In Vitro Growth of Rat Blastocyst under the Effect of Azathioprine. (rat/blastocyst/azathioprine/in vitro)

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Abstract
Rat blastocysts were isolated from the uterus on the 5th day after fertilization and set in culture. The effect of azathioprine (Imuran) on the blastocyst''s development and on the early trophoblastic differentiation in vitro was investigated. Azathioprine, added to the medium of the blastocyst culture at various concentrations, dose dependently arrested development and had definite cytotoxic effect. To study the mechanism of action, a minimal dose of 5 .mu.g/ml, which allowed the survival of .apprx. 60% of the blastocysts, was added to the medium after 48 h of culturing. Under the effect of the substance, the area of the spreading blastocyst cells was significantly restricted. Autoradiographic methods showed that azathioprine affects the development by restraining DNA synthesis in the throphoblastic cells. Concomitantly, RNA synthesis was inhibited and protein synthesis was reduced. Impairment of the in vitro differentiation of the blastocysts can be a result of the intracellular inhibitory action of the substance.