Spindle abnormalities in normally developing and arrested human preimplantation embryos in vitro identified by confocal laser scanning microscopy

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 672 - 682
• Main Authors: Chatzimeletiou, Katerina, Morrison, Ewan E., Prapas, Nikos, Prapas, Yannis, Handyside, Alan H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.03.2005; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Acetylation; Biological and medical sciences; Blastocyst - physiology; Blastocyst - ultrastructure; cell cycle checkpoints; Cell Nucleus - ultrastructure; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosome Segregation; Cleavage Stage, Ovum; confocal laser scanning microscopy; Embryonic Development; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; human preimplantation embryo; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Interphase; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Confocal; mitotic spindle; nuclear abnormalities; Spindle Apparatus - metabolism; Spindle Apparatus - ultrastructure; Tissue Distribution; Tubulin - metabolism; nuclear abnormalities; cell cycle checkpoints; human preimplantation embryo; confocal laser scanning microscopy; mitotic spindle; Human; Vertebrata; Embryo; Mammalia; cell cycle checkpoints/confocal laser scanning microscopy/human preimplantation embryo/mitotic spindle/nuclear abnormalities; Blastocyst; Cell cycle; Laser; Development; Confocal microscopy; Mitotic spindle; In vitro

BACKGROUND: Despite recent technical improvements, many human preimplantation embryos fail to develop to the blastocyst stage or implant after transfer to the uterus. A possible cause for this developmental arrest is the high incidence of nuclear and postzygotic chromosomal abnormalities observed du...