title: Successful recovery of preimplantation embryos by nonsurgical uterine flushing in the bonnet monkey.
abstract: A major limitation to progress in primate embryology is the lack of an adequate supply of preimplantation embryos. We describe a method for recovering preimplantation-embryos in bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata ) using a nonsurgical uterine flushing technique similar to the one previously employed in rhesus monkeys. Forty cyclic females were screened for cervical cannulation, and 10% of these had an impassable cervix. Eleven females suitable for cannulation were selected, and 27 menstrual cycles were monitored over a 5-mo period. Seventy-one percent of the cycles showed estrogen peaks, which were observed between Days 9 and 14 of the cycle. Following natural mating, uterine flushings were performed on Days 5 to 8 of pregnancy (Day 0 = the day following the estrogen peak). Of the 27 recovery attempts, 9 (33.3%) resulted in the recovery of ovulation products, including those of an unfertilized oocyte and empty zona (2 cases), retarded cleavage-stage (4 to 8-cell) embryos (4 cases), morula (1 case) and blastocysts (2 cases). These results show, for the first time, that the nonsurgical uterine flushing technique can be successfully performed to recover uterine-stage preimplantation embryos from bonnet monkeys.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Biology and Molecular Endocrinology, and Primate Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jayaprakash
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Satish
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ramachandra
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Seshagiri