Femtosecond laser-induced blastomere fusion results in embryo tetraploidy by common metaphase plate formation.

The cell fusion is a widespread process, which takes place in many systems in vivo and in vitro. Fusion of cells is frequently related to tetraploidy, which can be found within natural physiological conditions, e.g.

Femtosecond laser surgery of two-cell mouse embryos: effect on viability, development, and tetraploidization.

The effect of the laser pulse energy and total expose of the energy incident on the embryo blastomere fusion probability was investigated. The probability of the four different events after laser pulse was determined: the fusion of two blastomeres with the following formation of tetraploid embryo, the destruction of the first blastomere occurs, the second blastomere conservation remains intact, the destruction and the death of both cells; two blastomeres were not fused, and no morphological changes occurred. We report on viability and quality of the embryo after laser surgery as a function of the laser energy incident.