Microdroplet In Vitro Fertilization Can Reduce the Number of Spermatozoa Necessary for Fertilizing Oocytes

Successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) in mice has been achieved using spermatozoa at concentrations specifically optimized for the experimental conditions, such as species and source of spermatozoa. Although IVF in mice is mostly performed using about 80–500 µl drops, it is expected that the number of spermatozoa used for insemination can be reduced by decreasing the size of the IVF drops. The present study was undertaken to examine the extent to which the number of spermatozoa used for IVF could be reduced by using small droplets (1 µl). We devised the experimental parameters using frozen–thawed spermatozoa from C57BL/6 mice in anticipation of broader applications to other mouse facilities. We found that as few as 5 spermatozoa per droplet could fertilize oocytes (1 or 3 oocytes per droplet), although the fertilization rates were low (13–15%). Practical fertilization rates (> 40%) could be achieved with frozen-thawed C57BL/6J spermatozoa, which are sensitive to cryopreservation, when 20 sperm per droplet were used to inseminate 3 oocytes. Even with spermatozoa from a very poor quality suspension (10% motility), about 25% of oocytes were fertilized. Our calculations indicate that the number of inseminated spermatozoa per oocyte can be reduced to 1/96–1/240 by this method. In two separate embryo transfer experiments, 60% and 47%, respectively, of embryos developed to term. Our microdroplet IVF method may be particularly advantageous when only a limited number of motile spermatozoa are available because of inadequate freezing-thawing or genetic reasons.     

Isolation,Identification and Pathogenicity on Mice of Streptococcus suis in Pig in Guangxi Border Area

16 strains of Streptococcus were isolated and identified from 370 pig tissues of clinically morbidity farms and slaughter houses in Guangxi border area.Morphological observation, PCR identification and pathogenicity test were carried out. The results showed that the morphology,dyeing,biochemical characteristics were coincidence with the characteristics of Streptococcus suis,confirmed that 16 strains were Streptococcus suis,and named as GX1 to GX16. Further by divided type identification (35 serotypes) by GDH,1 strains was type 1,1 strains was type 2,1 strains was type 5,1 strain was type 29,5 strains were type 8 and 7 strains could not differentiate types. The pathogenicity of 16 strains Streptococcus suis were detected by Kunming mice and BALB/c mice. The results showed that the letal rate of GX10 for Kunming mice and BALB/c mice was 100%;GX11 for BALB/c mice was 80%;Other strains were apathogenicity to the Kunming mice and BALB/c mice. The LD₅₀ of GX10 and GX11 was 4.5×10⁵ and 3.6×10⁹ CFU for BALB/c mice,respectively. The results showed that pathogenic Streptococcus suis type 8 occured in Guangxi border area. The sensitivity of BALB/c mice to Streptococcus suis was higher than Kunming mice, BALB/c mice was more suitable for the pathogenic study of Streptococcus suis.     

广西部分地区猪链球菌的分离鉴定及小鼠致病性研究

对来自广西边境地区部分发病猪场及屠宰场的370份猪组织进行细菌分离鉴定,共分离到16株链球菌,对这16株链球菌进行了形态学观察、PCR鉴定及小鼠致病性试验。结果表明,其形态、染色、生化特性均符合猪链球菌的特点,通过GDH鉴定与测序,证实这16株菌株均为猪链球菌,分别命名为GX1~GX16。通过特异性引物PCR分型（35个血清型）,其中有1株为1型,1株为2型,1株为5型,1株为29型,5株为8型,7株未分出型。用这16株猪链球菌对昆明小鼠和BALB/c小鼠进行动物致病性试验,结果发现,菌株GX10对昆明小鼠和BALB/c小鼠致死率均为100%;菌株GX11对BALB/c小鼠致死率为80%;其他菌株对昆明小鼠和BALB/c小鼠均无致病性。菌株GX10、GX11对BALB/c小鼠的LD₅₀分别为4.5×10⁵和3.6×10⁹ CFU。本试验结果表明,广西边境地区存在致病性猪链球菌8型。BALB/c小鼠对猪链球菌的敏感性高于昆明小鼠,更适合作为猪链球菌致病性研究的动物模型。     

