[In vitro cultivation of mouse embryos during the initial stages of organogenesis]

Optimal conditions for in vitro cultivation of mouse embryos were sought. The embryos at 8--9.5 days of development were explanted into the culture in rotating tubes. A number of nutritional media were studied: the human umbilical blood serum; the rat blood serum, as well as its mixture (1 : 1) with Eagle's medium. It was demonstrated that the optimal medium for cultivation of 8-day-old embryos was the mixture of the rat blood serum with Eagle's medium, and for 8.5--9.5-day-old embryos--the rat blood serum, as well. Comparing in vitro and in vivo embryonic development, it was evident that in the cultivated embryos the parameters characterizing their growth decreased significantly. Possible causes of this phenomenon are discussed.