Differential pH in embryo culture
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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Mouse Embryonic Development in a Serum-free Whole Embryo Culture System
Published on: March 1, 2014
Martha Hentemann1, Karim Mousavi, Kjell Bertheussen
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF Unit, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Objective:
To determine the optimum pH in sequential media for embryo culture around the fertilization-zygote stage and cleavage stage, with use of a mouse embryo assay.
Design:
Experimental laboratory study.
Setting:
University Hospital and University Research Unit.
Animal(S):
F1 hybrids between CD1 female and BDF male mice.
Intervention(S):
Fertilized, one-cell mouse embryos were cultured 5 days in test media where pH was changed at defined time intervals.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Percentage of good-quality embryos, defined by strict morphology.
Result(S):
A significantly improved development was observed when pH was as high as 7.30 before the pronuclear stage and lowered to pH 7.15 during the cleavage period.
Conclusion(S):
Good embryo development is consistent with two different pH values in sequential culture media. This could have important implications for embryo culture in human IVF.
