Development of Mongolian Gerbil 1-cell Embryos to Blastocysts in Co-culture with Oviductal Cells in TCM 199 Supplemented with Pyruvate, Lactate and Fetal Calf Serum

Abstract

To develop an in vitro culture system for Mongolian gerbil embryos, we examined the effect of co-culture with oviductal epithelial cells on the development of 1- and 2-cell embryos collected from superovulated gerbils. In the first experiment, 2-cell embryos were cultured in modified TCM 199 supplemented with pyruvate, lactate and fetal calf serum (mTCM199) with or without gerbil or mouse oviductal cells. In the second experiment, in 1-cell embryos were cultured with or without gerbil oviductal cells in mTCM199. Although, 2-cell gerbil embryos did not develop beyond the 16-cell stage without oviductal cells in both TCM199 and mTCM199, co-culture with gerbil or mouse oviductal cells supported the development of 2-cell gerbil embryos to blastocysts. Co-culture with gerbil oviductal cells in mTCM199, but not in TCM199, also supported the development of 1-cell embryos to blastocysts. There were no differences between the in vivo and in vitro developed blastocysts in morphological appearance and cell numbers. This co-culture system can be used for in vitro culture of Mongolian gerbil embryos.