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。     

小鼠胚胎徒手分割技术的研究

目的　研究不同分割液和分割前胚胎去致密化与否对昆明白系小鼠的桑椹胚和囊胚的徒手分割以及分割后胚胎移植的影响。方法　在mPBS、1 2 5 %蔗糖液和进口分割液三种不同分割液中对桑椹胚和囊胚进行徒手分割。结果和结论　在蔗糖液与进口分割液中分割桑椹胚 ,成功率显著高于mPBS处理组 (6 9 5 3%、77 4 0 %vs5 6 82 % ) (P <0 0 5 ) ,而半胚的囊胚发育率及囊胚细胞数三组差异均无显著性 (P >0 0 5 ) ;在蔗糖液与进口分割液中分割囊胚 ,分割后半胚培养的囊胚发育率显著高于mPBS处理组 (72 38%、74 2 9%vs 5 6 2 0 % ) (P <0 0 1 ) ,而分割成功率及囊胚细胞数三组差异均无显著性 (P >0 0 5 ) ;各处理组半胚的囊胚发育率及囊胚细胞数都显著低于对照组体外培养桑椹胚的囊胚发育率 (98 70 % )和囊胚细胞数 (6 3 6 7± 5 78) (P <0 0 1 ) ;桑椹胚经去致密化处理后分割 ,其分割成功率显著高于未处理组 (82 90 %vs 5 6 6 0 % ) (P <0 0 1 ) ,处理组半胚培养的囊胚发育率也显著高于未处理组 (73 80 %vs 4 6 80 % ) (P <0 0 1 ) ;共移植 1 4 2枚 2分胚形成的囊胚移植于 1 1只受体 ,其中 3只妊娠 ,分别产仔 2只、3只和 4只     

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.     

Effect of dehydration prior to cryopreservation of large equine embryos

Cryopreservation of equine embryos > 300 μm in diameter results in low survival rates using protocols that work well for smaller equine embryos. These experiments tested the potential benefit of incorporating a dehydration step prior to standard cryopreservation procedures. Forty-six, day 7–8, grade 1, equine embryos 300–1350 μm in diameter were subjected to one of the following treatments: (A) 2 min in 0.6 M galactose, 10 min in 1.5 M glycerol, slow freeze (n = 21); (B) 10 min in 1.5 M glycerol, slow freeze (n = 15); (C) 2 min in 0.6 M galactose, 10 min in 1.5 M glycerol, followed by exposure to thaw solutions, then culture medium (n = 5); (D) transferred directly to culture medium (n = 5). Frozen embryos were thawed and subjected to a three-step cryoprotectant removal. Five embryos from each treatment were evaluated morphologically after 24 and 48 h culture (1 = excellent, 5 = degenerate/dead). All treatments had at least 4/5 embryos with a quality score  3 at these time points except treatment B (2/5 at 24 h, 1/5 at 48 h). Subsequent embryos from treatment A (n = 16) or B (n = 10) were matched in sets of two for size and treatment, thawed, and immediately transferred in pairs to 13 recipients. Only two recipient mares were pregnant; one received two 400 μm embryos from treatment A, and the other one 400 and one 415 μm embryo from treatment B. There was no advantage of incorporating a 2 min dehydration step into the cryopreservation protocol for large equine embryos.     

Luteotrophic effect, growth and survival of whole versus half embryos and, their relationship with plasma progesterone concentrations of recipient dairy heifers

