Fetal Laser Surgery Exo Utero in Mice*

Abstract

ABSTRACT It has been very difficult to investigate mammalian embryogenesis. Whole‐embryo culture systems allow the observation of mammalian embryogenesis and enable the manipulation of the embryos, but it is almost impossible to culture fetuses at the late gestational period. The exo utero method does allow the manipulation of mammalian fetuses at the late gestational period. In this review, the detailed method of exo ufero surgery in mice is described, and the advantages and disadvantages of the applications of laser equipment for fetal surgery are discussed.It has long been known that arhinencephaly is often associated with agenesis of the corpus callosum. The relationship between agenesis of the olfactory bulb and that of the corpus callosum is not fully understood. In this review, an example of fetal laser surgery exo utero was introduced, in which fissuration of the corpus callosum was induced after the destruction of the anlage of the olfactory bulbs in the mouse embryo. It was thus elucidated that agenesis of the olfactory bulbs induced the agenesis of the corpus callosum.