Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimizing tubal epithelial cell growth promotes mouse embryo hatching in coculture

  • Animal Experimentation
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between human tubal epithelial cell growth characteristics and mouse embryonic development to determine which cellular requirements should be preferentially provided in a coculture system.

Methods: Cell growth and viability were assessed for 5 days in α-minimal essential medium or human tubal fluid supplemented with 10% human serum or 10% synthetic serum. Two-cell mouse embryo development to blastocyst and hatching blastocyst stages was also assessed with or without coculture.

Results: Both epithelial cell growth and embryo development were dependent on serum supplementation with better cell viability and growth rates in human serum and better blastocyst development in synthetic serum. The highest proportion of hatching blastocysts was found in α-minimal essential medium and human serum with coculture.

Conclusions: Culture conditions which improve tubal epithelial cell growth also improve the hatching rate of mouse embryos in coculture. This indicates that by meeting the metabolic and nutritional demands for epithelial cell growth, the beneficial effects of coculture on embryo development may be optimized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kreitman O, Hodgen G: Retarded cleavage rates of preimplantation monkey embryos in vitro. JAMA 1981;246:627–629

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fisher B: Developmental retardation in cultured preimplantation embryos. J Reprod Fert 1987;79:115–123

    Google Scholar 

  3. Sathananthan AH, Trounson A: Effect of culture and cryopreservation on human oocyte and embryo ultrastructure and function. In Ultrastructure of Human Gametogenesis and Early Embryogenesis, J Van Blerkom, PM Motta (eds). Boston, Kluwer Academic, 1989, pp 179–199

    Google Scholar 

  4. Biggers JD, Gwatkin RBL, Brinster RL: Development of mouse embryos in organ cultures of fallopian tubes on a chemically defined medium. Nature Lond 1962;194:747–749

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bongso A, Ng SC, Fong CY, Ananadakumar C, Marshall B, Edirisinghe R, Ratnam S: Improved pregnancy rate after transfer of embryos grown in human fallopian tubal cell coculture. Fertil Steril 1992;58:569–574

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Yeung WSB, Ho PC, Lau EYL, Chan STH: Improved development of human embryos in vitro by a human oviductal cell coculture system. Hum Reprod 1992;7:1144–1149

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Wiemer KE, Hoffman KI, Maxson WS, Eager S, Muhlberger B, Fiore I, Cuervo M: Embryonic morphology and rate of implantation of human embryos following co-culture on bovine oviductal epithelial cells. Hum Reprod 1993;8:97–101

    Google Scholar 

  8. Brewis IA, Winston RML, Leese HJ: Energy metabolism of the human fallopian tube. J Reprod Fert 1992;95:257–262

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chatot CL, Ziomek CA, Bavister BD, Lewis JL, Torres I: An improved culture medium supports development of random-bred I-cell mouse embryos in vitro. J Reprod Fert 1989;86:679–688

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lawitts JA, Biggers JD: Overcoming the 2-cell block by modifying standard components in a mouse embryo culture medium. Biol Reprod 1991;45:245–251

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Quinn P: Enhanced results in mouse and human embryo culture using a modified human tubal fluid medium lacking glucose and phosphate. J Assist Reprod Genet 1995;12:97–105

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Freshney RI: The culture environment. II. Media and supplements.In Culture of Animal Cells: a Manual of Basic Technique. New York, Alan R. Liss, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gardner DK, Lane M: Amino acids and ammonium regulate mouse embryo development in culture. Biol Reprod 1993;48:377–385

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gardner DK, Lane M, Spitzer A, Batt PA: Enhanced rates of cleavage and development for sheep zygotes cultured to the blastocyst stage in vitro in the absence of serum and somatic cells: amino acids, vitamins, and culturing embryos in groups stimulate development. Biol Reprod 1994;50:390–400

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Piekos MW, Frasor J, Mack S, Binor Z, Soltes B, Wood Molo M, Radwanska E, Rawlins RG: Evaluation of co-culture and alternative culture systems for promoting in-vitro development of mouse embryos. Hum Reprod 1995;10:1486–1491

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Adaniya GK, Rawlins RG, Quigg JM, Roblero L, Miller IF, Zaneveld LJD: First pregnancies and livebirths from transfer of sodium alginate encapsulated embryos in a rodent model. Fertil Steril 1993;59:652–656

