Non-Invasive Assessment of Embryo Physiology

Through miniaturisation of enzymatic reactions, microfluorescence analyses enable the non-invasive assessment of embryo metabolism. Nutrient concentrations in embryo culture medium are quantified by ultramicrofluorescence (UMF) techniques, which utilise specialised constriction pipettes and a fluorescent microscope coupled with a photomultiplier tube and photometer, to quantitate nutrient levels in nanolitre or picolitre volumes of spent media. Here, the non-invasive method for analysis of embryo metabolism utilising spent culture media and UMF is described.