EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAT EMBRYOS IN CULTURE

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Rat embryos explanted with their membranes at 9½, 10½, and 11½ days' gestation have been grown in homologous serum under different conditions of oxygenation. In circulating serum, maximum growth of the younger embryos was obtained in 5% CO2 in air and of the older embryos in 5% CO2 in 95% O2. In watch glass cultures, the younger embryos developed well in 5% CO2 in 60 to 95% O2, but growth of the older embryos could only be obtained in hyperbaric oxygen. The yolk sac of the older embryos continued to expand normally under oxygen conditions which were inadequate for growth of the embryos, but the heart and blood circulation functioned best under conditions which were optimal for embryonic growth. Although the proportion of O2 required in the gas phase varied greatly with the type of culture and the stage of development of the embryo, the results could be explained on the assumption that embryonic tissues at all stages require an O2 pressure similar to that provided by blood in equilibrium with air.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: