We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Effect of relaxin and IGF-I on the pre-implantation development of Mongolian gerbil ( Meriones unguiculatus) embryos in vitro.
- Authors
Yoshida, Mayumi; Obata, Ryuichiro; Tsujii, Hirotada
- Abstract
Both relaxin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) are members of the insulin super family. This study aimed to investigate the effect of relaxin and IGF-I on the pre-implantation of Mongolian gerbil of blastocyst development in vitro. Blastocysts and eight-cell stage embryos were collected from female gerbils. Eight-cell embryos and blastocysts were cultured in mM16 medium supplemented with or without relaxin or IGF-I for 24 h. Blastocysts were counted for total, inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cell numbers, and assessed apoptosis incidence. In addition, to measure incorporation of 3H-methionine, blastocysts were cultured for 3 h with relaxin or IGF-I, washed with trichloroacetic acid and measured by liquid scintiration counter. Relaxin (200 ng/ml) increased total, TE and ICM cell numbers of blastocyst ( P < 0.05) when it was compared with the control. IGF-I (150 ng/ml) also has influence on total and ICM cell numbers of blastocyst when compared with control. Apoptosis incidence was relatively low, and a significant difference was not observed between each group. The effect of relaxin on incorporation of 3H-methionine was higher than the control group ( P < 0.05). Relaxin increased the developmental rate from the eight-cell stage to blastocyst ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, relaxin and IGF-I stimulated protein synthesis and increased cell numbers of blastocysts, promoting development of the gerbil embryo in vitro culture.
- Subjects
RELAXIN; INSULIN; BLASTOCYST; CELL death; EMBRYOS; CELL cycle
- Publication
Reproductive Medicine & Biology, 2009, Vol 8, Issue 1, p39
- ISSN
1445-5781
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s12522-008-0007-4