山羊类ES细胞的分离与克隆

采集山羊交配后6～8d的桑椹胚、囊胚和孵化囊胚,将桑椹胚和囊胚分别放在小鼠原代胎儿成纤维细胞(PMEF)饲养层和同源原代胎儿成纤维细胞(PGEF)饲养层上比较其脱带时间及脱带率。脱带后,将各自一半胚胎切割,把含ICM的半胚分别放在相应饲养层上进行培养,另一半整胚在各自饲养层上继续培养,而孵化囊胚直接于PGEF饲养层上培养。当ICM增殖一定程度时进行传代,以比较其类ES细胞分离与克隆的效果。结果表明,在2种不同饲养层上,囊胚的脱带时间均短于桑椹胚,囊胚的脱带率均高于桑椹胚,而饲养层的种类对胚胎的脱带时间以及脱带率影响不大。脱带切割囊胚不论在PMEF还是在PGEF饲养层上,其贴壁时间均短于脱带整胚及孵化囊胚,而贴壁率高于脱带整胚,与孵化囊胚相似。脱带整胚及脱带切割胚在PMEF饲养层上所获类ES细胞只能维持3代,而在PGEF饲养层上,脱带切割半胚和孵化囊胚所获类ES细胞传至5代。由此认为,对脱带后的胚胎进行切割处理,有利于ICM的贴壁和增殖;应用同源原代胎儿成纤维细胞饲养层培养系统,有利于类ES细胞的分离与克隆。     

Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryonic Stem Cell‐Like Cells and Preimplantation Embryos Exhibit Comparable Expression of Pluripotency‐Related Antigens

In this study, inner cell mass (ICM) cells were isolated from in vitro produced buffalo blastocysts and were cultured on mitomycin‐C treated buffalo foetal fibroblast feeder layer for producing embryonic stem (ES) cells. Among different sources (hatched vs expanded blastocysts) or methods (enzymatic vs mechanical), mechanical isolation of ICM from hatched blastocysts resulted in the highest primary colony formation rate and the maximum passage number up to which ES cells survived. Putative ES cells expressed alkaline phosphatase and exhibited a normal karyotype up to passage 7. Putative ES cells and embryos at 2‐ to 4‐cell, 8‐ to 16‐cell, morula and blastocyst stages strongly expressed stage‐specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)‐4 but lacked expressions of SSEA‐1 and SSEA‐3. Putative ES cells also expressed tumour rejection antigen (TRA)‐1‐60, TRA‐1‐81 and Oct4. Whereas in all early embryonic stages, TRA‐1‐60 was observed only in the periplasmic space, and TRA‐1‐81 expression was observed as small spots at a few places inside the embryos, both these markers were expressed by ICM. Oct4 expression, which was observed at all the embryonic stages and also in the trophectoderm, was the strongest in the ICM. Buffalo putative ES cells possess a unique pluripotency‐related surface antigen phenotype, which resembles that of the ICM.     

水牛PGC和前精原细胞的体外培养

分别对取自50~95日龄水牛胎儿的原生殖细胞和前精原细胞进行体外培养,观察其生物学行为,并检测其碱性磷酸酶(AP)活性和Oct-4蛋白特性,探讨利用这些生殖细胞建立干细胞系的可行性和检测方法。结果表明水牛原生殖细胞及前精原细胞分别在体外培养时,均能形成细胞克隆;克隆与周围细胞分界明显,但克隆中细胞相互间界限不清;部分克隆有分隔现象,形如多个克隆共同组成一个大克隆;细胞克隆均至少能培养4代以上;原生殖细胞和前精原细胞及其来源的细胞克隆均呈AP阴性和Oct-4蛋白阴性,其中部分克隆表现为AP假阳性。研究结果显示水牛原生殖细胞和前精原细胞均可用于建立干细胞系;体外培养时,AP活性和Oct-4蛋白不适宜用来检测这些细胞及其来源的细胞克隆。     

