ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Preimplantation development
;
Rat
;
Age
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The ability of ova collected from mated middle-aged rats (9–10 months of age) to undergo preimplantation development in vitro was compared to that of younger controls (3–4 months of age). The majority of ova from young rats underwent at least one cleavage division for every 24 h of the 96 h culture period. Seventy-two percent reached the morula/blastocyst stage at the termination of the culture. Aged ova had a reduced capacity to undergo preimplantation development in vitro with the number of fragmented and/or degenerated ova increasing after each day in culture. At the end of the culture period, 81.6% of the ova had degenerated. It is concluded that middle-aged rats ovulate defective ova and that these defective ova account, in part, for the preimplantation losses that characterize middle-aged rats.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00214986
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