This prospective and randomised experiment was designed to compare the luteotrophic effect of whole versus half embryos and, to evaluate the relationship between the plasma progesterone (P4) profiles and the rates of early embryonic (from Days 7 to 25), late embryonic (Days 25-42) and foetal (Days 42-63) mortalities of whole and half embryo recipients. Within a single herd, 188 virgin, healthy, cyclic, reproductively sound, with adequate body condition score, Holstein dairy heifers were randomly allocated to receive one whole or one half embryo on Day 7 of the oestrous cycle (Day 0=estrus). In each embryo-transfer (ET) group, half of the recipients were treated with a CIDR (controlled internal drug releasing device) between Days 7 and 19. Pregnancy was evaluated by ultrasound on Days 25, 42 and 63 and plasma P4 profiles were obtained until Day 63 of pregnancy. CIDR-treated and untreated heifers had similar pregnancy rates on Days 25, 42 and 63 and, embryo size on Day 42 was also similar in treated and untreated recipients. Therefore, CIDR treatment failed to promote growth and survival of half and whole embryos. Half embryos presented a significantly higher rate of early and late embryonic mortality than whole embryos. In contrast, foetal mortality was similar in whole and half embryos and, this was coincidental to a similar embryo size on Day 42. Therefore, half embryos exhibited a compensatory growth until Day 42, irrespective of CIDR treatment, after which they presented a similar survival rate to that of whole embryos. Half embryo-derived pregnancies presented significantly lower plasma P4 concentrations on Day 25 than whole embryo-derived pregnancies, suggesting that this lower luteotrophic effect of half embryos could be related to their higher rate of late embryonic mortality. No significant relationship between the early luteal P4 concentrations and embryo survival was observed in whole and half embryo recipients. The first detectable luteotrophic effect of embryonic origin was observed on Day 14 and no detectable second luteotrophic effect was observed until Day 63 of pregnancy. Treatment with CIDR significantly increased plasma P4 concentrations during treatment but induced a significant decrease after removal of the device, suggesting that secretion of luteotropins was downregulated in the course of treatment.     

The relationship between preimplantation morphokinetics of human embryos and sex chromosome pattern

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the gender of human embryos and chronological changes during the two pronuclear (2PN) embryonic stage and blastocyst formation on day five after injection using time-lapse imaging and preimplantation genetic testing. A total of 120 couples who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection with preimplantation genetic testing were included in the study. Only normal embryos (n?=?416) were enrolled in this study. Time-lapse imaging data of male (n?=?227) and female (n?=?189) embryo progression was carried out to estimate the times of initial appearance of the 2PN stage, fading times and day five blastulation rates. The results revealed that the 2PN stage (fertilisation) was reached significantly earlier in female embryos (9.09?±?1.31?h) than in male embryos (9.52?±?1.48?h, p-value?=?0.0044). Conversely, the fading time of 2PN was significantly faster in male embryos (22.13?±?2.02) than in female embryos (24.16?±?2.61, p-value < 0.001). The blastulation rate was significantly higher in female than male embryos (68.25% vs. 57.71%; p-value?=?0.025).     

Embryos produced from fertilization with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV)-infected semen and the risk of disease transmission to embryo transfer (ET) recipients and offspring

Bovine diarrhea virus (BVDV) causes a variety of economically important enteric and infertility problems in cattle. For that reason, several countries have eradicated the disease, and some others have schemes in progress to achieve freedom. Although there is a considerable amount of information about the risk of BVDV transmission through contaminated semen used for artificial insemination (AI), there is no evidence to indicate whether the resulting embryos, when used for embryo transfer, can lead to the transmission of BVDV to recipients or offspring. For this experiment, semen from a bull persistently infected with BVDV (10⁵ 50% tissue culture infective doses/mL NY strain) was used for insemination (two times at estrus) of BVDV-seronegative, superovulated cows (N = 35). Embryos were collected 7 days after insemination and subsequently were washed according to the International Embryo Transfer Society recommendations or left unwashed. Out of 302 collected oocytes and embryos, 173 (57%) were fertilized and the remaining 129 (43%) had degenerated. Infectious BVDV was detected in 24% (17/71) of unwashed and 10% (8/77) of washed embryos, and in all (N = 11) follicular fluid samples, oviductal epithelial cells, endometrium, and corpora lutea tissues as determined by the virus isolation test. After transfer of 39 washed embryos to 27 BVDV-seronegative recipients, 12 (44%) cows became pregnant and 17 calves free of BVDV and BVDV antibodies, including five sets of twins, were born. After embryo transfer, all pregnant and nonpregnant recipients remained free of BVDV and antibodies. In conclusion, results herein suggest that BVDV can be transmitted by AI resulting in the production of some proportion of contaminated embryos. However, it appears that such embryos, when washed according to International Embryo Transfer Society and the World Organization for Animal Health guidelines do not cause BVDV transmission to recipients or their offspring.     

