Prolonged culture of human cryopreserved embryos with recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficiency of recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in the prolonged culture of human cryopreserved-thawing embryos.


METHODS
After thawing, all embryos were divided into four groups: (1) Human tubal fluid (HTF), (2) HTF + LIF, (3) M3TH medium, and (4) M3TH medium plus LIF. Following prolonged culture, embryo development in each group was compared.


RESULTS
In embryo development from about the 2- to 4-cell to 9- to 16-cell stage, there were nonsignificant differences between each group. There was lower morula formation rate in group 1 (6.9%) than those in other groups (23.2%, 19.7%, 23.1%). The lower blastocyst formation in group 1 and 3 (0%, 0%) than those in group 2 and 4 (11.0%, 12.8%) were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
LIF is beneficial for preimplantation embryos. LIF does not influence the early embryo development. LIF-supplemented HTF provided a similar culture environment for thawing embryos as LIF-supplemented M3TH medium.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Y Y
YY
Hsieh
H D
HD
Tsai
C C
CC
Chang
L W
LW
Hsu
S C
SC
Chang
H Y
HY
Lo
D001755:Blastocyst; D015925:Cryopreservation; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D006062:Gonadotropins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D015850:Interleukin-6; C507837:LIF protein, human; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008222:Lymphokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins