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Minimally Invasive Embryo Transfer and Embryo Vitrification at the Optimal Embryo Stage in Rabbit Model
Published on: May 16, 2019
Quality of rabbit vitrified/thawed transgenic embryos
P Chrenek1, Z Turanová, J Slamečka
1Animal Production Research Centre Nitra, 95141 Luzianky near Nitra, Slovak Republic. chrenekp@yahoo.com
Zygote (Cambridge, England)
|August 16, 2011
Summary
Vitrification combined with gene microinjection significantly reduces rabbit embryo survival rates. However, neither gene expression nor microinjection alone impacts embryo development or quality.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Developmental biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Vitrification is a cryopreservation technique used for embryos.
- Transgenic rabbit models are valuable for research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of vitrification on the developmental rate and quality of transgenic rabbit embryos.
- To assess the effects of gene microinjection and expression (hFVIII and EGFP) on embryo development.
Main Methods:
- Production of transgenic rabbit embryos via microinjection (EGFP) or mating (hFVIII).
- Vitrification and thawing of embryos.
- Assessment of developmental rate, total cell count, inner cell mass (ICM) cell proportion, embryo diameter, and apoptotic index.
Main Results:
- Vitrified/thawed transgenic embryos showed significantly lower hatching blastocyst rates (68-69%) compared to controls (100%).
- hFVIII-positive embryos had significantly different total cell counts post-vitrification.
- Control embryos had a higher proportion of ICM cells and larger diameter.
- Vitrified hFVIII-positive embryos exhibited a significantly lower apoptotic index compared to controls and vitrified EGFP-positive embryos.
Conclusions:
- Gene microinjection and expression of hFVIII or EGFP do not interfere with rabbit embryo developmental rate or quality.
- The combination of microinjection and vitrification significantly decreases rabbit embryo survival rates.
