Evaluation of hatching rate of mouse tetraploid embryos derived from parthenogenetic activation

• Grant number: 11/23890-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Fábio Gouveia Nogueira
• Grantee: Pablo Diego Moço
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

During embryonic development, differentiation processes are consequences of changes occurring in the cells, by transcriptional activities and epigenetic modifications controlled under specific signaling pathways (e.g., the need for biparental genomic complementation of the imprinting phenomenon). It is known that parthenogenesis, tetraploidy, and somatic cell nuclear transfer are techniques that alter the epigenetic environment and affect the physiological function of cells and embryonic tissues. This project aims to evaluate subsequent changes in the handling of oocyte/embryo (parthenogenesis and tetraploidy, respectively) using the Mus musculus as a biological model. For that, hatching rates of tetraploid blastocysts derived from parthenogenetic activation (Group TP) will be compared with rates from parthenogenetic blastocysts (Group PG) and from in vivo fertilization (Group Control). It is expected that the hatching rate of the Group TP will not be statistically different from Group PG but both rates will be lower than Group Control.(AU)