绵羊类胚胎干细胞的分离与克隆

从胚胎发育阶段、饲养层和培养体系等方面对影响绵羊类ES细胞分离、克隆效率的因素进行探讨。结果显示：致密桑葚胚和囊胚的ICM增殖率高于囊胚和孵化囊胚。绵羊类ES细胞在同源绵羊胎儿成纤维细胞（SEF）上生长比较缓慢,最终传代次数也低于小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞（MEF）组。培养液中同时添加胎牛血清（FBS）和Knock-out血清替代品（KSR）,绵羊类ES传至7代,添加了碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（bFGF）后,最高可传至8代,而单纯添加KSR或FBS,分别传至4代和5代。对类ES细胞进行AKP染色、核型分析、体外分化试验,证实分离的类ES细胞符合ES细胞的主要特征,而且表达多潜能性细胞因子Nanog。由此认为,致密桑葚胚和囊胚更适合绵羊类ES细胞的体外分离和培养,而且MEF更适合于绵羊类ES细胞的分离传代,培养液中添加5%FBS和15%KSR,比较适合类ES细胞的分离传代,bFGF对绵羊类ES细胞的增殖具有促进作用。     

Vitrification of Bovine Blastocysts Produced In Vitro Inflicts Selective Damage to the Inner Cell Mass

In contrast to the embryos derived from live animals, the embryos produced in vitro undergo increased damage and reduced survival after cryopreservation, particularly when produced with serum. In medium containing serum, retinoic acid increases cell numbers in the inner cell mass and the trophectoderm without altering their relative proportions in the bovine blastocyst. In this work, in medium without serum, we analyzed the contribution of retinoic acid to the development of blastocyst and survival to vitrification, and found a strong cell reduction in the inner mass when compared to the trophectoderm. Day-6 in vitro -produced morulae were treated for 24 h with retinoic acid (0.7 and 1.4 μ m ) and subsequently cultured without additives for a further 24 h period. Day-8 blastocyst production and cell counts in hatched blastocysts were unaffected by retinoic acid. However, Day-7 expanded, vitrified embryos produced with retinoic acid 1.4 μ m survived at lower rates than controls when cultured after warming. Vitrification greatly reduced cell numbers in the inner mass (p < 0.0001), while cells in the trophectoderm remained unaltered. Differential cell counts analysis in blastocysts should be taken up to replace unspecific determination of total cells to appreciate substantial modifications in their exact terms. The strong reduction we found in the inner cell mass could explain why in vitro survival to cryopreservation is sometimes scarcely informative on the viability of the embryo after transfer to recipients.     

OCT4 Expression in Outgrowth Colonies Derived from Porcine Inner Cell Masses and Epiblasts

The present study was conducted to test different methods for porcine inner cell mass (ICM) and epiblast isolation and to evaluate the morphology and expression of pluripotency genes in ICM‐ and epiblast‐derived outgrowth colonies (OCs) and passages thereof with particular attention on the relationship between OCT4 expression and embryonic stem cell (ESC)‐like morphology. A total of 104 zona pellucida‐enclosed and 101 hatched blastocysts were subjected to four different methods of ICM and epiblast isolation, respectively: Manual isolation, immunosurgery, immunosurgery with manual cleaning, or whole blastocyst culture. OCs were established on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells and categorized according to morphology and OCT4 staining. Although all isolation methods resulted in ESC‐like OCs, immunosurgery with manual cleaning yielded significantly higher rates of ICM/epiblast attachment and subsequent ESC‐like morphology, whereas no significant difference was found between ICM and epiblasts with respect to these characteristics. All ESC‐like OCs showed nuclear OCT4 staining and expression of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2 as evaluated by RT‐PCR. Upon initial passages, the expression of pluripotency markers was, however, gradually lost in spite of maintained ESC‐like morphology. In conclusion, we have established a robust system for derivation of ESC‐like OCs from porcine ICM and epiblasts and we have shown that localization of OCT4 is associated with an ESC‐like morphology although this relationship is lost during early passages.     

