Apoptosis in rabbit embryos produced by fertilization or nuclear transfer with fibroblasts and cumulus cells.
In this study, we investigated the development, the cell number of the blastocyst, and apoptosis in rabbit nuclear transfer (NT) embryos derived from adult fibroblasts and cumulus cells as compared with embryos derived from in vivo fertilization and in vitro culture. The developmental rate and the total cell number of the blastocyst were significantly lower in NT embryos than in fertilized embryos (FEs). The type of donor cells did not affect the embryonic developmental rate and the total cell number of blastocysts in NT groups. The present study investigated the onset and the frequency of apoptosis in NT embryos and FEs by using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick and labeling (TUNEL) assay. The earliest positive TUNEL signals were detected at the eight-cell stage in NT embryos and at the morula stage in FEs. The apoptotic index of the total blastocysts, the inner cell mass and the trophoderm was greatly higher in the NT embryos than in FEs. Moreover, the apoptotic index of the blastocyst from fibroblasts was significantly higher than that of the blastocyst from cumulus cells.
Liu
Shu-Zhen
SZ
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.
Yao
Li-Juan
LJ
Jiang
Man-Xi
MX
Lei
Zi-Li
ZL
Zhang
Li-Sheng
LS
Zhang
Yan-Ling
YL
Sun
Qing-Yuan
QY
Zheng
Yue-Liang
YL
Song
Xiang-Fen
XF
Chen
Da-Yuan
DY
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000166:cytology; D019976:Cloning, Organism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005347:Fibroblasts; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits