title: Preimplantation embryo development enhanced by epidermal growth factor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Enhanced embryo maturity and advanced stages of cleavage at the time of embryo transfer are associated with superior pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization procedures. This study was performed to assess the potential usefulness of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to enhance the development of murine preimplantation embryos cultured in vitro. Two-cell stage mouse embryos were cultured for 72 hr with EGF at concentrations of 0.1 to 100 ng/ml. The percentage of embryos which developed to the expanded and hatching blastocyst stage at 72 hr was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of fully expanded and hatching murine blastocysts at 72 hr was significantly higher following incubation with EGF at concentrations of 2 ng/ml (44 +/- 4.1%; P < 0.02), 20 ng/ml (41 +/- 3.2%; P = 0.04), 50 ng/ml (43 +/- 2.5%; P < 0.04), and 100 ng/ml (46 +/- 3.6%; P = 0.001) compared to controls. This effect of enhanced embryonic development by EGF was neutralized by coincubation with 1.0 micrograms/ml of anti-EGF antibody.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGF at concentrations of 2 to 100 ng/ml significantly enhanced the percentage of expanded and hatching murine blastocysts at 72 hr.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine 90024.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Buyalos
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor