The effect of Ethanol on growth and development of two-cell arrested mouse embryo

Stirility is a problem throughout the world. Decreasing the growth and developmental rate of embryo and arresting in certain step of development like two cell block, could be the reason of infertility in some couples. Previous study show that arrest and retardation in embryo development can produced by low temperature exposure. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Ethanol on growth and development of mouse two-cell arrested embryo. The 4-6 week old female mice were coupled with male mice following superovulation and positive vaginal plaque mice were killed 48 hour after HCG injection by cervical dislocation method. Two cell embryo were collected in RPMI medium and divided and cultured (in M16 medium) in three groups. The 2nd and 3rd groups were exposed to 4°C for 24 hour in order to delay and arrest for cleavage and developmental rate. The 2nd group (2nd control) were incubated immediately, while the 3rd group (experiment) were exposed to % 0.1 Ethanole for 5 minutes and the 1st group (1st control) without any exposure to low temperature group were incubated. The data analysis by one-way ANOWA show that the developmental rate of embryos exposed to low temperature (4°C) significantly decreased (P=0.001), retardation and arrest being produced. The mean of cleavage rate between groups were not significantly affected, but the mean percent of degenerated embryos between groups have significant differences (P=0.045). On the other hand the mean percent of morulla is significantly different between groups (P=0.005) similarly the mean percent of blastocyst and hatched blastocyst have significant differences between groups (P=0.014) (P=0.001) after 120 hr evaluation. Effect of %0.1 Ethyl-alchol on arrested two cell embryos can significantly increase the mean percent of morulla and development up to blastocyst and hatching blastocyst stage related to control group, without any significant effect on cleavage rate