Lab Anim Res.  2017 Jun;33(2):179-186. 10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.179.

Comparative study of fertilization rates of C57BL/6NKorl and C57BL/6N mice obtained from two other sources

• Yun WB
• Kim HR
• Kim JE
• Choi JY
• Lee MR
• Park JJ
• Song BR
• Jung YS
• Song HK
• Cho JY
• Kim KS
• Hwang DY

• KMID: 2407433
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.2.179

Abstract

C57BL/6N is the most widely used inbred mouse strain applied in a wide variety of research areas including cancer, cardiovascular biology, developmental biology, diabetes and obesity, genetics, immunology, neurobiology, and sensorineural research. To compare the fertilization rates of C57BL/6NKorl mice with two commercial C57BL/6N stocks, differences in reproductive organ structures, sperm and egg numbers, fertilization rates, and embryo development rates among C57BL/6NKorl (Korea FDA source), C57BL/6NA (USA source), and C57BL/6NB (Japan source) mice were determined. Among the stocks, no significant differences were detected in organ weight and histological structure of male and female reproductive organs, although body weight was higher in C57BL/6NKorl mice than that in the other groups. The concentration and morphology of sperm and eggs in C57BL/6NKorl mice were similar to those of C57BL/6NA and C57BL/6NB mice. Furthermore, the three stocks had similar in vitro fertilization and embryo development rates, although these rates tended to be higher in C57BL/6NB mice. Pup body weight was higher in C57BL/6NKorl and C57BL/6NB mice than that in C57BL/6NA mice. The results of the present study suggest that C57BL/6NKorl, C57BL/6NA, and C57BL/6NB mice obtained from three different sources have similar fertilization and embryo development rates, although there were slight differences in the magnitude of their responses rates.

Keyword

C57BL/6NKorl; reproductive ability; sperm; egg; in vitro fertilization; embryo development rate

MeSH Terms

Allergy and Immunology
Animals
Biology
Body Weight
Developmental Biology
Eggs
Embryonic Development
Female
Fertilization in Vitro
Fertilization*
Genetics
Humans
Male
Mice*
Mice, Inbred Strains
Neurobiology
Obesity
Organ Size
Ovum
Pregnancy
Spermatozoa

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Histopathological structure of reproductive organs. H&E stained sections of testis (A), ovary (B), and uterus (C) from the C57BL/6NKorl, C57BL/6NA, and C57BL/6NB substrains as observed at 40×, 100×, or 400× magnification using a light microscope. Abbreviation: InSp, Interstitial space; SeTu, Seminiferous tubule; SeMu, Secondary multilaminar follicle; CoLu, Corpus luteum; Lu, Lumen; My, Myometrium; En, Endometrium; EnGl, Endometrial gland.

• 

  Figure 2 Morphology and concentration of gametes. After collection of sperm (Ab) and eggs (Aa), their morphology and concentration were determined by using the methods described in materials and methods (B). The average number of sperm and eggs were measured in 10 µL of appropriately diluted sperm solution or 200 µL of gamete solution. For each concentration determination, numbers were counted three times. The data presented are means±SD of three replicates.

• 

  Figure 3 In vitro fertilization rates of three different C57BL/6N stocks. At 24 h after mixing of sperm and oocytes, the number of two-cell stage embryos were counted in each group three times. In vitro fertilization rate was calculated as the percentage of two-cell stage embryos in the total number of oocytes. Data presented as means±SD of three replicates.

• 

  Figure 4 Embryo development rate of three different C57BL/6N substrains. (A) Total pups numbers were counted in three substrains and embryo development rate was calculated as described in materials and methods. (B) Body weight of pups. Puppies were weighed every week for 3 weeks and each weighing was repeated three times. Data presented as means ±SD of three replicates.

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