryos) were investigated. In addition, culture media from Day-6 (n=6) and Day-1 (2-cell, n=12) bovine embryos that were cultured for 4 hours but not transferred were examined. The aggregation assay proved to be sensitive to 5 pg of PAF. The assay proved to be specific, since the PAF receptor antagonist SRI 63-441 inhibited platelet aggregation induced by culture media in dosages comparable to aggregation induced by synthetic PAF18. From the 15 Day-7 embryos that established a pregnancy 2 contained measurable amounts of PAF in their culture media. No PAF was detected in the culture media from 13 embryos that succeeded, in the 18 embryos that failed to establish a pregnancy, or in the control media. One of 6 Day-6 embryos and 3 of 12 Day-1 (2-cell) embryos secreted detectable amounts of PAF into the culture media. Although the results indicate that some bovine embryos release PAF or a PAF-like substance in vitro, PAF measurements in the culture medium seem not to be a suitable method for the evaluation of bovine embryos prior to transfer.