[Extracorporeal fertilization and cleavage of human oocytes]

A method of extracorporeal cultivation and fertilization of human oocytes is described. A special method of selection of active spermatozoa was used. The zygote formed 24-36 hours after the fertilization of oocytes; cleavage of two blastomeres occurred in 36-40 hours. Formation of the four-cell stage embryos was observed in 48 hours. The number of blastomeres reached eight in 60-64 hours and the morula formed in 100-120 hours. The results obtained in this work open opportunities for wide study of physiology and pathology of early human embryonic development.