1991 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Developent of Methodology to Assess Viability of Embryos
| Project/Area Number |
01870071
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Developmental Scientific Research
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Obstetrics and gynecology
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| Research Institution | University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
MIZUNO Masahiko University of Tokyo, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor, 医学部(病), 教授 (10010175)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KATO Takahiko Yokohama City University Department of Biochemistry, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (80010023)
HIROI Masahiko University of Yamagata, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (60018364)
TSUTSUMI Osamu University of Tokyo, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assistant, 医学部(病), 助手 (60134574)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1989 – 1991
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| Keywords | oocyte / embryo / in vitro fertilization / glucose / hexokinase / epidermal growth factor / glucose transporter / glucose uptake |
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| Research Abstract |
In the course of work involving mammalian embryo culture and transfer, workers must make judgements regarding embryo quality or viability. At present, assessments of embryo viability are usually made on the basis of morphological integrity. Visual assessment of embryos is subjective and there is a great deal of variation within groups of morphologically sound embryos in terms of viability. It would be useful if quantitative tests were available to assess embryo viability prior to transfer or after some experimental treatment. We have developed microdetermination methods which can be applied to single mammalian oocyte such as mouse and human.
Pyruvate is an essential nutrient until the 8-cell at age embryos and glucose will serve as an energy source thereafter. To analyze the characteristics of energy metabolism of oocytes and embryos, we deviced micro-determination methods to quantify enzyme activities and glucose uptake of them. Hexokinase activites showed a continuous and exponetial increase during their development. The increasing speed of hexokinase activity exceeded the doubling speed in the cell number after the 8-cell stage. Deoxyglucose, an analogue of glucose, incorpor-ation was also low in unfertilized oocytes. Fertilization lead to a salutatory rise of the deoxyglucose incorporation activity and the activity rapidly increased during preimplantation development. These may serve as indicators of quality or viability of oocytes and embryos.
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