title: Early embryonic development and transplantation in tree shrews.
abstract: As a novel experimental animal model, tree shrews have received increasing attention in recent years. Despite this, little is known in regards to the time phases of their embryonic development. In this study, surveillance systems were used to record the behavior and timing of copulations; embryos at different post-copulation stages were collected and cultured in vitro; and the developmental characteristics of both early-stage and in vitro cultured embryos were determined. A total of 163 females were collected following effective copulation, and 150 were used in either unilateral or bilateral oviduct embryo collections, with 307 embryos from 111 females obtained (conception rate=74%). Among them, 237 embryos were collected from 78 females, bilaterally, i.e., the average embryo number per female was 3.04; 172 fertilized eggs collected from 55 females, bilaterally, were cultured for 24-108 h in vitro for developmental observations; finally, 65 embryos from 23 bilateral cases and 70 embryos from 33 unilateral cases were used in embryo transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
authors.forename: Lan-Zhen
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
authors.forename: Long-Bao
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Lyu
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Qi
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming Yunnan 650500 China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China;State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223. China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Kunming Primate Research Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China;Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223. China. zhaoxudong@mail.kiz.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xu-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003307:Copulation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D014418:Tupaiidae / Q000196:embryology*
keywords: Embryo culture; Embryonic developmental stage; Tree shrew