This research was conducted to obtain the basic information on the cell block phenomenon occuring during early development in vitro of mouse embryos. Early embryos were recovered at 3h post-hGG injection(hph). Various chemicals (EDTA, EGTA, DTPA, MA and PRA) were tested to examine the effects of them on the overcoming the 2-cell block phenomenon. One hundreds M of the chelating agents were added to the M16 medium containing embryos. The treated embryos were worked and transferd to fresh M16 medium after 1, 3, 6 and 12h of treatment. Development was examined at 58 and l2Oph injection, respectively. 44.7~68.9% of the treated embryos developed to 4-cell stages at 58hph. Only 17.6~60.3% of the embyos developed upto blastocyst at l20hph. Whereas control embryos showed slightly lower development in M16 medium alone (38.9~42.4%, 4-cell and 3.8~65.5%, blastocyst). Three mitogenic agents were tested. 51.6~63.8% and 43.4~48.1% of embryos developed up to 2-cell and blastocyst stage, respectively when treated in 5 g PHA-M Imi for 5 min, 1, 3 and 6h subsequently cultured in fresh M16 medium. Control embryos only showed 38.8% for 4cell and 5.9% fo blastocyst at 58 and l2Ohph, respectively. 100M PMA was also beneficial for the 2-cell block. Showing better development them that of control (42.4 vs 57.9~59.4% 4cell and 5.9 vs 25.0~55.6% blastocyst, respectively. However 1M butyric acid was toxic to early embryos, thus arresting further development. These result indicate that either chelating or mitogenic agents could be used to overcome the "in vitro 2-cell block" occuring during early development in vitro of ICR embryosCR embryos

This study was carried out to investigate the inhibiting or promoting effect of fetal bovine serum fractionated by the molecular weight and to examine the effect of reconstruction of serum fractions on the development of 1- and 2-cell mouse embryos fertilized in vitro (IVEE) . The serum was separated by ultrafiltration or gel filtration methods and added in m-KRB medium for culture of IVFE. The developemental ability(cavitation and hatching) of embryos following culture of day 4 and 6 was compared among fractions. Small molecular weight fraction( <3 kDa) significantly inhibited the development of 1-and 2-cell IVFE to the blastocyst stages, compared with other fractions. One-cell IVFE were more sensitively damaged than 2-cell embryos by that fraction and arrested mainly at 2~4 cell stages. Moreover, small amount(<3%,v /v) of the inhibiting fraction acted even with protein rich fraction(100~30 kDa) and arrested the embryonic development. On the other hand, 100~30 kDa fraction promoted the embryonic development and no inhibiting effect was observed at the level of 50%(v /v) in culture medium In the experiment of gel filtraton, =30 kDa fraction showed the highest promoting effect on the embryonic development, but <4 kDa fraction inhibited significantly the development. These results suggest that serum contains not only small molecular weight inhibitory component(s) but also promoting one rather than albumin on embryonic development. And serum can be more effectively used in the IVF program after removal of inhibitory component(s) by one of above separation methods.

To investigate the effect of extracellular matrix proteins on the in vitro development of ethanol-induced parthenogenetic eggs of ICR strain mice, those were cultured in vitro in fibronectin, gelatin, or collagen precoated culture dishes containing 1.5 ml of NaH-C03-BMOC-3 medium at 37 for 96 hrs. under the atmosphere of 5% and 95% air. Fibronectin, gelatin, or collagen significantly(P1.4, 45.4i1.4, and 44.8O.9, respectively. And the diameter of those eggs ranged 104.61.9, 102.82.3, and 103.4O.8 m, respectively.

To investigate the effect of EDTA on the in vitro development of blastomeres isolated from 2, 4, and 8-cell embryos(termed 1 /2, 1 /4 and 1 /8 blastomeres, respectively) of ICR strain mice, those were cultured in vitro in 35 mm culture dishes containing NaHCO-BMOC-3 medium supplemented with 10, 50, 100, or 500 M of EDTA at 37 for 72hrs. under the atmosphere of 5% and 95% air. EDTA supplementation of 10, 50, or 100 M to medium significantly(P<0.01) increased blastocyst formation rate compared with controls in 1 /2(58.3, 63.7, and 61.3% vs 21.6%), 1 /4(54.7, 57.5 and 62.2% vs. 2L3%), and 1 /8 blastomeres(46.2, 48.7, and 57.7% vs. 19.1%). Whereas, it was significantly(P<0.01) decreased to 4.5, 2.3, and 2.0% for 1 /2, 1 /4 and 1 /8 blastomeres, respectively by the EDTA supplementation of 500 M Both the nuclear number(P<0.05) and diameter of blastocysts(P<0.01) developed from balstomeres were significantly affected by the origin of blastomeres. The nuclear number of blastocysrs developed from 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 blastomeres ranged 28.3i1.3, 24.18i1.2, and 19.840.9, respectively. And the diameter of those blastocysts was 87.21.1, 56.40.9, and 39.20.8 M, respectively.

