Pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin source influences fertilization and fresh or thawed embryo development, but the...

The influence of the source of pregnant mares' serum gonadotropin (PMSG) on the number, quality, and in vitro development of mouse embryos before and after freezing was evaluated among three genotypes: N:NIH(S), C57BL/6N, and C3H/HeN-MTV-Immature females were given PMSG from one of five commercial sources. Following collection (116 hr later), embryos were evaluated for stage of development, and four- to eight-cell embryos were pooled within genotype and assigned to standardized fresh or freeze-thaw culture trials. Different PMSG sources stimulated the production of different numbers of total embryos (P less than 0.05) but not necessarily more embryos suitable for freezing. Differences in embryo production among genotypes indicated that absolute embryo numbers using a single mouse genotype may not accurately reflect the potency of a specific gonadotropin source. The PMSG source also affected the ability of an embryo to survive in culture either immediately after collection or after frozen storage. The effect, however, was genotype specific, with some mouse strains being relatively insensitive to PMSG source, whereas gonadotropin source played a major role in determining in vitro viability in others. Development rates for freshly collected embryos differed, often inconsistently, from those of thawed embryos regardless of the PMSG source used, demonstrating that fresh embryo development cannot be used to estimate expected post-thaw survival. In vitro development of thawed embryos is influenced not only by genotype, but also the source of the gonadotropin used to promote follicular development and oocyte maturation. These findings may explain, in part, the wide variation in embryo viability and culture rates reported among laboratories and intraspecies animal populations.