Abstract
Objective: To determine whether preimplantation embryos are targets for relaxin secreted from the corpus luteum of the menstrual cycle. Design: Rhesus monkey oocytes obtained from females undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were inseminated, and the resulting embryos were cultured in medium with or without recombinant human relaxin (20 ng/mL) for 8 days. Setting: Research laboratory. Animal(s): Rhesus monkey. Intervention(s): Controlled ovarian stimulation to obtain oocytes for in vitro-produced embryos that were cultured with or without human recombinant relaxin. Main Outcome Measure(s): Rate of blastocyst development, percentage of blastocysts, and inner cell mass/trophectoderm cell ratio were measured on day 8 of culture. The presence of relaxin receptor (RXFP1) messenger RNA in eight-cell embryos was observed by array hybridization. Result(s): RXFP1 receptor expression was localized to the inner cell mass of blastocysts, as shown by immunohistochemistry. The percentage of embryos that developed to blastocyst and the inner cell mass/trophectoderm cell ratio was unchanged with relaxin supplementation; however, the relaxin-treated embryos developed into blastocysts significantly sooner than untreated embryos. Conclusion(s): These results are the first evidence that the preimplantation primate embryo is a target for relaxin and that the addition of relaxin to in vitro culture medium enhances rhesus monkey embryo development.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 203-207 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Fertility and Sterility |
Volume | 96 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2011 |
Keywords
- blastocyst
- Gene expression
- granulosa cells
- rhesus macaque
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Reproductive Medicine