title: Predictive variables of in vitro fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development in the mouse.
abstract: The present study aims to analyze the cause-effect relationships among several in-vitro fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development variables in the mouse. Superovulation of hybrid (C57Bl/6JIco female X CBA/JIco male) female mice of 4-6 weeks of age was induced by a priming injection of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin at the estrus stage of the estrous cycle followed after a 48-hr interval by human chrorionic gonadotropin. Ovulated cumulus-enclosed oocytes were inseminated with sperm from hybrid males of 12-16 weeks of age. The multiple linear regression analyses performed indicated that (a) total number of ovulated oocytes is a good predictor of both fertilization frequency and total number of cells in day-5 blastocysts; (b) fertilization frequency predicts percentage of day-5 blastocysts; (c) total number of cells in day-5 blastocysts is predicted by percentage of day-5 blastocysts; and (d) total number of cells in day-5 blastocysts predicts percentage of apoptotic cells, number of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells, and ICM/TE ratio in day-5 blastocysts. Mitotic index in day-5 blastocysts was positively correlated with total number of ovulated oocytes, percentage of ovulated cumulus-enclosed oocytes, fertilization frequency, percentage of day-5 blastocysts and total number of cells in day-5 blastocysts. On the contrary, it was negatively correlated with percentage of apoptotic cells in day-5 blastocysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. tarinjj@uv.es
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tarín
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gómez-Piquer
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez-Albalá
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hermenegildo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008940:Mitotic Index; D010060:Ovulation