小鼠皮肤成纤维细胞的体细胞核移植

取成年小鼠唇部皮肤进行培养，分离成纤维细胞并血清饥饿培养1周，用作核供体。对成年小鼠进行超排，取卵母细胞用作核受体，核移植重构胚经SrCl2激活处理6h后，同mM16培养液和小鼠输卵管上皮细胞共培养，把发育到早期囊胚的重构胚转移至小鼠胎儿成纤维细胞饲养层上，添加ES细胞条件培养液，消化分离ICM，然后接种培养，对孵出的ES细胞样集落进行鉴定培养。结果显示，小鼠唇部皮肤成纤维细胞为核供体，核移植重构胚2-细胞率为54．05％，桑椹胚率17．14％，囊胚率6．90％，对照组卵丘细胞的核移植重构胚2-细胞率为60．00％，桑椹胚率21．85％，囊胚率11．69％，但2种供体细胞在支持核移植重构胚发育能力上差异不显著。成纤维细胞重构囊胚中6个囊胚分离出ES细胞样集落，3个ES细胞样集落可稳定传代；对照组卵丘细胞重构囊胚中9个囊胚中分离出ES细胞样集落，5个ES细胞样集落可稳定传代。从核移植重构胚中分离出的ES细胞样集落具有岛状或巢状群体生长形态，生长旺盛的集落可自发分化成单个散在或片状存在的上皮样或梭形细胞，碱性磷酸酶检测为阳性，常规冻存复苏，仍显示ES细胞特征。     

水牛卵母细胞体外受精与早期胚胎发育的研究

本实验通过 3种水牛卵母细胞体外成熟培养系统的比较 ,与早期胚胎发育研究结果表明 ,3组是最好的培养系统 ,卵母细胞成熟率为 5 1.9% (2 8 5 4 ) ;卵裂率为 5 2 .76 %± 9.0 8% (193 35 9) ;囊胚率 (占授精卵数 )为 2 7.2 2 %± 9.17% (10 1 35 9)、(占分裂卵数 )为 5 2 .13%± 16 .32 % (10 1 193) ;孵化囊胚率为 83.34%± 11.5 6 % (85 10 1)。该系统为含 10 %FBS的TCM - 199液中添加促性腺激素FSH、LH ,类固醇激素E2 ,表皮生长因子 (EGF)和硫醇类化合物β—巯基乙醇 (β—ME)的较完善系统。据 39批次早期胚胎体外发育至囊胚 (343枚 )所需时间 (以授精当日为 0d计算 )分析 ,5d囊胚 2枚 (0 .6 % ) ;6d囊胚 89枚 (2 5 .9% ) ;7d囊胚14 9枚 (43.4 % ) ;8d囊胚 73枚 (2 1.3% ) ;9d囊胚 2 5枚 (7.3% ) ;10d囊胚 5枚 (1.5 % )。2头经超数排卵处理的母水牛 ,授精后第5d非手术回收 3枚囊胚 ,说明受精卵在体外发育速度比在体内发育慢 ,推测试管水牛胚胎移植的适宜时间 ,应是受体母牛站立发情后第 4～ 6d     

ICR小鼠胚胎干细胞建系初步研究

实验旨在探讨消化方式和胚胎发育阶段对ICR小鼠胚胎干细胞(ES细胞)建系效率的影响。ICR小鼠3.5 d囊胚在饲养层上贴壁后采用单一酶消化或机械化与酶消化法相结合分离隆起的细胞集落,进行传代培养;然后选择二者中较优消化方式对不同发育时期囊胚所形成的细胞集落进行处理。结果表明:采用机械化与胰酶消化相结合的方式,形成的类ES细胞超过7代的比率(85.0%)要显著高于单一的胰酶消化(15.0%)(P<0.05);当用二者相结合的方式对ICR小鼠3.5 d(早期囊胚)、4.0 d(扩张囊胚)和4.5 d(孵化囊胚)所形成的细胞集落进行消化传代培养,三者在贴壁率和形成原代细胞集落率上均无显著差别(P>0.05),但传代超过7代的效率上早期囊胚和扩张囊胚均高于孵化囊胚(P<0.05)。结果提示,采用机械化与酶消化法相结合更适合于3.5～4.0 d ICR小鼠囊胚的ES细胞建系。     

Successful Induction of Antisera Against Rabbit Embryos for Isolation of the ICM and Putative Embryonic Stem Cells

In Expt 1, goat antisera against rabbit blastocysts were induced using spleen cell injection and skin-graft for immunosurgical isolation of ICM cells. Goats received rabbit spleen cell suspension (4 × 10⁸ cells/ml) intravenously once a week for three consecutive weeks, plus an additional dose (boost injection) 10 days after the third injection, or a piece of rabbit skin (3 × 3 cm) transplantation. Blood samples were collected starting from the day after the last cell injection for 21 days. Serum was separated, heat inactivated and stored in frozen condition before titre analysis. Results showed that the antisera/antibodies derived by spleen cell injection reached their peak titre 7 days after the last cell injection, compared with 5 days by the skin-grafted group. In Expt 2, morphologically normal blastocysts were collected for isolating ICMs immunosurgically or for direct culture of zona-free whole blastocysts. In both methods, ICM cells started attaching to the feeder layer and outgrowing from the centre portion of the cells on day 3 after the onset of culture. ICM outgrowths increased in size during days 4–5, and most cells differentiated morphologically after day 6. One colony derived from isolated ICM developed into morphologically ES-like cells expressing alkaline phosphatase activity. Our results indicated that both skin-grafting and spleen cell injection were effective inducing antisera against rabbit embryonic cells. More studies are required to optimize the culture system for rabbit ES cells.     

Study on Time Period Model for Efficiently Collecting Hatched Blastocysts Flushed from Murine Uterus

The persent study was aimed to investigate the optimization of mice cage time after superovulation, and efficient acquisition of mouse hatched blastocysts.The experiment selected 150 ICR female mice aged 8 weeks, were randomly divided into 5 groups, the same time superovulation treatment according to 1:1, after the male and female in 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 alloy cage overnight, the next day as early as 08:00 check, found that vaginal suppository for the first day of the pregnancy (D1).Take the pregnant the fifth day (D5) mice were sacrificed, their bilateral uterine horns, rushed from the embryonic.Statistics each thrust ratio and the total number of embryos hatched blastocysts/take not hatched blastocysts, was used as the index to evaluate embryos to obtain efficiency;Statistical trophectoderm cell number/inner cell mass number, as a reference index to evaluate the quality of embryo.The results found that groups of Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were no significant difference in the blastocyst number (P>0.05), but there was increasing trend, group Ⅳ was significantly higher than the other three groups (P<0.05).Groups Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ within the cell mass cells number/trophectoderm cell number were 23.18%, 23.55%, 21.72% and 23.28%, there was no significant difference in each group (P>0.05).The results showed that the corresponding set of Ⅳ cage got the time of mouse hatched blastocysts to obtain the highest efficiency, there was no significant differences in embryonic blastocyst quality.     

通过优化超排后合笼时间高效获取小鼠孵化囊胚

本试验旨在优化小鼠超排后的合笼时间,高效获取小鼠孵化囊胚。试验选用150只ICR系8周龄雌性小鼠,随机分为5组,同一时间超排处理后雌、雄按1:1于18:00、19:00、20:00、21:00合笼过夜,次日上午08:00查栓,发现阴道栓这为妊娠第1天(D1)。取妊娠第5天(D5)小鼠处死,剪取双侧子宫角,冲取胚胎。统计每组冲取胚胎的总数及孵化囊胚/未孵化囊胚的比值,作为胚胎获取效率的评价指标;统计内细胞团数/滋养外胚层细胞团数,作为评价胚胎质量的参考指标。结果发现,在数量上组Ⅰ、组Ⅱ、组Ⅲ囊胚数差异不显著(P>0.05),但有增高趋势,组Ⅳ囊胚数显著高于其他3组(P<0.05)。组Ⅰ、组Ⅱ、组Ⅲ、组Ⅳ内细胞团数/滋养外胚层细胞团数分别为23.18%、23.55%、21.72%和23.28%,各组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。结果表明,组Ⅳ所对应的合笼时间获取小鼠孵化囊胚获取效率最高,胚胎囊胚质量无明显差异。     

Generation of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Transgenic Chimeric and Nuclear Transfer Embryos Using Embryonic Germ-Like Cells Expressing Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein

The possibility of producing transgenic buffalo embryos by chimera and nuclear transfer (NT) using buffalo embryonic germ (EG)‐like cells expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) has been explored in this study. Buffalo EG‐like cells and fibroblasts with two to eight passages were transfected with the lined plasmid (pCE‐EGFP‐IRES‐Neo‐dNdB) using Lipofectamine^TM 2000 and selected by culturing in 200 μg/ml G418 for 6–8 days. G418 resistant fibroblasts and EG‐like cells were used for embryo chimera and NT. To produce blastocysts by chimera, 8–16 cells embryos were injected with EG‐like and fibroblast cells. Then, to produce blastocysts by NT, in vitro maturated oocytes were enucleated and afterwards EG‐like/fibroblast cells transferred into the perivitelline space. No statistical differences were observed for the total blastocyst produced by the chimeric method, using EG‐like and fibroblasts as donor cells, resulting on an accomplishment of 35.6% vs 33.3%, respectively. Nevertheless, besides from the 37 blastocysts produced, 23 (62.2%) from EG‐like cells expressed EGFP, none of blastocysts from foetal fibroblasts expressed this protein. When the NT method was used, no statistical difference among different generations was observed in the percentage of oocytes fused, cleaved, and developed to blastocysts after NT for EG‐like cells. On average, the percentage of oocytes fused, cleaved, and developed to blastocysts after NT was respectively 81.8%, 67.7% and 10.7%. For the expression of EGFP, from the 12 blastocysts produced by NT, 7 of them were positive, while none of NT embryos from EGFP positive fibroblasts developed to blastocysts. Results of the present study clearly demonstrated that gene transfected buffalo EG‐like cells have the ability to form chimeric embryos after injecting into buffalo early embryos and reprogramming ability after NT, which can be employed to produce transgenic buffalos through either embryo chimera or NT.     

聚合嵌合法制作黄牛和水牛种间嵌合胚的初步研究

通过聚合嵌合法初步建立一套黄牛和水牛种间嵌合的程序与方法。聚合嵌合法采用链酶蛋白酶消化透明带或用机械剥离法去除透明带，然后在含有100 μg/ml PHA的培养液中聚合形成嵌合胚。结果发现， 8-细胞黄牛胚胎聚合水牛桑椹胚与黄牛囊胚聚合水牛桑椹胚相比，聚合胚存活率和囊胚发育率均无显著差异（P>0.05）。采用显微手术法分离黄牛和水牛8-细胞胚胎卵裂球进行聚合，聚合率为92.3%，囊胚发育率为58.3%，与用0.25%链酶蛋白酶分离胚胎卵裂球进行胚胎聚合的聚合率（86.7%）和囊胚发育率（46.2%）均无显著差异（P>0.05）。以上结果表明：①水牛和黄牛胚胎通过卵裂球聚合获得的种间嵌合胚胎能继续发育；②胚胎聚合前的发育阶段对其聚合成功率和随后的胚胎发育无明显影响。③胚胎卵裂球的分离方法（显微手术法和酶消化法）对其聚合率和囊胚发育率无明显影响。     

