Study on Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Expression of EGF-Receptor (EGF-R) in Mouse IVF/IVC Embryo II. Expression of EGF-R on the Inner Cell Mass (ICM) of Mouse IVF/IVC Blastocyst.

Kim,  E Y; Kim,  M K; Yoon,  S H; Park,  S P; Chung,  K S; Lim,  J H

Original Article

Korean Journal of Fertility and Sterility 1997;24(1):21-26.
Published online January 1, 2001.

Study on Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Expression of EGF-Receptor (EGF-R) in Mouse IVF/IVC Embryo II. Expression of EGF-R on the Inner Cell Mass (ICM) of Mouse IVF/IVC Blastocyst.

E Y Kim, M K Kim, S H Yoon, S P Park, K S Chung, J H Lim

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the expression of EGF-R protein on ICM obtained from mouse IVF/IVC blastocyst by immunosurgery and indirect immunofluorescence(IIF). ICM cells used for this experiment were obtained from immunosurgery of mouse blatstocysts produced at 96 h after IVF, and recovered ICMs were assayed for cell viability and expression of EGF-R. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: when blastocysts were exposed to rabbit anti-mouse serum (antiserum) for 15-30 min. and then transferred them to guinea pig serum (complement) for 15-60 min., recovery rates of isolated ICMs were 8.0-84.2%. Especially, the best recovery (84.2%) of ICMs was obtained when exposure time to antiserum and complement was 30 min. and 60 min., respectively. In addition, when viability of isolated ICMs after immunosurgery was assessed by live/dead staining method, in all groups viability (93.8-100.0 %) of isolated ICMs were not damaged if separated from TE cell. Also, we detected the expression of EGF-R on ICM cell by IIF. Therefore, these results suggest that EGF-R expression on the ICMs can stimulate the higher usablity of exogenous EGF to improve the preimplantation embryo development in vitro.