Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 10, 2157-2165,
October 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Fetal abnormalities produced after preimplantation exposure of mouse embryos to ammonium chloride
1 Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Genes and Development Group, and 2 Division of Biomedical Sciences, Genes and Development Group, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD and 3 Assisted Conception Unit, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, UK
4 Present address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, 40002, Thailand
5 Present address: North Town Women and Children’s Hospital, 7 Sec1 Chung Yang Road, Tu-Cheng City, Taipei 236, Taiwan
6 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: John.West{at}ed.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to determine whether preimplantation exposure of mouse embryos to ammonium resulted in abnormal fetal development and to evaluate similar risks to the outcome of human assisted conception. METHODS: Mouse embryos cultured from the 1-cell stage were exposed to 0.3 mmol/l ammonium chloride for 3 days. Embryos cultured from the 2-cell stage were exposed to 0.3 or 0.6 mmol/l ammonium for 2 days. After transfer to the uteri of pseudopregnant recipient females, post-implantation development was evaluated on embryonic day 15.5 (E15.5) or E18.5. RESULTS: There was no consistent effect of preimplantation exposure to ammonium chloride on fetal or placental weights. All 101 E18.5 fetuses were normal but 5/217 E15.5 fetuses were abnormal (three exencephalic and two polydactylous), which was significantly higher than the 0/363 for the pooled groups of E15.5 control fetuses (P = 0.007). The combined E15.5 and E18.5 frequency was also significantly higher than the controls (5/318 versus 0/433; P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the conclusion that abnormal preimplantation culture conditions can cause fetal abnormalities in mice, but the risks may be lower than previously suggested. Further work is needed to evaluate the risk more fully but this risk should be considered when designing new strategies for human assisted conception.
Key words: ammonium/culture/fetal abnormality/preimplantation embryo/preimplantation teratology
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. Mitchell, S. L. Schulz, D. T. Armstrong, and M. Lane Metabolic and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Early Mouse Embryos Following Maternal Dietary Protein Intervention Biol Reprod, April 1, 2009; 80(4): 622 - 630. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. K. Gardner and M. Lane One-step versus two-step culture of mouse preimplantation embryos. Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2006; 21(7): 1935 - 1936. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. D. Biggers, L. McGinnis, and M. C. Summers Reply: One-step versus two-step culture of mouse preimplantation embryos Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2006; 21(7): 1936 - 1939. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. L. Zander, J. G. Thompson, and M. Lane Perturbations in Mouse Embryo Development and Viability Caused by Ammonium Are More Severe after Exposure at the Cleavage Stages Biol Reprod, February 1, 2006; 74(2): 288 - 294. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.D. Biggers, L.K. McGinnis, and J.A. Lawitts One-step versus two-step culture of mouse preimplantation embryos: is there a difference? Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2005; 20(12): 3376 - 3384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M.C. Summers, L.K. McGinnis, J.A. Lawitts, and J.D. Biggers Mouse embryo development following IVF in media containing either L-glutamine or glycyl-L-glutamine Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2005; 20(5): 1364 - 1371. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|