Effect of essential amino acids on mouse embryo viability and ammonium production.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of essential amino acids concentrations on mouse embryo development.


METHODS
Mouse embryos were cultured in medium with different concentrations of essential amino acids and development to the blastocyst stage and viability assessed. Ammonium production resulting from medium breakdown and amino acid metabolism by embryos were also assessed.


RESULTS
Reducing the essential amino acid concentration significantly increased blastocyst development and cell numbers. Lowering the essential amino acid concentration decreased ammonium production in the medium.


CONCLUSIONS
Culture media for the development of preimplantation embryos should have a reduced essential amino acid concentration to facilitate embryo development.
Lane
M
M
Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, Research and Development, Englewood, Colorado, USA. mlane@colocrm.com
Hooper
K
K
Gardner
D K
DK
D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011247:Pregnancy; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D003470:Culture Media; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds