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Effect of sperm entry on blastocyst development after in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection — mouse model

  • Embryo Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), influence the embryo’s development and its quality using the mouse as a model.

Methods

Assisted fertilization was performed using ICSI and IVF. Fluorescent beads were adhered to the fertilization cone or place of previous sperm injection in the natural mated (NM), IVF and ICSI embryos, respectively. Embryo examination was carried out at the two-cell and blastocyst stage to determine the position of fluorescent bead. Protein expression was detected by fluorescence immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopic imaging of blastocysts.

Results

IVF and ICSI embryos developed at rates comparable to NM group. Embryos show similar expression patterns of two transcription factors, Oct4 and Cdx2. The most preferred place for spermatozoa attachment was the equatorial site of the egg, whether fertilization occurred in vitro or under natural conditions. We also link the sperm entry position (SEP) to embryo morphology and the number of cells at the blastocyst stage, with no influence of the method of fertilization.

Conclusions

IVF and ICSI, do not compromise in vitro pre-implantation development. Additional data, related to sperm entry, could offer further criteria to predict embryos that will implant successfully. Based on embryo morphology, developmental rate and protein expression level of key transcription factors, our results support the view that ART techniques, such as IVF and ICSI, do not perturb embryonic development or quality.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank K. Larkin, S. Frankenberg, V. Horner and A. Long for comments on the manuscript. We also thank the veterinary staff and the animal resources at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC). All animal procedures were approved by the IACUC and the Biosafety Committee at Emory University. YNPRC is supported by the National Center for Research Resources P51RR165 and is currently supported by the Office of Research and Infrastructure Program (ORIP)/OD P51OD11132. This study is supported in part by Emory University Research Fund and grant awarded by the ORIP/NIH (RR018827) to AWSC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd., N.E., Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA

    Karolina Piotrowska-Nitsche & Anthony W. S. Chan

  2. Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Karolina Piotrowska-Nitsche & Anthony W. S. Chan

  3. Department of Experimental Embryology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, 05-552, Poland

    Karolina Piotrowska-Nitsche

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  1. Karolina Piotrowska-Nitsche
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  2. Anthony W. S. Chan
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Correspondence to Karolina Piotrowska-Nitsche or Anthony W. S. Chan.

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Capsule

IVF and ICSI, do not compromise in vitro pre-implantation development. Additional data, related to sperm entry, could offer further criteria to predict embryos that will implant successfully.

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Piotrowska-Nitsche, K., Chan, A.W.S. Effect of sperm entry on blastocyst development after in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection — mouse model. J Assist Reprod Genet 30, 81–89 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9896-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9896-6

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