Effect of one-step and two-step culture systems on the in vitro development of mouse nuclear trans-fer embryos

Abstract

Objective To select some culture media profitable for early mouse somatic cell nucle-ar transfer embryos in vitro development, a comparison was made on the development of mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in either one-step or two-step culture systems. Methods We constructed mouse nuclear transfer embryos. The development of nuclear transfer embryos which were cultured with ethanol and 6-diethylaminopurine in one-step and two-step culture systems was observed. Results There was no significant difference in the proportion of blastocysts and total cell number between GlyGln-KSOMgAA (3.9% ;32.80 ± 3.14) and GIyGln-KSOMgAA/GlyGln-KSOMgAA (3.9% ;34.00 ± 2.29). We also ob-served no difference in developmental potential between cleavage medium (9.8% ;46.05 ± 2.62) and cleavage medium/blastocyst medium (10.3% ;51.15 ± 2.37) for the nuclear transfer embryos. Develop-ment of early nuclear transfer and parthenogenetic embryos was significantly improved by adding taurine in GlyGln-KSOMgAA culture medium when compared to GlyGln-KSOMgAA. Conclusion The one-step and two-step culture systems were feasible mouse somatic cell nuclear transffer embryos culture method in vitro, and accorded with the development character and nutrition demand of mouse somatic cell nuclear transffer embryos. Key words: Nuclear transfer; Embryo culture; Ectogenesis