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Blastocysts produced by nuclear transfer between chicken blastodermal cells and rabbit oocytes
Shu-Zhen Liu1, Zhen-Ming Zhou, Tao Chen
1State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Molecular Reproduction and Development
|September 7, 2004
Summary
Interspecies nuclear transfer successfully fused chicken cells with rabbit oocytes, leading to blastocyst development. This study explores chicken genome compatibility with rabbit cytoplasm and potential applications in species conservation.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Genetics
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Interspecies nuclear transfer (INT) is crucial for studying nucleus-cytoplasm interactions.
- INT offers potential for conserving endangered species with limited oocyte availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between the chicken genome and rabbit oocyte cytoplasm.
- To assess the developmental potential of chicken-rabbit cloned embryos.
Main Methods:
- Chicken blastodermal cells were transferred into enucleated rabbit oocytes.
- Cloned embryos were cultured in M199 and SOF media.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and karyotype analysis confirmed genetic origin.
- Mitochondrial DNA analysis examined co-existence of organelles.
Main Results:
- 79.3% of fused embryos developed, with 9.7% reaching the blastocyst stage.
- M199 medium supported development to morulae (12.1%) and blastocysts (9.7%), unlike SOF medium which caused arrest at the 8-cell stage.
- PCR and karyotype analyses confirmed chicken nuclear DNA in developed embryos.
- Mitochondria from both chicken donor cells and rabbit oocytes co-existed in cloned embryos.
Conclusions:
- The chicken genome can coordinate with rabbit oocyte cytoplasm for early embryonic development.
- A potential 8- to 16-cell developmental block exists for chicken-rabbit cloned embryos in vitro.
- Chicken mitochondrial DNA persisted until the blastocyst stage.
- Ooplasmic factors for somatic nucleus reprogramming appear conserved across species.