金黄地鼠体外受精的初步研究

实验用ＴＹＨ、Ｔ６两种培养液做为精子获能培养液和受精培养液进行了金黄地鼠的体外受精。用经获能培养的精子分别与具卵丘和去卵丘的卵子进行受精培养。结果在ＴＹＨ中分别得到了２７．５％和３３．３％的受精率。在Ｔ６中得到了４７．２％和２６．３％的受精率；用未经获能培养的精子分别与具卵丘和不具卵丘卵子进行受精培养，结果在ＴＹＨ中得到了４１．８％和７．１％的受精，在Ｔ６中得到了４８．５％和５７．７％的受精率。实验结果说明：（１）适用于小鼠体外受精的培养液Ｔ６和ＴＹＨ并不适合于金黄地鼠，其主要原因是不能使精子有效获能；（２）卵丘细胞的存在有使受精率提高的趋势；（３）来自不同公鼠的精子的受精能力差异很大，进行体外受精时必须严格挑选公鼠     

Manipulation of bicarbonate concentration in sperm capacitation media improves in vitro fertilisation output in porcine species

Background: The in vivo concentration of bicarbonate(HCO_3~-), one of the essential sperm capacitating effectors,varies greatly in the different environments sperm go through from cauda epididymis to the fertilisation site. On the contrary, porcine in vitro sperm capacitation and fertilisation media usually contains a standard concentration of25 mmol/L, and one of the main problems presented is the unacceptable high incidence of polyspermy. This work hypothesised that by modifying the HCO_3~-concentration of the medium, the output of in vitro sperm capacitation and fertilisation could be increased.Results: Once exposed to the capacitation medium, the intracellular pH(pH_i) of spermatozoa increased immediately even at low concentrations of HCO_3~-, but only extracellular concentrations of and above 15 mmol/L increased the substrates protein kinase A phosphorylation(pPKAs). Although with a significant delay, 15 mmol/L of HCO_3~-stimulated sperm linear motility and increased other late events in capacitation such as tyrosine phosphorylation(Tyr-P) to levels similar to those obtained with 25 mmol/L. This information allowed the establishment of a new in vitro fertilisation(IVF)system based on the optimization of HCO_3~-concentration to 15 mmol/L, which led to a 25.3% increment of the viable zygotes(8.6% in the standard system vs. 33.9%).Conclusions: Optimising HCO_3~-concentrations allows for establishing an IVF method that significantly reduced porcine polyspermy and increased the production of viable zygotes. A concentration of 15 mmol/L of HCO_3~-in the medium is sufficient to trigger the in vitro sperm capacitation and increase the fertilisation efficiency in porcine.     

rasH2 mouse: reproducibility and stability of carcinogenicity due to a standardized production and monitoring system

The rasH2 mouse was developed as a model for carcinogenicity studies in regulatory science. Its phenotype is stable during high-volume production and over successive generations. To produce rasH2 mice, three strains of mice (C57BL/6J-TgrasH2, C57BL/6J, and BALB/cByJ) were maintained individually. Since the homozygous c-HRAS genotype is lethal, hemizygous transgenic mice were maintained by crossing with inbred C57BL/6J mice. After breeding, male B6-transgenic mice were mated with female BALB/cByJ mice to obtain transgenic mice. Pups that were rasH2-Tg (tg/wt) or rasH2-Wt (wt/wt) were confirmed by genotyping. Frozen embryos were preserved by the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA) and sent to two facilities, CLEA Japan and Taconic Biosciences, where the mice were produced. Production colonies are created in both facilities and supplied to customers worldwide. To prevent genetic drift, the colonies were renewed for up to 10 generations, and renewals were carried out four times every five years from 2005 to 2021. To ensure the uniformity and maintenance of the phenotype of rasH2 mice, the carcinogen susceptibilities were monitored in every renewal of colonies by CIEA based on a standard protocol of the short-term carcinogenicity study using the positive control compound N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). Furthermore, simple carcinogenicity monitoring targeting the forestomach, the organ most sensitive to MNU, was performed approximately once a year. Based on the optimally designed production and monitoring systems, the quality of rasH2 mice with reproducibility and stability of carcinogenicity is maintained and supplied globally.     

Infectivity and pathological changes in murine clonorchiasis: comparison in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice

The main complications of clonorchiasis are periportal inflammation, biliary hyperplasia, periductal fibrosis, and subsequently the development of biliary tumors in the liver. This study was undertaken to compare the infectivity and histopathologic changes between in immunocompetent FVB/NJ and BALB/cA strains, and immunodeficient severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) and athymic nude mice after the metacercariae of Clonorchis (C.) sinensis were infected. The experiment showed that C. sinensis was very infective in all strains studies, but the status of worm development, infectivity, recovery rate, and morphological changes of livers were very different in each strain. FVB/NJ mice showed more worm recovery than any other strain. Histopathologically the liver of FVB/NJ mice at 4 weeks postinfection showed marked cystic and fibrotic changes, in which C. sinensis was fully developed with ovum production, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells, mostly eosinophils, and high degrees of biliary hyperplasia. In SCID and nude mice, there were few foci of inflammatory cells even at 8 weeks postinfection in periportal areas of the liver, associated with no development into adult worm with ovum production. Fibrosis occurring at 4 weeks postinfection was highly correlated with inflammatory infiltration when each strain was compared. We suggest that massive infiltration of eosinophil and plasma cells caused by the infection might initiate cystic formation and fibrosis. These data demonstrate that the infection of C. sinensis might be related to pathologic consequences of inflammatory cell infiltration, cystic formation and fibrosis which might play a role in the defense mechanism against the parasitism in the liver of each strain. The FVB/NJ mouse model might be very helpful in elucidating the mechanism for human clonorchiasis.     

近交系小鼠RAPD标记的观察

采用随机扩增多态性DNA技术(RAPD),分析BALB/c、C57BL/6、DBA/2、C3H/He等4个近交系小鼠的基因多态性,探讨用RAPD作为遗传标记,对近交系小鼠进行遗传检测。结果表明,4种小鼠表现出了各自不同的多态性RAPD标记,证明RAPD可作为近交系小鼠的分子标记,在DNA水平区别4种近交系小鼠。     

影响昆明小鼠和BALB/c小鼠胚胎干细胞分离、克隆、传代的若干因素

对昆明小鼠和BALB／c小鼠2种胚胎的研究表明，2种品系小鼠胚胎均可用作胚胎干细胞（ES）分离建系的材料，两者在ES分离、传代上无显著差异（P〉0．05）；大鼠心肌细胞条件培养液与添加LIF的ES常规培养液相比，显著提高了小鼠ES细胞F1、F2出现率（P〈0．05）；采用低浓度消化液使形成ES克隆的比率分别从14％、16％提高到35％、32％，使ES传到第5代的比率分别从1．7％、0提高到5％、7．1％；而采用连续消化法使形成ES克隆的比率从15％、17％提高到40％、50％，使ES传到第5代的比率从0、1％提高到10％、20％；对ES进行伊红染色、核型分析、AKP染色及体外分化能力检测，证实所分离的ES符合小鼠ES的一系列特征。     

模拟急性低压性低氧对小鼠部分血气指标的影响

为了阐明在模拟急性低压性低氧环境下血气指标的变化趋势,选取BALB/c小鼠作为研究对象,检测了模拟急性低压性低氧时其血液中动脉与静脉的血氧饱和度、氧分压、二氧化碳分压等血液指标的变化。结果表明：随着缺氧时间的延长,BALB/c小鼠动、静脉血氧饱和度差值逐渐增大,24 h后趋于平衡;动、静脉氧分压差随着缺氧时间的延长表现为先降低后增加的趋势;动、静脉二氧化碳分压差随着缺氧时间延长表现为先增加后降低的趋势。该种动态变化主要是由于BALB/c小鼠随着缺氧时间延长,代偿性提高氧的供应、提高氧的利用效率,达到适应缺氧环境的目的。     

重度联合免疫缺陷（SCID）小鼠性机能发育的初步研究

本研究对ＳＣＩＤ小鼠与ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ小鼠的阴道开口时间,卵泡发育,精子发生及血浆促黄体素（ＬＨ）和睾酮（Ｔ）浓度进行了比较观察,结果表明,２种鼠阴道开口时间均为４０日龄,均在３０日龄时卵巢出现有腔卵泡,但ＳＣＩＤ雌鼠４５日龄有排卵,而同龄ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ雌鼠未见排卵;ＳＣＩＤ雄鼠４０日龄附睾涂片有活精子,ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ雄鼠４５日龄附睾涂片可见活精子,ＳＣＩＤ小鼠初情期似乎有比ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ小鼠初情期略早的趋     

水牛附睾尾精子的体外受精

采用肝素诱导获能 ,比较了 TAL P液和 BO液处理水牛附睾尾精子进行体外受精和细管冷冻精液体外受精的效果。结果表明 ,用 BO液和 TAL P液分别处理水牛附睾尾精子 ,受精后的卵裂率分别为 4 6 .6 7%和 5 3.73% ,发育率分别为 2 1.6 7%和 2 6 .87% ,其受精效果差异不显著。综合 2种方法 ,水牛附睾尾精子的受精率为 5 7.14 % ,受精后的卵裂率为 5 0 .39% ;发育率相对于培养卵为 2 4 .4 1% ,相对于卵裂卵为 4 8.4 4 % ;与细管冷冻精液 (5 6 .0 0 % ,5 4 .31% ,2 6 .72 % ,4 9.2 1% )相比 ,差异不显著。形态学观察还表明 ,用保温干储的方法可获得活率好、存活时间长的附睾尾精子。试验结果说明水牛附睾尾精子用于体外受精可以得到与细管冷冻精液相当的效果。     

Effects of social isolation,re‐socialization and age on cognitive and aggressive behaviors of Kunming mice and BALB/c mice

Both Kunming (KM) mice and BALB/c mice have been widely used as rodent models to investigate stress‐associated mental diseases. However, little is known about the different behaviors of KM mice and BALB/c mice after social isolation, particularly cognitive and aggressive behaviors. In this study, the behaviors of KM and BALB/c mice isolated for 2, 4 and 8 weeks and age‐matched controls were evaluated using object recognition, object location and resident‐intruder tests. The recovery of behavioral deficits by re‐socialization was also examined for the isolated mice in adolescence. Our study showed that isolation for 2, 4 and 8 weeks led to cognitive deficits and increased aggressiveness for both KM and BALB/c mice. An important finding is that re‐socialization could completely recover spatial/non‐spatial cognitive deficits resulted from social isolation for both KM and BALB/c mice. In addition, age only impacted aggressiveness of KM mice. Moreover, isolation duration showed different impacts on cognitive and aggressive behaviors for both KM and BALB/c mice. Furthermore, BALB/c mice showed weak spatial/non‐spatial memory and low aggressiveness when they were at the same age and isolation duration, compared to KM mice. In conclusion, KM mice and BALB/c mice behaved characteristically under physiology and isolation conditions.     

