title: Measuring transport and accumulation of radiolabeled substrates in oocytes and embryos.
abstract: Radiolabeled compounds that are substrates for transmembrane transporters can be used to study transport and metabolism in mammalian oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Because even very small amounts of radioisotopes can be detected, these techniques are feasible to use with only a few oocytes or embryos, even down to the level of single oocytes or embryos. Here, we describe the methods for determining the transport and accumulation of radiolabeled compounds into oocytes and preimplantation embryos and the determination of the rate of saturable transport via specific transporters in the plasma membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. jmbaltz@ohri.ca
authors.forename: Jay M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Baltz
authors.forename: Hannah E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002138:Calibration; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*