title: Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor on growth, resistance to freezing and thawing and re-expansion of murine blastocysts.
abstract: Two-cell murine embryos were cultured for 72 h in the presence or absence of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), frozen for 60 days and, after thawing, cultured for an additional 24 h in the presence or absence of GM-CSF. During the initial 72 h period, GM-CSF did not influence the percentage of embryos reaching the expanded blastocyst stage, but there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the number of cells in the embryos grown with GM-CSF. Survival after thawing was not affected by previous exposure to GM-CSF, but re-expansion of the blastocoele was diminished in that group. Exposure to GM-CSF during the post-thaw period greatly enhanced re-expansion of the blastocoele. The presence of human serum albumin in the culture media is thought to have masked the beneficial effect of GM-CSF upon embryos.
authors.affiliation: Centro Médico FERTILAB, Riobamba 1205, 1116 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papayannis
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eyheremendy
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sanjurjo
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blaquier
authors.forename: Fernanda Ge
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Raffo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015925:Cryopreservation; D003470:Culture Media; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D012709:Serum Albumin
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D012709:Serum Albumin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor