Related Experiment Videos
The relevance and use of mouse embryo bioassays for quality control in an assisted reproductive technology program
L F Scott1, S G Sundaram, S Smith
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21215.
Objective:
To define both the limits of a mouse embryo bioassay for quality control in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) program and the areas where it can be effectively used.
Design:
Embryos at the pronuclear and two-cell stage from three different strains of mice were used to assess the effectiveness of this assay for media quality control using five different media routinely used in ART. Pronuclear and two-cell embryos from CD-1 mice were used to test the ability of a mouse embryo bioassay to control for water quality, contaminants in the culture system, and fluctuations in the environmental conditions using a medium, culture system, and scoring technique that were optimized for this strain.
Results:
The mouse embryo bioassay is not effective in differentiating media appropriate for supporting human embryo development since the development of mouse embryos in vitro is strain, stage, and media related. However, CD-1 embryos were shown to be sensitive to variations in water quality, pH, temperature, incubator conditions, and contaminants in the system when grown in a protein-free medium optimized for their development. Both total blastocyst number and the cell count in the blastocysts were affected. Pronuclear embryos were more sensitive to perturbations in the culture system than two-cell embryos.
Conclusions:
A mouse embryo bioassay can be effectively used as a means of quality control of water, chemicals, and contact materials and for technique standardization and training in an assisted reproduction program. All the conditions of the test should be defined, pronuclear embryos should be used, and the end point should be fully expanded blastocysts and/or cell numbers in these blastocysts where appropriate.
Insights
A mouse embryo bioassay is not ideal for assessing ART media for human embryo development but effectively monitors water quality, contaminants, and environmental conditions for ART programs. Pronuclear embryos are best for this quality control method.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
- Embryology
Background:
- The mouse embryo bioassay is a common quality control tool in assisted reproductive technology (ART).
- Its effectiveness in evaluating media for human embryo development requires careful consideration of strain, stage, and media-specific responses.
- Understanding the assay's limitations and optimal applications is crucial for ART program quality assurance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the limitations of the mouse embryo bioassay for ART quality control.
- To identify specific areas where the mouse embryo bioassay can be effectively utilized within an ART program.
- To establish optimal conditions for using the mouse embryo bioassay for quality control.
Main Methods:
- Mouse embryos (pronuclear and two-cell stages) from three strains were used to test five different ART media.
- CD-1 mouse embryos were specifically used to evaluate the bioassay's sensitivity to water quality, contaminants, and environmental fluctuations.
- Optimized media, culture systems, and scoring techniques were employed for CD-1 embryos.
Main Results:
- Mouse embryo development in vitro is dependent on strain, developmental stage, and specific media, limiting its use for differentiating human embryo development media.
- CD-1 mouse embryos demonstrated sensitivity to variations in water quality, pH, temperature, incubator conditions, and system contaminants.
- Both the total number of blastocysts and the cell count within blastocysts were significantly affected by these variations. Pronuclear embryos were more susceptible to culture system perturbations than two-cell embryos.
Conclusions:
- The mouse embryo bioassay is not suitable for assessing media quality for human embryo development.
- It is effective for quality control of water, chemicals, and contact materials in ART programs.
- The bioassay can be used for technique standardization and training, with defined test conditions, use of pronuclear embryos, and specific endpoints like fully expanded blastocysts or cell counts.