Regulation of embryo implantation by nitric oxide in mouse

Intrauterine injection and zymography were used to investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on embryo implantation in mice. On day 3, one uterine horn of female pregnant mice was injected intraluminally with various doses of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), while the contralateral horn served as control. Animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation on day 7 of gestation, and the number of implanted embryos in each horn was calculated. The results showed that lower doses (0.05 mg L-NAME) did not inhibit implantation significantly (P > 0.05), but high doses (0.2 mg L- NAME) resulted in a significant reduction in the number of implanted embryos (P < 0.05). Co-administration of SNP, a generator of NO, with L-NAME would reverse the antiimplantation effect of L-NAME. To further understand the precise mechanism of NO in implantation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) activities were detected by gelatin zymography. The reduction in the number of implanted embryos in 0.2 mg L-NAME treated group was associated with decreased MMP-9 activity but a stable MMP-2 activity. The activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were not changed in L-NAME and SNP treated group. These data suggest that NO acts as a mediator to regulate the activity of MMP-9, and facilitates embryo implantation.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in rat uterus during peri-implantation

The first distinct mark of rodent implantation is the increased vascular permeability and significant angiogenesis at the sites of blastocyst implantation, but its mechanism is not clearly defined. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the key mediator for angiogenesis during embryogenesis and adult span and also serves as a vascular permeability factor. The aim of this study is to explore VEGF regulation mechanism and the possible role that VEGF plays in implantation by studying the VEGF expression and angiogenesis in the rat uterus during estrous cycle, ovarioectomized and peri-implantation stages usingin situ message RNA hybridization and confocal laser scanning techniques. The results indicated that VEGF was regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. VEGF expression before implantation was localized at luminal epithelium, shifted to stroma as implantation initiated and extensively located at the decidualizing stroma region after implantation. Bandeiraea simplicifolia-1 (BS-1) agglutinin and antibody against von Willebrand factor (vWF) were used to mark the endothelial cells and blood vessels. The results showed that the active angiogenesis occurred during the implantation process and this effect was probably mediated by VEGF. The results suggest that under the regulation of ovarian steroid hormones, VEGF plays an essential role in angiogenesis and increasing vascular permeability in endometrium, which are necessary for successful implantation.     

The expression and function of VEGF at embryo implantation “window” in the mouse

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen that plays a critical role in angiogenesis. Recent reports indicated that VEGF was closely involved in embryo implantation and embryonic vasculogenesis. However, very little information is available about the detailed expression and function of VEGF at implantation “window”. In this work, VEGFs were primarily present on uterine epithelial cell monolayer and blastocysts including the outgrew trophoblasts at implantation window. VEGF antibodies decreased the number of mice embryos implanted and the percentage of blastocysts with attachment and outgrowth in a co-culture model in a dose-dependant manner. These findings demonstrate that VEGF is one of the essential cytokines for embryo implanta-tion in mouse. VEGF may act as a local mediator to regulate the maternal-fetal interaction, and facilitate blastocyst implantation.     

利用不同冷冻方法建立大鼠胚胎保种库的研究

采用程序冷冻、玻璃化冷冻和OPS法对大鼠囊胚进行了冷冻保存,探讨了不同冷冻方法对胚胎存活率的影响,解冻后存活率分别为82．4％,76．9％,85．7％;孵化率分别为47.1%,46.1%,53.6%。3种方法所得的囊胚存活率及孵化率均无显差异,均可作为对大鼠囊胚进行冷冻保存的有效方法,可用于胚胎建库。     

四川山鹧鸪育雏期幼体鸣声行为

作者于2005年4-6月在四川老君山自然保护区,通过计算机声谱分析技术和回放技术,对四川山鹧鸪育雏期(Arborophila rufipectus)幼体的鸣声行为特征进行了研究,其结果表明,幼体有取食、警戒、惊恐和呼唤等4种不同行为的鸣声.取食鸣声和警戒鸣声均为单音节,它们的音节持续时间和主峰值差异显著.两种惊恐鸣声和四种呼唤鸣声的MPF和音节间隔时间差异性不明显,而音节持续时间差异极显著.     

