Culture of the Mouse Preimplantation Embryo

Abstract

The first culture media designed specifically to support development of the preimplantation mouse embryo were formulated over 50 years ago and were based on balanced salt solutions, containing the carbohydrates pyruvate, lactate, and glucose as the sole energy sources. Such media used a bicarbonate–carbon dioxide buffer system to maintain the desired pH, and were typically supplemented with serum albumin, but lacked free amino acids. In contrast to the complexity of a tissue culture medium, these original formulations of mouse embryo culture media were very simplistic. Over the intervening decades, as our understanding of the physiology and metabolism of the preimplantation embryo increased,..