Abstract
Objective: To determine the effect of mutant mitochondria on preimplantation embryo development and of preimplantation embryo development on the survival of mutant mitochondrial DNA. Design: Laboratory research. Setting: Academic research laboratory. Patient(s): None. Intervention(s): Mutant and wild-type mitochondria, fractionated from tissue obtained from a patient with MELAS syndrome, a mitochondrial disease, were microinjected into mouse zygotes. Control zygotes received either no injection or sham injection. Main Outcome Measure(s): Preimplantation embryo development and survival of mutant mitochondrial DNA as determined by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Result(s): After microinjection into zygotes, the MELAS mutation could be identified by polymerase chain reaction until the hatched blastocyst stage of embryo development. The survival of MELAS-injected zygotes, observed for 4 days after injection, did not differ from the survival of zygotes injected with wild-type mitochondria or from the survival of uninjected or sham-injected controls. Conclusion(s): It appears that preimplantation embryo development does not screen out mitochondrial DNA mutations introduced into fertilized oocytes, and low levels of mutant mitochondrial DNA do not disrupt early embryo development.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
