SEXING OF PREIMPLANTATION EMBRYOS IN MICE

In the present study, cytogenetic method of sexing of preimplantation embryos was attempted. Embryos were collected from superovulated labor atory mice (Mus musculus). The animals were sacrificed at appropriate time intervals to collect the embryos at desired stage of development Embryo recovery rate was 11.09%/female. The embryos were washed thorou ghly with TC-199 medium and then cultured in TC-199 medium supplemente d with 30% foetal calf serum (FCS) and vinblastine-podophyllotoxin (V- P) (0.06 mug/ml each) at 37-degrees-C in CO2 incubator for 4 hr. There after the embryos were treated with hypotonic solution (0.9% trisodium citrate + 3% FCS) for 40 min. Embryos were fixed on slides using grad ual fixation air-drying method, stained with 2% Giemsa stain and exami ned under the microscope. Of the 105 embryos examined in the study, on ly 17 embryos could be sexed.