Abstract

Hatching out from the zona pellucida (ZP) is a crucial step for blastocyst implantation and development. However, it is still unknown whether the location of the hatching site relative to the inner cell mass (ICM) affects embryo implantation and foetal development. Here, we classified hatching blastocysts into three categories, 0° ≤ θ ≤ 30°, 30° < θ ≤ 60°, and 60° < θ ≤ 90°, in which θ is determined based on the relative position of the hatching site to the arc midpoint of the ICM. Non-surgical embryo transfer (NSET) devices were employed to evaluate blastocyst implantation and embryo development. Of 1,827 hatching blastocysts, 43.84%, 30.60%, and 21.67% were categorized as 30° < θ ≤ 60°, 0° ≤ θ ≤ 30°, and 60° < θ ≤ 90°, respectively. Embryos with different hatching sites showed no distinct differences in blastocyst implantation; surrogate female pregnancy; embryo development to term; litter size, or offspring survival, gender, or body weight. Our results indicate that mouse blastocyst hatching site is not randomly distributed. Embryo implantation and development are not correlated with the blastocyst hatching site in mice. Thus, assessment of the blastocyst hatching site should not be recommended to evaluate mouse blastocyst implantation and developmental potential.

Details

Title
Blastocyst hatching site is regularly distributed and does not influence foetal development in mice
Author
Shu-Jun, Liu 1 ; Jia-Bo, Sun 1 ; Hao Xin 1 ; Han, Zhe 1 ; Wen, Xin 1 ; Xing-Yue, Wang 1 ; Cheng-Jie, Zhou 1 ; Cheng-Guang, Liang 1 

 Inner Mongolia University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Hohhot, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.411643.5) (ISNI:0000 0004 1761 0411) 
Publication year
2020
Publication date
2020
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2354104629
Copyright
This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.