BLOOD ANALYSIS OF MICE BORN FOLLOWING SINGLE-CELL EMBRYO BIOPSY

Single-cell embryo biopsy is an important technique in preimplantation diagnosis. The development of the mouse embryo and fetus, and the res ults of some analyses after birth following embryo biopsy, have been d emonstrated to be normal. Histopathological analysis of mice born foll owing single-cell embryo biopsy with a physical method (zona puncture) also showed normal organ and cell structure, thus demonstrating the s afety of embryo biopsy. This experiment analysed the parameters of blo od celts and the blood chemistry of 28 mice born following single-cell embryo biopsy. While cell count, red cell count, haemoglobin level an d platelet count of the blood, and plasma sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, glucose, albumin, protein, creatinine, urea, bi lirubin, aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydroge nase of the blood were not significantly different between the mice fr om the biopsied and the control embryo groups, which again demonstrate d the safety of single-cell embryo biopsy. The remaining totipotent ce lls in the biopsied embryos would thus be expected to develop to the c orrect cell counts and normal organic functions according to the intac t hereditary messages. Further studies on the safety of embryo biopsy (including long-term observation after birth) and the improvement of t he different biopsy techniques and skills for preimplantation diagnosi s are necessary.