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Mitotic activity during preimplantation development of human embryos
M Herbert1, J Wolstenholme, A P Murdoch
1Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Journal of Reproduction and Fertility
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Human embryo cell division slows after the first two cycles, with a mean doubling time of 31 hours between days 2-6. Nuclei counts may not fully reflect ongoing mitotic activity in early development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Reproductive Science
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Understanding human embryo development is crucial for reproductive technologies.
- The preimplantation period is critical for successful implantation and pregnancy.
- Accurate assessment of cell division rates informs developmental potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the cell division rate and doubling time of human embryos in vitro during the preimplantation period.
- To profile mitotic activity throughout early human embryonic development.
- To evaluate the correlation between nuclei counts and active cell division.
Main Methods:
- Assessed 75 human embryos using nuclei counts on whole mount preparations.
- Performed assessments at 24-hour intervals from day 2 to day 6 of development.
- Used a microtubule-disrupting agent to arrest cells in metaphase for mitotic activity profiling.
Main Results:
- Cell doubling time increases after the initial two division cycles.
- The mean doubling time between day 2 and day 6 was 31 ± 2.51 hours.
- Observed that nuclei counts were often lower than expected, suggesting limited correlation with continuous mitotic activity.
Conclusions:
- Human embryonic cell division dynamics change significantly after the first few cycles.
- The calculated mean doubling time provides a benchmark for in vitro development.
- Nuclei counting alone may not be a definitive measure of ongoing cell proliferation in early human embryos.