Globulins in protein supplements promote the development of preimplantation embryos.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate the effect of alpha- and beta-globulins contained in protein supplements on the development of preimplantation embryos.


METHODS
Mouse one-cell embryos were cultured in medium supplemented with 4 mg/ml human serum albumin (HSA), 4 mg/ml HSA plus human globulins (0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mg/ml) that consisted predominantly of alpha- and beta-globulins, or 10% Plasmanate Cutter (PC). Blastocysts developed in media supplemented with these various protein sources were stained with Hoechst 33342 to determine the number of cells.


RESULTS
Supplementation with 0.4 to 1.6 mg/ml globulins or PC significantly increased the rate of blastocyst development compared with that observed with the addition of HSA. Supplementation with globulins significantly increased the hatching rate in a dose-dependent manner. The number of cells in the blastocysts was significantly increased when the embryos were cultured with 0.8 mg/ml of the globulins or PC.


CONCLUSIONS
The present observations suggest that alpha- and beta-globulins in protein supplements promote embryo development and hatching.
Tanikawa
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Harada
T
T
Ito
M
M
Yoshida
S
S
Iwabe
T
T
Terakawa
N
N
D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D001609:Beta-Globulins; D003470:Culture Media