The behaviour of cow blastocyst in vitro: cinematographic and morphometric analysis.
The behaviour of the cow blastocyst in vitro was studied by time-lapse cinematography and analysed by morphometry. Three types of behaviour were observed: continuous expansion followed by hatching; discontinuous expansion interrupted by few contractions and followed by hatching; discontinuous expansion interrupted by several rapid contractions without hatching. This demonstrated that the pulsatile activity of the blastocyst is not a necessary condition of hatching but also that only a moderate pulsatile activity is compatible with normal hatching. The time of hatching in vitro corresponded approximately with the time of zona loss in vivo (9-10 days). Rupture of the zona occurred at any point of the trophoblast layer. Hatching by herniation through a reduced opening of the zona was occasionally observed. The behavior of the embryos from a particular animal was very similar but differences were noted between embryos from different animals.
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009040:Motion Pictures