title: Rat embryo development in vitro.
abstract: We report the first successful culture of 8-cell/morula stage rat embryos in a fully synthetic medium supplemented with 3% crystalline bovine serum albumin. Eighty-four per cent of morulae developed to blastocysts, showing that this is a highly efficient culture medium for in vitro studies on rat pre-implantation embryos. Blastocyst formation was severely inhibited by antioestrogen (nafoxidine 3 microgram/ml) but no further reversal was obtained by giving oestrogen to culture medium containing this antagonist.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000502:physiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D009028:Morula / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009256:Nafoxidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D009256:Nafoxidine; D004958:Estradiol