Human Reproduction, Vol. 16, No. 4, 730-736,
April 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Preliminary findings in germinal vesicle transplantation of immature human oocytes
The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, USA
Transplanting a germinal vesicle (GV) from an aged woman's oocyte into a younger ooplasm has been proposed as a possible way to reduce the incidence of oocyte aneuploidy which is considered to be responsible for age-related infertility. In this study, we have assessed the efficiency of each step involved in nuclear transplantation—specifically cell survival, nuclear-cytoplasmic reconstitution, and the capacity of the reconstituted oocytes for in-vitro maturation. In addition, we have evaluated the fertilizability and karyotypic status of the manipulated oocytes by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and fluorescent in-situ hybridization technique respectively. Nuclear transplantation was accomplished with an overall efficiency of 73%. Due to the limited availability of materials, most nuclear transplantation procedures were performed between sibling oocytes. The maturation rate of 62% following reconstitution was comparable with that of control oocytes, as was the incidence of aneuploidy among the reconstituted oocytes. The ICSI results of the reconstituted oocytes yielded a survival rate of 77%, a fertilization rate of 52%, and a satisfactory early embryonic cleavage. Furthermore, in a limited number of observations where the nucleus of an aged oocyte was transferred into a younger ooplasm, there was an appropriate chromosomal segregation. These findings demonstrate that human oocytes reconstituted with GV nuclei are able to undergo maturation, fertilization, and early embryo cleavage, and maintain a normal ploidy. Although in-vitro maturation seems to be a limiting step, this technique would allow us to investigate further the nuclear-ooplasmic relationship during meiotic maturation.
Key words: aneuploidy/human oocytes/ICSI/in-vitro maturation/nuclear transplantation
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 505 East 70th Street, HT-336, New York, NY 10021, USA. E-mail: gdpalerm{at}med.cornell.edu
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