Book Chapter
Physiology and Culture of the Early Human Embryo
David K Gardner, Denny Sakkas
How to Prepare the Egg and Embryo to Maximize IVF Success | Cambridge University Press | Published : 2019
Abstract
If one is to culture any cell type, in order to be successful, it is a prerequisite to understand the physiology of the cell in question. What makes culture of the preimplantation human embryo so interesting (and challenging) is that the physiology of the embryo changes with development. Indeed, the starting point of development, the fertilized oocyte, exhibits a completely different physiology from the blastocyst prior to implantation. As shall be discussed, these two cell types are so far removed from each other with respect to their metabolism that they could be likened to comparing bone to active skeletal muscle. Reflecting these physiologies are differences in nutrient requirements as t..
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