MORPHOLOGY-BASED RATING OF EGG DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

自1978年第一个体外受精婴儿以来，体外受精为成千上万的不育夫妇带来了显著的好处。在这些成功案例的背后，每个周期的成功率只有23%，多胎妊娠率很高，付出了巨大的情感、健康和经济代价。目前辅助生殖技术的卵子质量评估包括使用霍夫曼或DIC显微镜进行形态学的视觉检查，以及一些基因检测。有令人信服的证据表明，第二阶段减数分裂纺锤体的形态可以用来评估生存能力。然而，传统的对比增强技术显示纺锤体形态是侵入性的，与临床体外受精不相容。一种无创显示纺锤体形态的成像技术和使用形态计量信息预测结果的软件可能为减少体外受精过程中的不确定性提供重要的新工具。用PolScope显微镜进行双折射成像，通过测量视场中每个图像点的双折射延迟，无创地揭示减数分裂纺锤体。我们在第一阶段的目标是通过比较荧光共聚焦图像来确认PolScope准确地显示纺轴形态，并开发多元回归模型来评估PolScope在基于形态测量数据预测试管婴儿结果方面的实用性。拟议的商业应用：如果我们能够证明预测试管婴儿结果的效用，我们将开发一种商业工具，有助于对卵子进行分级，这将对美国300家或更多的试管婴儿诊所以及美国以外500家或更多的试管婴儿诊所产生重大影响。我们也希望兽医诊所对此感兴趣。

Since the first in vitro fertilization baby in 1978, IVF has brought significant benefit to tens of thousands of otherwise infertile couples. Behind the success stories lies a per-cycle success rate of only 23%, and a high rate of multiple gestation, with significant emotional, health and economic costs. Present assisted reproduction techniques for egg quality assessment consist of visual inspection of morphology using Hoffman or DIC microscopy, and some genetic testing. There is compelling evidence that morphology of the phase II meiotic spindle can be used to assess viability. However, conventional contrast-enhancement techniques for revealing spindle morphology are invasive and incompatible with clinical IVF. An imaging technique that reveals spindle morphology non- invasively and software that uses the morphometric information to predict outcome might provide an essential new tool for reducing uncertainty in the IVF process. Birefringence imaging with the PolScope microscope reveals the meiotic spindle non-invasively by measuring birefringent retardation at each image point in the field of view. Our goals in Phase I are to confirm the PolScope accurately reveals spindle morphology by comparing with fluorescence confocal images, and develop multiple regression models to assess the PolScope's utility for predicting IVF outcome based on the morphometric data. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: If we can demonstrate utility for predicting IVF outcome, we will then develop a commercial instrument that would aid in the grading of eggs, which should be of significant interest to the 300 or more IVF clinics in the US, and the 500 or more IVF clinics outside the US. We would also expect interest from veterinarian clinics.