Abstract
Abstract Considerable variation in embryo transfer (ET) catheter types, diverging opinions on their quality and functionality, complications following the insertion of catheters, low efficiency of the application of ET methods in humans, and their widely varying efficiency in animals demonstrate the need to improve ET methods and to look for new types of catheters. Such an opportunity is offered by the introduction of catheters made of new-generation biomaterials. This study was aimed to introduce a new generation of biomaterials into reproductive biotechnology. New-generation materials were compared with materials that have been used for many years, and the functionality of newly produced catheters was compared in vivo. Five types of biomaterials were tested: polycaprolactone (PCL), dibutyryl chitin (DBC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polylactide (PLA). The study was carried out in two stages. Firstly, the basic utility parameters such as geometric stability, surface structure and catheter resistance were evaluated. Subsequently, the biocompatibility of selected biomaterials in embryo cultures was examined, and the development potential of the obtained blastocysts was evaluated. In the second stage, in vivo with live animals, the biomaterials were tested for biocompatibility and the obtained catheters were examined for their ET functionality. Efficiency with the use of the newly produced catheters was determined, the quality of the blastocysts obtained after embryo culture in the uterus was assessed, and oviducts were subjected to histopathological examination after embryo transfer. Of the tested biomaterials, only polyethylene (PE) showed adequate biological and material properties and proved suitable for production of ET catheters.
Highlights
There has been an ongoing debate for many years regarding the effectiveness of embryo transfer methods in human and animal medicine
It was assumed that for a reliable determination of the toxicity of selected materials, the embryos would be placed in contact with the biomaterial for 15 minutes, which is longer than the potential contact between embryos and the catheter during an embryo transfer (ET) procedure
Stage I – in vitro testing Stage I, Part I – physical and mechanical properties of biomaterials Microscopic examination: observations under a stereomicroscope (100X) The key element taken into consideration in the evaluation of the possibility of using a given catheter was examination if the manufactured tube maintains a constant thickness of the walls and to what extent the shape of the catheter’s lumen changes
Summary
There has been an ongoing debate for many years regarding the effectiveness of embryo transfer methods in human and animal medicine. Considerable variation in catheter types, diverging opinions on their quality and functionality, complications following the insertion of catheters, and widely varying efficiency in animals demonstrate the need to improve ET methods and to look for new types of catheters Such an opportunity is offered by the introduction of catheters made of new-generation biomaterials. The dynamic progress of many areas of reproduction biotechnology can be observed, this progress has not affected embryo transfer, and the methods which were developed years ago are still in use (Niederberger et al, 2018; Peltoniemi et al, 2019) For this reason, it is necessary to employ new technologies and establish new and better procedures (Niederberger et al, 2018; Peltoniemi et al, 2019). The aim of this study was to develop low-invasive methods of embryo transfer with the use of catheters made of new generation biomaterials
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