Effect of relaxin on in vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes

Porcine relaxin is a peptide hormone belonging to the insulin super family that has a variety of biological functions. The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of relaxin on sperm function and on in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes. Porcine spermatozoa were washed, swum-up, and incubated for 1-4 h in mTALP medium supplemented with 0, 20 or 50 ng/ml porcine relaxin. Motility was determined by observing the type of forward movement of the spermatozoa, and acrosome status was evaluated by applying the triple staining technique. Immature oocytes were aspirated from antral follicles and matured in IVM medium (modified NCSU-37). Matured oocytes were co-cultured with spermatozoa in IVF medium (mTALP) supplemented with 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 ng/ml relaxin. After 6 h of sperm-oocyte co-incubation, putative zygotes were cultured for 18 h in oocyte culture medium NCSU-37 and then assessed for the rates of monospermy, polyspermy, and male pronucleus formation after acetic orcein staining. Relaxin improved (P<0.05) sperm motility and increased the percentage of acrosome-reacted live spermatozoa during 1-4 h of incubation, although viability was not significantly improved. Significantly (P<0.05) the highest percentage of monospermic (31.7%) and lowest percentage of polyspermic (16.5%) fertilization was achieved from the sperm-oocyte co-culture group treated with 20 ng/ml relaxin as compared to other groups. The percentage of male pronucleus formation was significantly (P<0.05) greater in the 20 ng/ml relaxin-treated sperm-oocyte co-culture group than in the other groups. These results indicate that supplementation with relaxin is capable of improving sperm function and fertilization of porcine oocytes in vitro.     

利用二代测序技术进行近交系小鼠品系验证

为了对生产群中的无特定病原体(specific pathogen free,SPF)级近交系小鼠进行遗传质量检测,以确认其品系正确,未发生突变。选取2个品系(Balb/cByJ和C57BL/6J)雌雄各半,共16只小鼠,通过多重靶向多聚酶链反应(PCR),扩增包含112个单核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphism,SNP)位点的DNA片段,对其进行二代测序(next-generation sequencing,NGS),获得它们在这些SNP位点的基因型。经二代测序后,得到有效读取数为6118873,每个位点的平均读取数为3631,97个SNP位点在所有的小鼠中都被分型,另外15个SNP位点,至少在1个样本中没有被检出。其中,6个SNP只在一个品系的小鼠中有结果,还有2个SNP只在一种性别的小鼠中有结果。在所有样本中得到的全部SNP分型结果都符合其品系的基因型,且均为纯合子。送检的小鼠遗传特征稳定,利用二代测序技术进行SNP分型,能对近交系小鼠的遗传特性进行快速准确的评估。     

Effects of glutathione treatments during sperm washing and in vitro fertilization on the in vitro early development of embryos of Japanese Black cattle

This study was conducted to examine the effects of adding glutathione (1 mM) to media used for sperm washing and in vitro fertilization (IVF) on the improvement of early development of embryos produced using cryopreserved spermatozoa of the less IVF-competent bull (the one considered unqualified as spermatozoa supplier for the production of bovine blastocysts using IVF). The cryopreserved spermatozoa of this bull were characterized by normal motility and lower ATP content and blastocyst productivity than those of IVF-competent bulls. The addition of glutathione to the sperm washing medium was more effective in improving the productivity of blastocysts and ATP content than the addition of glutathione to the IVF medium or no glutathione addition at all (control). These results suggest that this simple method may be used to improve the potential of cryopreserved spermatozoa of less IVF-competent bulls to fertilize oocytes in vitro and to induce normal embryonic development after fertilization.     

蜥蜴利什曼原虫在小鼠体内的分布及增殖研究

通过腹腔途径用体内含有荧光蛋白的蜥蜴利什曼原虫感染BALB/c小鼠,感染后采其脏器做冰冻切片,荧光染料染色后用荧光显微镜观察,并经PCR鉴定,结果显示蜥蜴利什曼原虫感染小鼠后,主要分布于心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏。另外,成功建立了利什曼原虫荧光定量PCR检测方法,并采用该方法检测感染蜥蜴利什曼原虫后BALB/c小鼠体内利什曼原虫的增殖情况,结果显示,感染13 d内,BALB/c小鼠体内蜥蜴利什曼原虫呈波浪状增殖。这一结果为研究蜥蜴利什曼原虫感染人和动物的致病机理和免疫方法及疫苗研制等方面提供了基础理论依据。     

