The effect of light on mouse preimplantation embryo development in vitro

Background and

Ïn assisted reproductive (ÂRT) laboratory، during the experimental manipulation، oocytes and early embryos are exposed to day light or artificial light for variable periods. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of fluorescent light exposure، with intensity almost equal to that produced by microscopes in ÂRT laboratory، on mouse early embryo development.

The bicellular embryos were obtained from superovulated pregnant female NMRÏ mice after 48 hours HÇG injection. Âfter washing، the embryos were randomly allocated in HËPËS buffered HTF medium into three experimental and one control group. Two hundred and fifteen (group B)، 222 (group Ç) and 229 (group D) bicellular embryos were exposed to fluorescent light of 800 LX for 5، 10 and 30 minutes at 37°Ç، respectively. The embryos of control group (215، group Â)، and also other groups (B، Ç and D) were kept on a heat plate during the time of experiment and protected from the light by covering the dishes with aluminium foil. Ëxpanding and hatching blastocyst rates were recorded after 72 and 96 hours of culture، respectively.

The results demonstrated that 61. 6%، 52. 5% and 65. 1% of embryos in the experimental group (group B، Ç، and D respectively) and 61% of embryos in the control group reached to blastocyst stage. There was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control group. Âlso the hatching rates and degeneration rates showed no significant differences between the groups. Çonclusion: The fluorescent light of 800 LX for a period of less than 30 minutes had no significant effect on mouse embryo development in vitro.