Comparison of mitochondrial DNA contents in human embryos with good or poor morphology at the 8-cell stage.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the mitochondrial DNA contents in human embryos with good or poor quality at the 8-cell stage.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Private infertility clinic.


METHODS
Five women aged 24 to 34 years.


METHODS
Embryos obtained in standard superovulation and embryo culture procedures.


METHODS
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers in human embryos at cleavage stage were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction, in an effort to correlate with morphology.


RESULTS
The grade 8A embryos contained a mean mtDNA copy number at 1163937 (n = 8, from three patients); grade 8B embryos, at 939345 (n = 5, from two patients); grade 8C(+) embryos, at 637872 (n = 12, from 5 patients); and grade 8C(+) embryos derived from 3PN zygotes, at 300429 (n = 3, from a single patient).


CONCLUSIONS
Great variations were found among blastomeres from a single embryo and among embryos from a single patient. The native variations of mtDNA copy number may affect developmental ability irrespective of morphology.
Lin
David Pei-Cheng
DP
Institute of Biochemistry, Chung Shan Medical University, ROC, Taichung, Taiwan.
Huang
Chun Chia
CC
Wu
Hui Mei
HM
Cheng
Tzu Chun
TC
Chen
Chung I
CI
Lee
Maw Sheng
MS
D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D019836:Preimplantation Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial