Sex determination in single mouse blastomeres by polymerase chain reaction

In sex determination of mammalian preimplantation embryos, viability of biopsied embryos and accuracy of sexing are together important. In consideration of this point, single blastomeres were mechanically isolated from mouse embryos using a micromanipulator and then sexed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using mouse Y chromosome-specific primers. All of 260 embryos biopsied at the four-cell and morula stage survived. Developmental rate of the embryos to normal blastocysts was 93 and 94%, respectively. Sex determination of single blastomeres was performed by amplification of a mouse Y chromosome-specific DNA sequence using PCR technique. The ratio of male to female embryos was 53 and 47%, respectively. The sex-determined embryos were transferred to the uteri of pseudopregnant recipients to test the consistency of the assay system. The sex of 27 of 29 mice developed from male and female embryos agreed with the predicted sex. The method developed for embryo biopsy and sexing could be used for diagnosis of defective genes at the stage of the preimplantation embryos of human and other domestic animals.