注入嵌合法制作黄牛和水牛种间嵌合胚的初步研究

采用注入嵌合法初步建立了一套黄牛和水牛种间嵌合的程序与方法。采用机械剥离法或免疫外科法分离胚胎内细胞团(ICM),然后注入到已去除ICM的受体囊胚中构建形成水牛和黄牛的嵌合胚。结果发现,在用免疫外科法分离ICM时,抗血清的灭活温度从57℃升至63.5℃,ICM的获得数显著升高(0%vs100%,P<0.01),如若在分离培养液中添加6%的胎牛血清(FCS),ICM的获得数大大降低(97.6%vs0%,P<0.01)。采用免疫外科法分离得到的黄牛ICM进行水牛囊胚的ICM置换重组,重组胚的存活率与机械剥离法得到的ICM无显著差异(91.4%vs87.5%,P>0.05);但囊胚孵化率则显著提高(80%vs43.8%;P<0.05)。以上结果表明,⑴水牛和黄牛胚胎通过ICM置换获得的种间嵌合胚胎能继续发育;⑵用于黄牛ICM分离的兔抗牛抗血清需在63.5℃灭活30min,且分离需在无血清的培养液中进行;⑶通过分离ICM置换进行胚胎嵌合时,免疫外科法优于显微手术法。     

昆明系小鼠胚胎干细胞分离培养的优化

以昆明系小鼠为对象,经过丝裂霉C处理成纤维细胞(Mouse embryonic fibroblast,MEF)制备饲养层,对影响小鼠胚胎干细胞(Embryonic stem cell,ES细胞)分离培养的相关因素进行研究。分别收集小鼠3.5d的囊胚(扩张囊胚)和4.5d囊胚(孵化囊胚)进行培养,比较扩张囊胚和孵化囊胚的贴壁率、原代克隆率及传代率的情况。收集3.5d胚龄的囊胚,通过全胚法和免疫外科法对内细胞团(Inner cell mass,ICM)进行分离培养ICM集落,确定离散ICM的适宜时间。用0.25%胰酶+0.04%EDTA,0.125%胰酶+0.02%EDTA和0.25%胰酶+1%小鸡血清等方法对小鼠ES细胞集落进行传代,观察不同酶浓度对ES细胞分离克隆的影响。结果显示,孵化囊胚的贴壁率高于扩张囊胚(P0.05),但传代率则相反(P0.05),原代克隆率差异不显著(P0.05);一般ICM增殖培养2～3d(免疫外科法)或4～5d(全胚培养法)后,出现典型的克隆集落,再挑取ICM;0.125%胰酶+0.02%EDTA及0.25%胰酶+1%小鸡血清,形成ES原代克隆率较高,2组没有显著性差异(P0.05);结果表明,分离得到的ES细胞经形态学观察,AKP染色,体外分化试验等表明其具有胚胎干细胞的特性。     

Effects of BSA and fetal bovine serum in culture medium on development of rat embryos

Rat 1-cell embryos, recovered from naturally mated females, were cultured in a chemically defined medium (mR1ECM) or in mR1ECM supplemented with BSA (4 mg/ml; mR1ECM-BSA) or fetal bovine serum (FBS; 10%, v:v; mR1ECM-FBS) instead of polyvinylalcohol. There was no difference in percentages of embryos that developed to the 2-cell to blastocyst stages between mR1ECM and mR1ECM-BSA, but in mR1ECM-FBS, no development beyond the 2-cell stage was observed. When embryos were transferred to mR1ECM-FBS from mR1ECM after 24 to 64 h of culture, development of embryos to and beyond the 4-cell stage was inhibited. However, when transferred after 80 h of culture, more embryos developed to blastocysts and hatching or hatched blastocysts than in embryos cultured in mR1ECM. When 8-cell embryos and early morulae obtained after 72 and 80 h of culture in mR1ECM, respectively, were cultured in mR1ECM-FBS, a higher proportion of early morulae developed to the blastocyst stage than did 8-cell embryos. When morulae obtained after culture in mR1ECM or mR1ECM-BSA were transferred to recipient females, there was no difference in proportions of fetuses obtained. However, a higher proportion of blastocysts cultured in mR1ECM-FBS developed to fetuses compared with those obtained in mR1ECM. These results indicate that BSA has neither deleterious nor beneficial effects on development of rat 1-cell embryos. In contrast, FBS has deleterious effects on early cleavage of embryos but it promotes more rapid development of morulae to blastocysts, resulting in better quality blastocysts.     

