Development of two-cell mouse embryos in protein-free and protein-supplemented media

Two-cell mouse embryos from CFW (Swiss-Webster) mice were cultured to the blastocyst stage in Ham's F10, Whittingham's T6, or human tubal fluid medium. Media were used without any protein supplements or were supplemented with human maternal serum, human fetal cord serum, or human serum albumin. Blastocysts were transferred to modified Eagle's basal medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum for postblastocyst development. Blastocyst and postblastocyst development was depressed among embryos cultured during the preimplantation stage in protein-free Whittingham's T6 and human tubal fluid media compared with embryos cultured in protein-free Ham's F10 medium. This advantage of Ham's F10 disappeared when amino acids and vitamins were added to the other two media. Whittingham's T6 and human tubal fluid supplemented with human serum albumin, human maternal serum, or human fetal cord serum also supported excellent embryo development. When supplemented with protein, Ham's F10 was the poorest of the media in supporting embryo development. Although these results suggest that Ham's F10 is not the best medium for culture of mouse embryos, there is need for caution in extrapolating results from the mouse to the human.