The effect of melatonin on in vitro fertilization and embryo development in mice.
To examine the effect of melatonin on in vitro fertilization and embryonic development, mouse embryos after insemination in vitro were cultured in a physiological medium with or without melatonin. Melatonin increased the fertilization rate significantly at a concentration between 10(-6) and 10(-4) M (27.6 vs. 43.9 or 40.4%, P < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant increase in the rate of embryos reaching the four-cell stage (16.0 vs. 26.7%, P < 0.01), the eight-cell stage (12.1 vs. 25.8 or 23.5%, P < 0.01), and blastulation (8.9 vs. 23.5 or 17.5%, P < 0.01) was observed when the embryos were cultured in a medium containing 10(-8) or 10(-6) M melatonin. These results demonstrate that melatonin supports fertilization and early embryo development after in vitro fertilization.
Ishizuka
B
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan. ishizuka@marianna-u.ac.jp
Kuribayashi
Y
Y
Murai
K
K
Amemiya
A
A
Itoh
M T
MT
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011247:Pregnancy
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008550:Melatonin