Efficiency of transgenic rat production is independent of transgene-construct and overnight embryo culture

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Efficiency of transgenic rat production is independent of transgene-construct and overnight embryo culture
Creators Name:	Popova, E. and Krivokharchenko, A. and Ganten, D. and Bader, M.
Abstract:	The aim of the present work was to study factors affecting the efficiency of transgenic technology in rats. We investigated the possible effects of pronuclear microinjection of buffer or different DNA-constructs on survival and development of rat zygotes in vitro and in vivo as well as the influence of overnight culture of these embryos before transfer into pseudopregnant foster mothers. The survival rate of zygotes and their development to the two-cell and morula stage was not affected by pronuclear microinjection with different DNA-constructs or buffer. However, the development to the blastocyst stage was impaired. Nevertheless, there was no difference in blastocyst development between zygotes injected with DNA-constructs or with buffer. Neither was there a difference in cell number in in vitro cultured blastocysts resulting from pronuclear microinjection of a transgene compared with non-injected controls. The survival rate to term was about 30% irrespective of whether microinjected embryos were transferred immediately after microinjection or after overnight culture in vitro. However, a reduction in the survival to term was observed for non-injected zygotes when they were developed in vitro to the two-cell stage before transfer to a pseudopregnant female. The percentage of transgenic rats that resulted from microinjected zygotes was similar in all groups regardless of the DNA-construct used (2.7-10.0%). In conclusion, the main detrimental factor in the microinjection of rat zygotes is the introduction of solution in the pronucleus. Overnight culture of zygotes between microinjection and oviduct transfer does not decrease the efficiency of transgenic rat generation.
Keywords:	In Vitro Culture, Pronuclear Microinjection, Rat Embryos, Transgenic Rats, Animals, Rats
Source:	Theriogenology
ISSN:	0093-691X
Publisher:	Elsevier
Volume:	61
Number:	7-8
Page Range:	1441-1453
Date:	1 January 2004
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2003.08.006
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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