花背蟾蜍和中华大蟾蜍胚胎染色体组型分析

本研究用空气干燥制片法,以胚胎细胞为材料,对花背蟾蜍和中华大蟾蜍从囊胚期到尾芽期胚胎染色体的组型及其变化进行了比较分析。结果表明:两种蟾蜍发育各期的胚胎染色体均与其成体有基本相同的染色体组型。染色体绝对长度由囊胚列原肠晚期逐渐增长,神经胚期开始下降,尾芽期显著缩短。囊胚期染色体数目大多为四倍体。四倍体的出现率随发育时期的进展而逐渐减少,到神经胚期恢复正常。囊胚期分裂相中有额外随体,其出现率在不同染色体及其长、短臂上均无一定的规律。     

荷花胚组织培养的初步研究

以荷花胚为试材,研究不同生长调节剂、基本培养基、外植体消毒时间对离体荷花胚萌发的影响.结果表明,诱导胚萌发较理想的培养基为MS+6-BA0.5 mg/L+2,4-D0.2 mg/L+0.1%AC+3%蔗糖;MS+6-BA1.0 mg/L+NAA0.5 mg/L+0.1%AC+3%蔗糖,光照14h.d-1.总结了荷花胚组织培养上存在的问题,并对解决某些问题提出了一些建议.     

条石鲷的胚胎发育观察

对条石鲷早期发育(从受精卵到初孵仔鱼)的形态特征进行过程观察,描述了各发育时期的形态特征和发育速度.条石鲷的受精卵为圆球形浮性卵,透明,微黄色.在水温23.6～24.8℃,盐度28.5条件下,受精卵约经30 h32 min孵出仔鱼.实验记录了从受精卵到出膜后6 d的26个发育时期的特征及发育时间,拍摄了26张具有代表性的胚胎和仔鱼图片,胚胎发育可分为20个发育期.初孵仔鱼全长2.01 mm(1.92～2.08 mm),孵出45 h后卵黄囊完全吸收.     

濒危植物-半日花(Helianthemum songaricum)的双受精作用及胚和胚乳发育

运用石蜡切片法,对半日花Ｈ．ｓｏｎｇａｒｉｃｕｍ的受精过程,胚及胚乳发育进行了初步观察．受精前,一个助细胞解体,另一助细胞宿存．精核与极核的融合早于精核与卵的融合．受精极核不经过休眠过程,经多次分裂形成核型胚乳．胚乳游离核于球胚晚期开始细胞化．种子成熟后无胚乳．胚胎发育属柳叶菜型．胚柄由一纵列细胞组成并于球胚晚期开始退化．胚的发育经历球形原胚、心形胚、鱼雷形胚及成熟胚各时期．     

蒙古绵羊胚胎胃的组织发生

运用组织学方法研究了蒙古绵羊胚胎胃的组织发生,主要对5-550mm胚胎胃的组织结构及主要组织结构的发育规律进行了研究.结果如下: 5mm胚胃芽呈梭形膨大;胚胎发育到70mm胃的外形同成体的基本一致; 5mm胚胃壁由复层上皮和多层胚性结缔组织细胞构成;8mm胚胃上皮为单层柱状上皮,其下为大量的胚性结缔组织;30mm时瘤胃和网胃上皮均为复层扁平上皮,瓣胃和真胃上皮仍为单层柱状上皮,胃腺开始发育;90mm胚网胃皱襞开始形成; 164mm胚真胃胃小凹底部形成强嗜碱性细胞群;195 mm胚瘤胃瘤状突开始发育,真胃出现壁细胞;252 mm胚网胃出现平滑肌带;290 mm胚真胃腺体可分辨出壁细胞、主细胞、颈黏液细胞;335 mm胚网胃黏膜肌可见并进入皱襞;550 mm胚网胃平滑肌带清晰可见,网状皱襞及其乳突从外形上开始形成.