No transuterine migration of fertilised ova after unilateral embryo transfer in mice
Thomas Rülicke A B E , Amy Haenggli B , Kirsten Rappold B , Ueli Moehrlen C and Thomas Stallmach DA Institute of Laboratory Animal Science and Research Center Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
B Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Biological Central Laboratory, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
C Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
D Department of Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
E Corresponding author. Email: thomas.ruelicke@vu-wien.ac.at
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(8) 885-891 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD06054
Submitted: 8 June 2006 Accepted: 3 September 2006 Published: 22 November 2006
Abstract
Transuterine migration is the passage of fertilised ova from one uterine horn into the other. The phenomenon has been described for animals of different species with a bicornuate type of uterus. Whether or not it occurs in rodents is questionable, but could have an impact on the way embryo transfers are carried out, i.e. unilaterally or bilaterally. The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of transuterine migrations in nulliparous and multiparous mice after unilateral embryo transfer. Sixteen two-cell embryos were transferred into either the left or the right oviduct of mice with different genetic origin. With the exception of one reabsorption site in the opposite uterine horn, we never found evidence for the occurrence of transuterine migration. This is also true for embryo transfers carried out after parturition of the surrogate mother. Even the successful development of up to 13 embryos in one uterine horn did not result in transmigration but may be the reason for the widespread assumption that transuterine migration occurs after unilateral embryo transfers. The separation of the uterine body and the prevaginal portion of the uterine cervix into two canals by a septum seems to be the main reason for the absence of successful transuterine migration in mice.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the contribution of Dr Ney and Mr Neuenschwander (Volpi, Switzerland), who kindly provided the microendoscope. We thank Professor W. Künzel for critical reading of the manuscript.
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