title: Mouse embryonic development in a serum-free whole embryo culture system.
abstract: Mid-gestation stage mouse embryos were cultured utilizing a serum-free culture medium prepared from commercially available stem cell media supplements in an oxygenated rolling bottle culture system. Mouse embryos at E10.5 were carefully isolated from the uterus with intact yolk sac and in a process involving precise surgical maneuver the embryos were gently exteriorized from the yolk sac while maintaining the vascular continuity of the embryo with the yolk sac. Compared to embryos prepared with intact yolk sac or with the yolk sac removed, these embryos exhibited superior survival rate and developmental progression when cultured under similar conditions. We show that these mouse embryos, when cultured in a defined medium in an atmosphere of 95% O2 / 5% CO2 in a rolling bottle culture apparatus at 37 °​C for 16-40 hr, exhibit morphological growth and development comparable to the embryos developing in utero. We believe this method will be useful for investigators needing to utilize whole embryo culture to study signaling interactions important in embryonic organogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Division of the Biomedical & Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia.
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kalaskar
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Division of the Biomedical & Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia; jdlauder@uga.edu.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lauderdale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free