Effect of lower concentration of ammonium chloride on development potential of the embryos.

Dr. Urvashi Bhatara; Dr. Walid Maalouf; Dr Padmasri

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

Effect of lower concentration of ammonium chloride on development potential of the embryos.

Dr. Urvashi Bhatara, Dr. Walid Maalouf, Dr Padmasri

Abstract :

Background: Addition of amino acids to culture media improves the rate of blastocyst development. But, amino acid metabolism releases ammonia which has deleterious effects on the emyo development. Finding this threshold level above which its deleterious effect starts can help make appropriate changes in media or emyo environment.

Materials and methods: It is a prospective cohort study carried out on 86 frozen–thawed mouse emyos which were randomly divided into 3 groups and were exposed to varying concentrations of ammonium chloride (control KSOM, KSOM with 38 �M ammonium chloride and KSOM with 75 �M ammonium chloride). These emyos were cultured individually in emyoscope dishes till 5 days during which morphokinetic, morphometric and morphological parameters were noted and compared within all 3 groups of the emyos. On 5th day apoptosis in blastocysts of each group was studied by staining the blastocysts with TUNEL stain with counter stain of DAPI. Total number of cells and percentage of apoptosis in the blastocysts developed in each group were noted and compared within all 3 groups.

Results : Rate of pronuleus fading and time taken to reach 2 cell stage was significantly less in the emyos cultured in 38 �M and 75 �M ammonium chloride. Significant decrease in percentage of apoptosis and increase in total cell count was observed in the blastocysts obtained from the emyos cultured in 38 �M and 75 �M ammonium chloride in comparison to the blastocysts obtained from the emyos cultured in control group.

Conclusion: Ammonium chloride in lower concentration may have beneficial effect on the emyo development.