The effect of activin-A on the development of mouse preimplantation embryos in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to clarify the involvement of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family in the regulation of preimplantation embryo development.


METHODS
The effects of activin-A and TGF-beta on the rates of morula and blastocyst formations as well as on the cleavage velocity of a mouse two-cell embryo in vitro were analyzed. The gene expressions of these two growth factors in various developmental stages were also studied using RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Activin-A at a concentration of 0.2 ng/ml significantly stimulated not only the rate of morula formation but also the velocity of embryo cleavage, whereas no significant effect was found with TGF-beta. RT-PCR revealed that activin-A subunit mRNA, but not TGF-beta mRNA, was detected in preimplantation mouse embryo at any developmental stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Activin-A plays an important role in the regulation of preimplantation mouse embryo development in an autocrine fashion.
Orimo
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.
Taga
M
M
Matsui
H
H
Minaguchi
H
H
D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D007265:Inhibins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009028:Morula / Q000187:drug effects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013480:Superovulation
D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D012313:RNA