绒山羊原始生殖细胞继代培养研究

本研究对原代培养至6d时的鸟巢状绒山羊类胚胎干细胞(ES细胞)集落进行了传代培养。其结果:这些集落的细胞经6代克隆传代具有胚胎干细胞的诸多特征。细胞集落有典型的鸟巢状结构,AKP染色阳性,核型分析结果染色体正常。在透射电镜下细胞体积小,核大,有多个核仁而且核仁明显,细胞形态不规则,无明显界限。细胞质中核糖体较多,内质网、线粒体发达,部分细胞的核膜上出现小泡、染色质边集而形成凋亡小体。上述结果表明该细胞具有多能性,类似ES细胞。     

Sperm Pre-Incubation Prior to Insemination Affects the Sex Ratio of Bovine Embryos Produced in vitro

The objective of the present study was to determine whether sperm incubation prior to oocyte insemination in vitro affects the sex ratio of resulting blastocyst. Cumulus–oocyte‐complexes (COCs) collected from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured in vitro and inseminated with frozen‐thawed semen of three proven artificial insemination (AI) bulls pre‐incubated in vitro in Sperm‐Talp for 6 and 24 h. On day‐9 blastocysts were collected and processed for sex determination. More than 80% of blastocyst were successfully sexed. There were no significant differences in cleavage and blastocyst rates using sperm pre‐incubated for 6 h as compared with the 0‐h pre‐incubation control group. The cleavage and blastocyst rates were significantly lower in the 24‐h pre‐incubation group. The male to female ratio, when compared with the theoretical 1 : 1, differed significantly in favour of females among hatched (viable) blastocysts derived from sperm pre‐incubated for 24 h prior to insemination as well as among all blastocytsts in the 6‐h group. Moreover, when the sperm treatment was considered, the sex ratio was affected only among hatched blastocysts in 24‐h pre‐incubation group. It was concluded that prolonged sperm pre‐incubation influences the rate of development and the sex ratio among hatched blastocysts.     

Improved isolation and culture of embryonic stem cells from Chinese miniature pig

Pigs serve as a better research model for human beings than other species. The Chinese laboratory miniature pig is a new laboratory animal and is expected to be applicable in many medical research fields. This study was to establish effective technologies to isolate and culture ES cells in Chinese miniature pigs. For isolation of the inner cell mass from blastocysts, an enzyme-digestive method was compared with the traditional immunosurgery. Isolated ICM were cultured in three feeder cell layers: mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF) and a continuous cell line of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (STO). Microtubule activity of the three feeder cells was further examined by immunofluorescence. ICM were successfully isolated from 85% of blastocysts by the enzyme-digestive method, compared to only 40% by immunosurgery. When ICM were cultured in three feeder layers for two to three days, 75%, 65% and 20% of ICMs formed primary cell colonies in MEF, PEF and STO, respectively. Colonies were also formed during subcultures after 9, 5 and 1 passage in MEF, PEF and STO, respectively. Microtubules in STO cells were significantly fewer than those in MEF and PEF. When the ES-like cells were cultured in a differentiation medium, they differentiated to neuron-like cells and other types of cells. These results indicate that healthier ICM can be obtained with the enzyme-digestive method. Successful culture of ICM to ES-like cells has been achieved not only in MEF, but also in homologous (pig) feeder layer. The ES cells obtained in the present study were pluripotent.