16细胞期爪蟾胚胎背方与腹方裂球的发育能力

在两栖类爪蟾胚胎发育中,由受精引起的皮层转动造成了受精卵的背腹极性。为了研究受精卵细胞质的不均一分布对胚胎体轴形成的影响,我们进行了16细胞期动物极背、腹方裂球的外植和异位移植实验。16细胞期的动物极背方裂球在外植和移植到腹方位置后都表现出背方特征,如外植块培养到原肠中期时伸长,背方裂球在移植到腹方后引发第二体轴等;而16细胞期动物极腹方裂球移植到背方后其发育命运则遵循背方裂球的命运,参与背方结构的形成。我们认为在16细胞期,动物极背、腹方的裂球由于包含着不同的卵质,因而在发育能力上已经具有背、腹的差异。     

Reduction of embryotoxicity by protein in embryo culture media.

Experiments tested the hypothesis that one role of protein in embryo culture media is protection of embryos against potentially embryotoxic substances in the media. Mouse embryos were cultured in modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate medium and in modified Tyrode's medium, aliquots of which were supplemented with 4 mg/ml of the protein bovine serum albumin (BSA), while other aliquots were left protein free. The media were prepared using water samples that differed in purity, as reflected by differences in conductivity, with tap water being least pure (and considered to have the greatest potential for being embryotoxic) and water that had been purified by reverse osmosis, Milli-Q filtration, and triple distillation being most pure. Embryos were placed in the media while in the two-cell stage of development and their development was assessed after 24, 48, and 72 hr of culture. Rate of embryo development in BSA-supplemented media was greater than that in protein-free media only when the media were prepared with the least purified water samples. Because these water samples would have contained substances not contained in media prepared with purer water, or would have contained the substances in higher concentration, the data supported the hypothesis that protein can protect embryos during culture by negating effects of embryotoxic substances in the media.     

中华绒螯蟹正常附着胚胎与流产胚胎的结构特点

用扫描电镜技术观察了中华绒螯蟹正常附着胚胎及流产胚胎的结构特点。结果表明,受精卵从生殖孔排出15min后,孵化室中的孵化液体积增大,使胚胎浸没在孵化液中,胚胎表面具有粘性;产卵后30min．卵柄初步形成;80～140min后卵柄完全形成,胚胎牢固地粘附在携卵绒毛上。正常胚胎的卵柄高度扭曲,上有很多毛状物,同时携卵刚毛上有很多粘液;流产胚胎的卵柄上无毛状物,但卵柄及胚胎表面有许多寄生物附着。携卵刚毛上的粘液及卵柄上的毛状物可能和胚胎附着有关;而胚胎表面寄生物的活动,可能使胚胎外被、卵柄以及卵索的结构发生变化,增加了胚胎之间的摩擦,进而胚胎呼吸困难,以致死亡和流产。     

Nuclear transfer in the bovine embryo: a comparison of 5-day, 6-day, frozen-thawed, and nuclear transfer donor embryos

Micromanipulation and electrofusion were utilized for nuclear transfer in bovine embryos. Embryonic blastomeres from 5-day (estrus = day 0), 6-day, frozen-thawed 5-day, and first-generation nuclear transfer embryos (embryos were themselves a product of nuclear transfer with the original donor being a 5-day embryo) were transferred into bisected bovine oocytes by electrofusion. The percentage of donor cells fusing with the recipient oocytes was compared between different types of donor embryos. The percentage of embryos developing normally into morula or blastocysts following 6 days culture in the sheep oviduct was also recorded and compared between different donor embryo types. No significant differences were found between donor blastomeres for the percent successfully fused to oocytes: 5-day, 294 of 513 (57.3%); 6-day, 252 of 405 (62.2%); frozen-thawed 5-day, 111 of 144 (77.1%); nuclear transfer, 142 of 223 (63.7%); or the percent developing normally following nuclear transfer: 5-day, 92 of 444 (20.7%); 6-day, 84 of 357 (23.5%); frozen-thawed 5-day, 32 of 127 (25.2%); nuclear transfer, 31 of 199 (15.6%). These data suggest that a variety of donor embryos can successfully be utilized for bovine embryo cloning. Also, development of blastomeres from frozen-thawed 5-day donors and from donors that are themselves the product of nuclear transfer suggest that the production of multiple identical offspring is possible by frozen storage of seed stock and serial recloning.