title: Improvement of mouse embryo quality by myo-inositol supplementation of IVF media.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myo-inositol (myoIns) has a positive role in mammalian development and human reproduction. Since experiments on farming species suggest a similar role in preimplantation development, we evaluated the hypothesis that the inclusion of myoIns in human embryo culture media would produce an increase in embryo quality in IVF cycles, using the mouse embryo assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the effect of myoIns on completion of preimplantation development in vitro, one-cell embryos of the inbred C57BL/6N mouse strain were produced by ICSI, cultured in human fertilization media in the presence of myoIns (myoIns+) or in its absence (myoIns-) and evaluated morphologically. Daily progression through cleavage stages, blastocyst production and expansion and blastomere number at 96 hours post fertilization were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to myoIns- embryos, myoIns+ embryos displayed a faster cleavage rate and by the end of preimplantation development, the majority of myoIns+ blastocysts was expanded and formed by a higher number of blastomeres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of myoIns resulted in both an increase in proliferation activity and developmental rate of in vitro cultured early mouse embryos, representing a substantial improvement of culture conditions. These data may identify myoIns as an important supplement for human embryo preimplantation culture.
authors: Department of Psychology, Section of Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Colazingari
authors: Maria Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Fiorenza
authors: Gianfranco
authors: G
authors: Carlomagno
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Najjar
authors: Arturo
authors: A
authors: Bevilacqua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007294:Inositol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007294:Inositol