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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos
Published on: June 6, 2016
Preliminary experience with low concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor: a potential
Barry Behr1, Stephen Mooney, Yan Wen
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. behr@stanford.edu
Purpose:
To investigate the effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the development of preimplantation mouse embryos.
Methods:
Mouse 2-cell embryos were collected and cultured in P-1 medium supplemented with GM-CSF at different concentrations. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, expression Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA in blastocyst were evaluated in the GM-CSF group and control group. Apoptosis detection was performed using the in situ apoptosis detection kit in mouse blastocysts. The statistical significance of the data was analyzed using t-test and chi-square test.
Results:
The development of blastocyst increased to 89% in the addition of GM-CSF (0.125 ng/mL), compared to controlled group (80%). The number of cells staining for apoptosis was lower in GM-CSF group than that in the control group. Bcl-2 expression was found to be upregulated in blastocysts in the GM-CSF supplemented group compared to the control group.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that GM-CSF might be an important regulator in embryo development.
