Effects of charcoal-extracted serum as a growth medium supplement on in vitro development of mouse embryos

Two-cell mouse embryos (N = 952) were cultured in modified Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with 15% charcoal-extracted serum or 15% nonextracted serum from 17 patients. Each sample was assayed independently and all experiments run in duplicate. Ten nonextracted samples inhibited development to the blastocyst stage compared to controls in F-10 alone. Charcoal extraction significantly improved (P less than 0.05) development compared to nonextracted serum in eight of these samples. Seven samples supported development and no difference was noted between F-10 alone and extracted and nonextracted serum-supplemented media in this group. In conclusion, charcoal extraction significantly reversed the "embryotoxic" effects of some sera in the two-cell mouse embryo model.