Supplementation of culture medium with quercetin improves mouse blastocyst quality and increases the expression of HIF-1α protein.

Regarding the low number of embryos that reach the blastocyst stage when cultured , this study aimed to evaluate the effects of quercetin on pre-implantation mouse () embryos obtained using fertilization, especially during the passage from morula to blastocyst. Furthermore, we studied whether quercetin also affected the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). The culture medium for the embryos was supplemented with quercetin, for long or short periods of time, and then the development potential, total cell number, apoptosis rates and expression of HIF-1α were studied to determine the effect of quercetin.

Effect of the addition of 4OHE and quercetin in culture media on ROS levels and gene expression in mouse blastocysts.

Aims: The main objective of this work is to elucidate whether Quercetin (Qc) and 4-Hidroxistradiol (4OHE2 ) decrease the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in in vitro obtained embryos and to analyse which genes are activated under the treatments that could explain this improvement.

Methods: Oxidative stress was induced during embryo culture by H2 O2 treatment and ROS production was measured and compared with embryos treated with Qc or 4OHE2 . Gene expression was analysed by Q-PCR in control embryos obtained in utero (IU) or by IVF and compared with the levels found in embryos cultured with Qc or 4OHE2 to determine the effect of these compounds.

4-Hydroxyestradiol improves mouse embryo quality, epidermal growth factor-binding capability in vitro and implantation rates.

Embryo implantation in the uterus is a critical step to achieve success following ART. Despite favorable uterine conditions, a great number of good quality embryos fail to implant, often for reasons that are unknown. Hence, improving the implantation potential of embryos is a subject of great interest.

Histological cut of a paraffin-embedded blastocyst: Optimized protocol for murine blastocysts.

Paraffin-embedded tissues have been used for research and therapeutic applications for decades, as they represent a valuable tool in histology and for molecular analysis, as well as being a way to preserve tissue samples for long periods at a low cost. For tissues such as the liver, lungs, kidney, heart or brain, there are many protocols available, already optimized. The purpose of this work is to optimize and simplify the protocols already available to take a single blastocyst from a mouse, fix it and embed it into a paraffin block without using gelatin, to then perform histological cuts using a microtome, with no need of sophisticated equipment or trained personnel.

[The 1, 2, 3 of laboratory animal experimentation].

The slow scientific development in Latin America in recent decades has delayed the incorporation of laboratory animal experimentation; however, this situation has started to change. Today, extraordinary scientific progress is evident, which has promoted the introduction and increased use of laboratory animals as an important tool for the advancement of biomedical sciences. In the aftermath of this boom, the need to provide the scientific community with training and guidance in all aspects related to animal experimentation has arisen.

Circadian levels of serotonin in plasma and brain after oral administration of tryptophan in rats.

Serotonin, one of the most important neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, is synthesized by the amino acid, tryptophan. Given that this essential amino acid is consumed in the diet, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of orally administered L-tryptophan (125 mg/kg) on circadian variations in the levels of serotonin in brain and plasma. We used male Wistar rats of 14 +/- 2 weeks of age (n = 240), maintained under conditions of a 12-hr light:dark cycle, and food and water ad libitum.