The pattern of utilization of respiratory metabolic intermediates by preimplantation rabbit embryos in vitro

Culture of in vitro fertilized rabbit ova

Embryonic development of in-vitro fertilized rabbit ova was assessed following in-vitro culture in four different serum supplemented media. A mixture of Basal Medium Eagle (BME) and Ham's F10 medium (1:1) provided better support for in-vitro development than Ham's F10, BME, or regular acidic saline (RAS). In-vitro embryonic development in the BME/Ham's F10 mixture was synchronous with in-vivo development through at least 55 hr of culture. After 54 hr of culture, embryos transferred to the oviduct of a synchronous pseudopregnant recipient were able to implant at the same rate as simultaneously transferred embryos grown in vivo. BME/Ham's F10 supplemented with 10% newborn calf serum was highly supportive of rabbit embryo development following in-vitro fertilization.

Ultrastructure of preimplantation rabbit embryos exposed to visible light and room temperature

Early cleavage stage embryos (day 1 p.c.) and morulae (day 3 p.c.) of rabbits were exposed to visible (standard) lighting (1600 lx) and room (standard) temperature (23 degrees C) during a 24 h in-vitro culture. Control embryos were cultured in darkness at 37 degrees C. Development was assessed by light and electron microscopy as well as by the cytochemical demonstration of glycogen. In day 1 and day 3 embryos standard temperature induced swelling of the SER and Golgi complex vesicles. Major changes in day 1 embryos consisted of smallish microtubules - like crystalloids, and in day 3 embryos of unusually large SER vesicles. In both embryonic ages cleavage rate and development was more retarded by standard temperature than by standard lighting. Standard lighting, however, led to distinct signs of degeneration and cell death. The mode of cell damage seemed to be different in light exposed early cleavage stages and morulae: In day 1 embryos cytoplasmic degeneration was predominant while the majority of cells in day 3 embryos died by apoptosis. Despite clear indications of cell damage, cleavage rate was not notably impaired compared with non-exposed controls. Glycogen increased during development from cleavage stages to early blastocysts. The distribution was not changed either by exposure to standard temperature nor by standard lighting. The results demonstrate that day 1 embryos were clearly more susceptible to lighting whereas day 3 embryos were more affected by temperature. The mode of damage exerted by both the physical environmental factors was different. Reduction to standard temperature interfered mainly with the organization of the cytoskeleton and intracellular transport of organelles, while exposure to standard lighting led to cell degeneration and death.

Developmental changes in epithelial transport characteristics of preimplantation rabbit blastocysts

1. Transepithelial sucrose and urea permeability coefficients were measured in different-aged preimplantation rabbit blastocysts. Sucrose permeability remained constant from 4 to 6 days after fertilization (approximately 1 X 10(-8) cm s-1), but thereafter increased. Urea permeability was very low throughout this period (5 X 10(-7) cm s-1) but a phloretin-sensitive component to urea influx appeared between day 6 and day 7 post coitum (p.c.). 2. Glucose uptake was small (0.2-0.5 nmol cm-2 s-1 and independent of external sodium throughout the preimplantation period. 3. Methionine uptake was 10 times greater than glucose uptake, and was strongly dependent upon the presence of external sodium in 5 and 6 day p.c. blastocysts. The sodium dependence of methionine uptake was lost by the seventh day after fertilization. 4. The transepithelial electrical resistance was always less than 35 omega cm2 in 4 day p.c. blastocysts, and averaged 1758 omega cm2 in 6 day p.c. blastocysts. 5. The transepithelial influx of 140 La averaged 0.46 +/- 0.11 nmol cm-2 h-1 (n = 6) in 4 day p.c. blastocysts. The 5 day p.c. embryos, on the other hand were impermeable to lanthanum (n = 10). 6. These results indicate that the epithelium of the preimplantation rabbit blastocyst undergoes dramatic changes in transport characteristics with development. The blastocyst can be characterized as a 'leaky' transporting epithelium during the early blastocyst period, and as a 'tight' epithelium during the mid to late stages of the preimplantation period.