Mitochondria transfer can enhance the murine embryo development.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of mitochondrial transfer on embryonic development.


METHODS
Mitochondria concentrates were collected from murine hepatocytes and fertilized murine zygotes from young and older mice in the 2PN stage were subjected to mitochondrial transfer and cultured in vitro to evaluate the embryonic development.


RESULTS
After extended in vitro culture, 37.65% and 20.91% embryos from the young mice developed to the blastocyst stage in the injected and control groups respectively, which is statistically significant. There was no difference in terms of hatching rates (1.76% and 1.82% respectively). Zygotes from the older mice (>20 weeks old) that received mitochondrial transfer also had a better developmental outcome than the control group (54.35% and 18.92% developed to morula stage, 43.48% and 8.11% developed to the blastocyst stage respectively), which is statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results for the murine model provide direct scientific evidence that mitochondrial transfer improves embryonic development. However, potential risks such as mitochondrial heteroplasmy, nuclear-mitochondrial interaction and epigenetic aspects all deserve further evaluation before mitochondrial transfer is applied clinically.
Yi
Yu-Chiao
YC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 160, Chung-Kang Road Section 3, Taichung 407, Taiwan.
Chen
Ming-Jer
MJ
Ho
Jason Yen-Ping
JY
Guu
Hwa-Fen
HF
Ho
Esther Shih-Chu
ES
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000637:transplantation*; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D015053:Zygote / Q000254:growth & development*