Promotion of human early embryonic development and blastocyst outgrowth in vitro using autocrine/paracrine growth factors.

ABSTRACT: Studies using animal models demonstrated the importance of autocrine/paracrine factors secreted by preimplantation embryos and reproductive tracts for embryonic development and implantation. Although in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is an established procedure, there is no evidence that present culture conditions are optimal for human early embryonic development. In this study, key polypeptide ligands known to be important for early embryonic development in animal models were tested for their ability to improve human early embryo development and blastocyst outgrowth in vitro. We confirmed the expression of key ligand/receptor pairs in cleavage embryos derived from discarded human tri-pronuclear zygotes and in human endometrium. Combined treatment with key embryonic growth fa

SUBMITTER: Kawamura K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3495911 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature