title: Differentiation and developmental potential of rat post-implantation embryo without extra-embryonic membranes cultured in vitro or grafted in vivo.
abstract: Different experimental systems are used to study developmental processes in mammals. In this study, three experimental models were analysed and correlated: (1) cultivation of rat embryos in vitro; (2) cultivation in vitro and then transplantation in vivo; (3) direct transplantation in vivo. When embryos were cultivated in vitro and then transplanted in vivo, after the initial in vitro restriction, developmental potential was recovered. The in vitro restriction depended on medium used and duration of culture. Pre-cultivation in serum-free medium for 7 days restricted developmental potential for nervous tissue, and for 14 days restricted developmental potential for skeletal muscles, adipose tissue and glandular epithelia. Transferrin addition improved in vitro differentiation of neuroblasts, cartilage and columnar epithelium. In the combined in vitro and in vivo method, transferrin preserved developmental potential in comparable extent to the addition of the serum. Even in serum-free conditions in vitro, the subsequent in vivo wide expression of developmental potential was possible. Therefore, the combination of in vitro and in vivo methods turned to be advantageous than the isolated approaches (in vitro or in vivo only), and enabled testing in more detail the influence of a single substance on developmental course and potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia. belovarit@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Belovari
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stević
authors.forename: Srećko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gajović
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kostović-Knezević
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats / Q000196:embryology*; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000662:veterinary; D014168:Transferrin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D014168:Transferrin