{"paper_id":"49e0af3c-085b-4e82-9ff5-2e80fdba5646","body_text":"Abstract\nPurpose: Our purpose was to determine the effect of Synthetic Serum Substitute (SSS) versus serum supplementation on fertilization rates and subsequent development of embryos from patients undergoing IVF.\nProcedure: Experiment I compared the effects of SSS to human serum on mouse embryo development. Two hundred one-cell B6D2F1 mouse embryos were cultured in 100-µl droplets of human tubal fluid (HTF) containing either (1) no protein (control;n=37), (2) 15% serum from women with tubal infertility (n=44), (3) 15% serum from women with endometriosis (n=49), (4) 15% fertile donor serum (n=33), or (5) 15% SSS (n=37). Experiment II compared the effects of SSS to human serum on the development of embryos from patients undergoing IVF. Thirty-three women were included in this study. A total of 371 oocytes was cultured in HTF containing either (1) maternal or donor serum (n=140) or (2) 15% SSS (n=231). Embryo development was evaluated 48 hr after fertilization.\nResults: In Experiment I, the rate of blastocyst development was evaluated at 48, 72, and 96 hr of culture. Sixty-four and nine-tenths percent of embryos cultured in SSS were morulae at 48 hr of culture (versus 5.4, 0, 8.2, and 6.1 in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). By 72 hr, 29.7% of these embryos had developed into blastocysts (versus 0, 0, 8.2, and 3.0, for Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). This percentage increased to a total of 83.7 after 96 hr (versus 27.0, 20.4, 38.8, and 39.4 for Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Forty-three and two-tenths percent of the blastocysts cultured in SSS had hatched from their zonae by 96 hr. With the exception of Group 5, which had a rate of 9.1%, embryo hatching was not observed in any of the groups at the termination of culture (96 hr). In Experiment II there were no differences in cell stage or quality of human embryos cultured in SSS or serum, but fertilization rates tended to be better (P=0.07) for oocytes inseminated in media containing SSS (70.0%, vs 55.0% for serum).\nConclusions: SSS appears to be a superior protein source for mouse embryo growth and is as good as serum from fertile donors in promoting in vitro human embryo development.\nSimilar content being viewed by others\nReferences\nOgawa T, Marrs P: The effect of protein supplementation on single-cell mouse embryos. Fertil Steril 1987;47:156–616\nLeung PCS, Gronow MJ, Kellow GN, Lopata A, Speirs AL, McBain JC, duPlessis YP, Johnston I: Serum supplement in human in vitro fertilization and embryo development. Fertil Steril 1984;41:36–39\nMenezo Y, Testart J, Perrone D: Serum is not necessary in human in vitro fertilization, early embryo culture, and transfer. Fertil Steril 1984;42:750–755\nShirley B, Wortham JWE Jr, Witmyer J, Codon-Mahony M, Fort G: Effects of human serum and plasma on development of mouse embryos in culture media. Fertil Steril 1985;43:129–134\nDokras A, Sargent IL, Redman CWG, Balrow DH: Sera from women with unexplained infertility inhibit both mouse and human growth in vitro. Fertil Steril 1993;60:285–292\nDamewood MD, Hesla JS, Schlaff WD, Hubbard M, Gearhart JD, Rock JA: Effect of serum from patients with minimal to mild endometriosis on mouse embryo development in vitro. Fertil Steril 1990;50:917–920\nAbua-Musa A, Takahashi K, Okada S, Sakoda R, Kitao M: Serum from patients with threatened abortion: Effect of in vitro development of mouse embryos. J Reprod Med 1994;39:10–12\nHolst N, Bertheussen K, Forsdahl F, Håkonse MB, Hansen LJ, Nielsen HI: Optimization and simplification of culture conditions in human in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preembryo replacement by serum-free media. J Vitro Fert Embryo Transfer 1990;7:47–53\nPool TB, Martin JE: High continuing pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer using medium supplemented with a plasma protein fraction containing α- and β-globulins. Fertil Steril 1994;61:714–719\nVeeck LL: Atlas of the Human Oocyte and Early Conceptus, Vol. 2, Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins, 1991, p 121\nPsalti I, Loumaye E, Pensis M, Depreester S, Thomas K: Evaluation of a synthetic serum substitute to replace fetal cord serum for human oocyte fertilization and embryo growth in vitro. Fertil Steril 1989;52:807–811\nAuthor information\nAuthors and Affiliations\nRights and permissions\nAbout this article\nCite this article\nTucker, K.E., Hurst, B.S., Guadagnoli, S. et al. Evaluation of synthetic serum substitute versus serum as protein supplementation for mouse and human embryo culture. J Assist Reprod Genet 13, 32–37 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02068866\nReceived:\nAccepted:\nIssue date:\nDOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02068866","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}