Embryo Pulsing: Repeated Expansion and Contraction of In Vivo and In Vitro Equine Blastocysts.
Abstract: Morphokinetic evaluation of embryo development has allowed the discovery of events occurring during blastulation. Here, we describe equine embryo pulsing, determined as continued expansion and contraction of both in vivo and in vitro produced blastocysts. Using time-lapse imaging, we demonstrated that pulsing starts during early blastocyst development of in vitro-produced embryos in horses. The median time for a complete contraction was 0.22h (0.08h-2h; min-max) where embryos reduced their sizes around 12.0% (median; 2.3%-27.0%) and the median time for an expansion was 3.3h (0.75-9.0h) where embryo re-expanded around 16.9% (3.2%-42.8%). We also found that pulsing can be observed in in vivo-produced embryos obtained from mares 6.5 days after ovulation and continues during the expansion of the blastocysts. Even though its exact mechanism remains unknown, studies in human IVF suggest that the pulsing of embryos is associated with embryo quality and implantation rates. Thus, further investigations regarding this event in equine in vitro production procedures are warranted. Additionally, the pulsing in the in vivo-produced embryos could explain the diverse morphology occasionally observed in the collected or shipped embryos. Future studies are necessary to understand the underlying mechanism of pulsing and its association with embryo quality and embryo transfer outcome.
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2023-07-08 PubMed ID: 37429367DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104891Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article focuses on a phenomenon observed in the development of horse embryos, identified as ‘pulsing,’ which involves repeated expansion and contraction of both in-vivo and in-vitro produced blastocysts. The exact cause of this pulsing is unknown, but it’s thought to be associated with embryo quality and implantation rates.
Study Approach
- The researchers conducted a morphokinetic evaluation of the embryo development, focusing on the events during blastulation – the process where an embryo becomes a blastocyst.
- They used time-lapse imaging to monitor and document the process of ‘pulsing’ or repeated expansion and contraction in the early development stages of blastocysts, both developed inside a mare (in-vivo) and those produced in a lab (in-vitro).
Key Findings
- The study showed that pulsing begins during the early blastocyst development stage in horses. The median contraction period observed was 0.22 hours (with a range from 0.08 to 2 hours) resulting in an approximate 12.0% reduction in the size of the embryos.
- Following contraction, the embryos were observed to expand over a median time of 3.3 hours (range from 0.75 to 9 hours), with an increase in size of around 16.9%.
- Pulsing was also observed in in vivo-produced embryos from mares 6.5 days after ovulation, and it continues during the expansion of the blastocysts.
Implications and Future Studies
- The phenomenon of embryo pulsing is thought to have an association with embryo quality and implantation rates as per studies in human IVF procedures, indicating its potential importance in equine in vitro production procedures.
- The pulsing observed in in vivo-produced embryos may explain the variability in morphology often seen in collected or transported embryos.
- The researchers suggest the need for further investigations to fully understand the underlying mechanisms of embryo pulsing, its correlation with embryo quality, and its impact on embryo transfer outcomes in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
de la Fuente A, Omyla K, Cooper C, Daels P, Meyers S, Dini P.
(2023).
Embryo Pulsing: Repeated Expansion and Contraction of In Vivo and In Vitro Equine Blastocysts.
J Equine Vet Sci, 128, 104891.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104891 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA. Electronic address: pdini@ucdavis.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Humans
- Horses
- Animals
- Female
- Blastocyst
- Embryonic Development
- Embryo Transfer / veterinary
- Embryo Transfer / methods
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors do not have any conflict of interest to declare.
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