Assessment of Different Sperm Quality Parameters to Predict in vitro Fertility of Bulls

Frozen‐thawed semen from six bulls with high (> 60%) and low (20–35%) in vitro fertility was used for studying the predictive value of simple sperm quality tests with respect to in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome as assessed by pronucleus (PN) formation ability. Sperm quality parameters, such as sperm concentration, motility, progressive motility, live‐dead sperm ratio, morphology, membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity and acrosomal status were analysed using both conventional and automatic techniques at three time points during the IVF process, namely after sperm thawing, Percoll differential gradient centrifugation and IVF. Associations between the sperm quality parameters before and after IVF, and PN formation ability were assessed by using linear regression analyses. The percentages of motility, progressive motility and normal morphology determined after sperm thawing, and the percentage of live spermatozoa assessed after Percoll preparation by using nigrosin‐eosin (N‐E) staining showed a good correlation with PN formation ability, but the regression parameters were borderline not significant. These parameters formed the most reliable basis for predicting IVF outcome. After IVF, the percentage of live spermatozoa determined by using N‐E staining was the only sperm quality parameter showing a significant association with the PN formation ability of a given bull. This sperm quality test can be used as a non‐invasive method to estimate the PN formation ability of oocytes which are further cultured to assess embryonic development.     

Skeletal muscle rhabdomyosarcomas in inbred laboratory mice.

A total of 14 well differentiated rhabdomyosarcomas were diagnosed at necropsy in 10,000 mice. Of the 14 affected mice, ten were BALB/cJ, and there was one case each of A/HeJ, BALB/cByJ, C58/J, and C.B-17-scid/scid strains. Most often (10/14) tumors originated in the quadriceps muscles and metastases occurred in six cases. When submitted, affected mice were 2 to 8 months of age, with a mean age of 4 months. Tumor frequency for BALB/cJ mice was calculated to be 2.4/100,000 mice retained as breeders. No sexual dimorphisms were determined when data were correlated to actual numbers of each sex in the colony. All 14 primary tumors and metastases were positive by immunohistochemistry for the proteins pan myosin, sarcomeric actin, desmin, actin, and myosin, but were negative for smooth muscle actin, thus confirming the diagnosis. Using cell free homogenates of primary tumors, inoculated by intraperitoneal or intramuscular injection, tumors were not induced in either BALB/cJ or C58/J mice observed over a 22-week period. Southern blot analysis of DNA prepared from tumors and hybridized with a murine leukemia virus probe that recognizes both ecotropic and dualtropic viruses did not demonstrate viral genomic fragments in addition to those known to occur in each strain.     

A lysosomal storage disorder in the BALB/c mouse: bone marrow transplantation

The morphological and biochemical consequences of transplanting affected bone marrow from donor BALB/c mice with a lysosomal storage disorder (BALB/c LSD) into normal recipient mice were studied. Bone marrow was removed from normal BALB/c and BALB/c LSD mice and transfused into normal BALB/c recipient mice four hours after the mice received 850 rads of irradiation. Tissues of the recipient mice were examined 240 days later. This study revealed that the defective cells that constituted the visceral lesions of BALB/c LSD could be transplanted to normal BALB/c mice by the use of bone marrow from affected BALB/c LSD homozygote; that the defective cells of BALB/c LSD proliferated and disseminated throughout the mononuclear phagocytic system of the recipient; that there were increases in cholesterol, sphingolipids, and cystine with decreases in sphingomyelinase and glucocerebrosidase activity in tissues of the recipients; and that the recipients survived substantially longer than BALB/c LSD homozygotes and their lifespan was compromised mainly by the secondary effects of irradiation. These lesions, although not as extensive as in homozygous BALB/c LSD, paralleled the lesions which develop in BALB/c LSD. Since the recipient mice were not compromised by the short life span (70 days) of the BALB/c LSD mice, they may be used to study the long-term chronic effects of these metabolic lesions.