title: Ultrasound-guided non-surgical embryo collection in the common marmoset.
abstract: Experimental primate embryology has been hampered by limited access to embryos. In addition to surgical techniques, the less stressful non-surgical technique of uterine flushing has been developed but has had only limitedly used in recovering pre-implantation embryos from marmoset monkeys. In this study, we introduce the use of ultrasonography during marmoset non-surgical uterine flushing to make the cannulation easier, to further reduce stress, and to ensure thorough uterine flushing. We were able to cannulate in 99% of the transcervical cannulation attempts, repeat the flushing up to 17 times with the same animal, and recover up to 90% of the ovulation products. We also found that 8-cell or earlier stage embryos could be frequently obtained by non-surgical uterine flushing at 4 or 5 days after ovulation. The easiness and effectiveness of this novel ultrasound-guided technique will enable more research groups to study marmoset embryology and facilitate progress in this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan. ishiba@ncnp.go.jp
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Hideyuki H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Motohashi
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumon
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix / Q000196:embryology*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*