NOVEL HUMAN ENDOMETRIAL CELL-LINE PROMOTES BLASTOCYST DEVELOPMENT

Objective: To test and contrast the embryotrophic potential of an esta blished human endometrial cell line to that of two other epithelial ce ll types: human oviduct and African monkey kidney (Vero) cells. Design : Mouse IVF was performed. Subsequent development of embryos coculture d with our endometrial cell line was contrasted to that seen with ovid uctal and Vero cell coculture systems. Percent blastocyst transformati on, expansion, and hatching were compared. Setting: University-based r esearch laboratory associated with clinical IVF program. Results: All three epithelial cell monolayers tested significantly improved the rat e of blastocyst transformation of in vitro fertilized murine oocytes. The overall percent blastocysts obtained was highest with endometrial cells (69%), followed by oviductal cells (52%), Vero cells (45%), and the medium-alone controls (29%). Only 13% of oviduct cocultured embryo s were able to reach the hatched blastocyst stage compared with a 30% hatching rate with endometrial cells and a 21% hatching rate with Vero cells. Only 3% of control embryos hatched in vitro. Conclusion: We ha ve described a novel continuous endometrial cell line with excellent e mbryotrophic potential. This cell line is technically easy to use and is of human origin. As a coculture system it appears to be superior to both oviductal and Vero cells in correcting for defects in culture en vironment during in vitro development up to the blastocyst stage.