These experiments were carried out to determine the effect of pregnancy in bisected embryo. The embryos of ICR mouse were microsurgically bisected at morula and blastocyst stage using microsurgical blade attached a micromanipulator. These bisected embryos without zona pellucida were cultured up to blastocyst stage and cell count and diameter of stained blastomere, and transferred pseudopregnant mice. And the development of these bisected embryos was compared with the results of production of young of the corresponding intact embryos or cell stage. When the bisected mouse embryos were cultured in vitro for 20 to 24 hours in morula stage(77.2%) or 3 to 6 hours in blastocyst stage(84.1%), them were developed to the expanded blastocyst stage. There were no significant(P<0.05) differences in the development rate of bisected embryos between in morula and blastocyst stages. The embryo size of blastocyst developed in vitro from bisected embryo was small(P<0.05)than intact embryo. However, the number of blastomeres with bisected embryo (24.7+1.3and 21.5+1.2 respectively) were significantly(P<0.05) reduced, compared with that of intacted embryos(36.3+1.1 and 41.4+1.2 respectively). When compared with the result of pregnancy rate(63.6%) after surgical transfer of bisected morulae, a similar result(65.4%) was obtained with bisected blastocyst stage(P< 0.05). However, production of youngs (38.8%) after transfer of bisected morula, a similar result (38.1%) was obtained with bisected blastocyst stage (P<0.05).

This study investigated full-term development potential of ultrarap idly frozen and thawed mouse 2-cell embryos. Mouse 2-cell embryos, dehydrated by exposure to freezing medium, were directly immersed into liquid nitrogen and thawed in 37 water. The embryos that were frozen and thawed were cultured in uitro and transferred to foster mothers to examine there developmental potential. As a result, the frozen-thawed 2-cell embryos developed to blastocysts in vitro as a similar rate as control 2-cell embryos did(in vitro 2-cell, 86.4%; in vivo 2-cell, 90.9%; solution control, 89.9%; control, 89.7%). Normal live young were obtained from transfer of frozen-thawed embryos to the oviduct and uterus of pseudopregnant recipients (3l.4~56.7%).

In vitro developmental ability of early preimplantation monse embryos was shown to be depend on the embryonic stages, media and snpplements and their interaction(Experiment 1). The development of I-cell embryos were more promoted in the complex medinm(Ham's Fl0) than in the simple one(m-KRB), but that of 2-cell embryos showed the reverse effect. The bovine serum albumin(BSA) as a medium snpplement more promoted the development of I- and 2-cell embryos, compared with human fetal cord serum(HCS). On the other hand, the harmful effect of HCS was especially shown on the early cleavage in the embryonic development of the two stages. The effect of serum, in the respect of interaction between media and snpplements. was also more significantly appeared in m-KRB than Ham's Fl0. In the experiment 2, when the harmful effect of HCS was compared with that of fetal bovine serum(FBS), the former more promoted the development of l - and 2-cell embryos than the latter. The effect of HCS was more significantly shown in the development of I-cell than that of 2-cell embryos. Conclusively, as I- and 2-cell embryos were different in the requirements for the in vitro development. the optimal medium and supplement have to be selected for each embryonic stage. It is also respected to the better result if it take into consideration into the kinds of sera when serum is used for culture of early preimplantation embryos.

본(本) 연구는 micromanipultor를 이용하여 생쥐의 8세포기배와 상실배 그리고 배반포기배를 양분(兩分)후 생존성을 검토하고, 또한 배반포기배를 양분후, 선별(選別)및 배양 과정없이 암컷 생쥐에 이식(移植)하는 경우 새끼쥐 생산의 가능성을 검토하고자 수행된 것이다. 그 경과를 요약해 보면 다음과 같다. 1. 생쥐의 8세포기배(細胞期胚)와 상실배(桑實胚)를 양분(兩分)하여 M2에 배양한결과 각각 64%, 81%가 배반포기배(胚盤胞期胚)까지 발생(發生)하였다. 2. M2 배양액에서 발생시킨 배반포기배를 Ham's F-10에서 배양한 결과 8세포기배에서는 86%, 상실배에서는 90%가 정상적으로 outgrowth 되었다. 3. 배반포기배를 배양 과정없이 바로 양분(兩分)하여 Ham's F-10에서 배양한 결과 97%가 정상적으로 outgrowth 되었으나 암컷생쥐에 이식한 결과 산차는 얻지 못하였다.