In this study, we examined the cytotoxic effects of curcumin, the yellow pigment of Curcuma longa, on the blastocyst stage of mouse embryos, subsequent embryonic attachment, and outgrowth in vitro and in vivo implantation by embryo transfer. Mouse blastocysts were incubated in medium with or without curcumin (6, 12 or 24 μM) for 24 h. Cell proliferation and growth were investigated using dual d...

Oocytes and embryos are typically exposed sequentially to varying culture media in standard in-vitro protocols. Expenditures of energy may be required following each medium change to adjust to the changing environment. Therefore, a single base medium was evaluated for its ability to support in-vitro maturation, fertilization and pre-implantation development (IVM/F/C) of bovine oocytes and embry...

The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are a family of cationic ion channels widely distributed in mammalian tissues. In general, the global genetic disruption of individual TRP channels result in phenotypes associated with impairment of a particular tissue and/or organ function. An exception is the genetic ablation of the TRP channel TRPM7, which results in early embryonic lethality. ...

The inside-outside model has been invoked to explain cell-fate specification of the pre-implantation mammalian embryo. Here, we investigate whether cell-cell interaction can influence the fate specification of embryonic blastomeres by sequentially separating the blastomeres in two-cell stage mouse embryos and continuing separation after each cell division throughout pre-implantation development...

The genetic mechanisms governing human pre-implantation embryo development and the in vitro counterparts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), still remain incomplete. Previous global genome studies demonstrated that totipotent blastomeres from day-3 human embryos and pluripotent inner cell masses (ICMs) from blastocysts, display unique and differing transcriptomes. Nevertheless, comparative gen...

Kruppel-like transcription factors (Klfs) are essential for the induction and maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), yet little is known about their roles in establishing the three lineages of the pre-implantation embryo. Here, we show that Klf5 is required for the formation of the trophectoderm (TE) and the inner cell mass (ICM), and for repressing primitive endoderm (PE) ...

background: hoxa11 and hoxa10 are expressed in endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and show a dramatic increase during the mid-luteal phase at the time of implantation. the expression of these genes is decreased in women with myomas. objective: to determine whether myomectomy would reverse hoxa11 and hoxa10 expression, we evaluated the transcript levels of these genes in the endometria o...

Background: Genetic analysis in mice has lead to find about maternal effect genes such as Filia. Filia knock out mice have a 50% decrease in fertility. Filia dysfunction causes disorders in pre-implantation development. Mutations in human Filia gene, cause FBHM (Familial Biparental Hydatidiform Mole) in women. Filia protein in mice is homologous to that of rat and human, so this idea has emerge...

BACKGROUND Asymmetric cell divisions are involved in the divergence of the first two lineages of the pre-implantation mouse embryo. They first take place after cell polarization (during compaction) at the 8-cell stage. It is thought that, in contrast to many species, spindle orientation is random, although there is no direct evidence for this. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Tubulin-GFP and li...