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Menezo YJR, Guerin JF, Czyba JC: Improvement of human early embryo development in vitro by coculture on monolayers of Vero cells. Biol Reprod 1990;42:301–306

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Quinn P: Use of coculture with cumulus cells in insemination medium in human in vitro fertilization. J Assist Reprod Genet 1994;11:270–277

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Bongso A, Fong CY, Ng SC, Ratnam S: Human embryonic behavior in a sequential human oviduct-endometrial coculture system. Fertil Steril 1994;61:976–978

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Paria BC, Dey SK: Preimplantation embryo development in vitro: Cooperative interactions among embryos and role of growth factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1990;87:4756–4760

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Minami N, Utsumi K, Iritani A: Effects of low molecular weight oviductal factors on the development of mouse one-cell embryos in vitro. J Reprod Fert 1992;96:735–745

    Google Scholar 

  22. Mermillod P, Vansteenbrugge A, Wils C, Mourmeaux JL, Massip A, Dessy F: Characterization of the embryotrophic activity of exogenous protein-free oviduct-conditioned medium used in culture of cattle embryos. Biol Reprod 1993;49:582–587

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Stevenson K, Podsiadly B, Stanger JD: Mouse embryo culture toxicity reduced by coculture. Annual Meeting of Fertility Society of Australia, 1994

  24. Leppens G, Sakkas D: Differential effect of epithelial cell-conditioned medium fractions on preimplantation mouse embryo development. Hum Reprod 1995;10:1178–1183

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bavister BD: Co-culture for embryo development: Is it really necessary? Hum Reprod 1992;7:1339–1341

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Quinn P, Kerin JF, Warnes GM: Improved pregnancy rate in human in vitro fertilization with the use of a medium based on the composition of human tubal fluid. Fertil Steril 1985;44:493–498

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Cohen J, Elsner C, Kort H,et al. Impairment of the hatching process following IVF in the human and improvement of implantation by assisting hatching using micromanipulation. Hum Reprod 1990;5:7–13

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Roudebush WE, Often NL, Butler WJ: Alpha-minimum essential medium enhances in vitro hatched blastocyst development and cell number per embryo over Ham's F-10. J Assist Reprod Genet 1994;11:203–207

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Schiewe MC, Hazeleger NL, Sclimenti C, Blamaceda JP: Physiological characterization of blastocyst hatching mechanisms by use of a mouse antihatching model. Fertil Steril 1995;63:288–294

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ouhibi N, Menezo Y, Benet G, Nicollet B: Culture of epithelial cells derived from the oviduct of different species. Hum Reprod 1989;4:229–235

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Malan-Shibley L, Iype PT: A serum-free medium for clonal growth and serial subculture of diploid rat liver epithelial cells. In Vitro 1983;19:749–758

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Pool TB, Martin JE: High continuing pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer using medium supplemented with a plasma protein fraction containing α-and β-globulins. Fertil Steril 1994;61:714–719

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Weathersbee PS, Pool TB, Ord T: Synthetic serum substitute: A globulin-enriched protein supplement for embryo culture. J Assist Reprod Genet 1995;12:354–360

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kauma SW, Matt DW: Coculture cells that express leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) enhance mouse blastocyst development in vitro. J Assist Reprod Genet 1995;12:153–156

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Fry RC, Batt PA, Fairclough RJ, Parr RA: Human leukemia inhibitory factor improves the viability of cultured ovine embryos. Biol Reprod 1992;46:470–474

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, 60612, Chicago, Illinois

    Jonna Frasor, Richard Sherbahn, Barbara Soltes, Mary Wood Molo, Zvi Binor, Ewa Radwanska & Richard G. Rawlins

Authors
  1. Jonna Frasor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard Sherbahn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Barbara Soltes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mary Wood Molo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zvi Binor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ewa Radwanska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Richard G. Rawlins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frasor, J., Sherbahn, R., Soltes, B. et al. Optimizing tubal epithelial cell growth promotes mouse embryo hatching in coculture. J Assist Reprod Genet 13, 423–430 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02066176

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02066176

Key words

Search

Navigation