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Laser-assisted Cytoplasmic Microinjection in Livestock Zygotes
Published on: October 5, 2016
Nicotine induces multinuclear formation and causes aberrant embryonic development in bovine
Ying Liu1, Guang-Peng Li, Benjamin R Sessions
1Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Center for Integrated Biosystems, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321, USA.
Molecular Reproduction and Development
|December 25, 2007
Summary
Nicotine exposure harms bovine embryo development, causing spindle disfigurement and abnormal chromosome alignment. High nicotine concentrations significantly reduce cleavage and blastocyst rates, impacting embryo quality.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Nicotine is a widely consumed substance with known teratogenic effects.
- Understanding nicotine's impact on early embryonic development is crucial for reproductive health.
- Bovine embryo development models are valuable for studying mammalian embryogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of nicotine on bovine embryo development.
- To analyze nicotine-induced changes in meiotic spindle structure and chromosome alignment.
- To assess the impact of nicotine on cleavage and blastocyst rates in parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) derived embryos.
Main Methods:
- Bovine embryos were produced via PA and IVF.
- Embryos were cultured in media containing varying concentrations of nicotine (0.01–4.0 mM).
- Embryonic development, meiotic spindle morphology, chromosome alignment, and ploidy were assessed.
Main Results:
- Nicotine caused dose-dependent disfigurement of meiotic spindle structures and impaired chromosome alignment.
- High nicotine concentrations (2.0 and 4.0 mM) significantly reduced cleavage rates and arrested development.
- Nicotine exposure led to increased polyploidy/mixoploidy and reduced cell numbers in blastocysts.
Conclusions:
- Nicotine disrupts microtubule polymerization, leading to abnormal chromosome segregation and potential cytokinesis defects.
- Nicotine exposure adversely affects bovine embryo quality, resulting in chromosomal abnormalities and reduced cell counts.
- These findings highlight the detrimental effects of nicotine on early bovine embryonic development.
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