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Antioxidants rescue stressed embryos at a rate comparable with co-culturing of embryos with human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells

  • Embryo Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

During laboratory manipulations, oocytes and embryos are inevitably exposed to suboptimal conditions that interfere with the normal development of embryos.

Materials and methods

In this study, we examined the effects of antioxidants, feeder cells and a conditioned medium on embryo development and cleavage rate following exposure of the embryos to suboptimal conditions. We exposed mouse two-cell embryos to visible light and divided them into four groups: control (E-ctr), co-culture (Co-c), conditioned medium (Cndm) and antioxidant-plus medium (Aopm). We used human umbilical cord matrix-derived mesenchymal cells for co-culture. A group of embryos was not exposed to visible light and served as the non-exposed control (NE-ctr) group.

Results

The developmental rate was higher in NE-ctr embryos than in the E-ctr group. Exposed embryos in the various groups showed a comparable developmental rate at different stages. Blastomere number significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the Co-c and Aopm groups compared with the E-ctr and Cndm groups. No significant difference was observed between the Co-c and Aopm groups.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that in suboptimal conditions, antioxidants could improve the embryo cleavage rate in the same way as feeder cells. Antioxidants probably improve embryo quality through their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank members of the Parasitology Department at the Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences and the following people: P. Salehinejad from the School of Nursing for her laboratory assistance and F. Moshkdanian for help in editing the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

    Ghazaleh Moshkdanian & Fatemeh Pouya

  2. Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Science, Tahmasb-abad cross, Aviceena St, Kerman, Iran

    Seyed Noureddin Nematollahi-mahani

  3. Afzal Research Institute, Kerman, Iran

    Amirmahdi Nematollahi-mahani

Authors
  1. Ghazaleh Moshkdanian
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  2. Seyed Noureddin Nematollahi-mahani
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  3. Fatemeh Pouya
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  4. Amirmahdi Nematollahi-mahani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seyed Noureddin Nematollahi-mahani.

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Capsule Antioxidants improved the cleavage rate of mouse embryos that were exposed to suboptimal conditions, at a comparable rate to the co-culture system.

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Moshkdanian, G., Nematollahi-mahani, S.N., Pouya, F. et al. Antioxidants rescue stressed embryos at a rate comparable with co-culturing of embryos with human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells. J Assist Reprod Genet 28, 343–349 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9529-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9529-x

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