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Updated: Apr 10, 2026
In ovo Expression of MicroRNA in Ventral Chick Midbrain
Published on: September 16, 2013
Pluripotency and cellular differentiation miRNAs expressed in human blastocoel fluid are associated with embryo
Rebeca González-Fernández1,2, Andrea Martínez-López3, Jairo Hernández4
1Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, UD de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain. refernan@ull.edu.es.
Purpose:
To analyse the microRNAs (miRNAs) present in blastocoel fluid (BF) and assess the relationship with blastocyst quality.
Methods:
Seventy-two blastocysts from 57 women (25 IVF patients and 32 oocyte donors) undergoing IVF in a single private Fertility Center were included. Blastocyst quality was evaluated using Gardner´s classification. BF was collected prior to cryopreservation. MiRNA sequencing (miRNA-Seq) was employed to analyse pooled blastocoel fluid from 8 good-quality (GQ) and 8 medium/poor-quality embryos (PQ). Differential expression of miRNAs was validated in individual BF by relative quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in 18 good-quality and 38 medium/poor-quality embryos. Target genes were identified using in silico prediction algorithms.
Results:
Using miRNA-seq we identified 85 mature and 75 immature miRNAs and selected 16 miRNAs differentially expressed in GQ and PQ embryos, with a read count exceeding 10. At the p < 0.05 level, eight miRNAs were upregulated in GQ compared to PQ embryos (miR-7107-5p, miR-4687-3p, miR-6743-5p, miR-4651, miR-6503, miR-4516, miR-4472.2, miR-409) and 8 were upregulated in PQ compared to GQ embryos (miR-6805-3p, miR-663a, miR-4438, miR-6068, miR-1182, miR-2682, miR-1908, miR-4754). In individual BF, qRT-PCR identified significantly lower expression of miR-663a, miR-7107-5p and miR-4687-3p in GQ embryos. Hatched GQ embryos had lower expression of miR-6805-3p, miR-663a and miR-4651 compared to unhatched GQ embryos. In silico predicted target genes were associated with cellular growth and differentiation, apoptosis, pluripotency, and embryonic development.
Conclusion:
Specific expression profiles of BF microRNAs involved in pluripotency and cellular differentiation may be associated with blastocyst quality and hatching and represent potential biomarkers for successful embryo transfer.
