MORPHOLOGY-BASED RATING OF EGG DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

基于形态学的卵子发育潜力评级

• 批准号: 6073953
• 负责人: CLIFFORD C HOYT
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH AND INSTRUMENTATION
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-09-22 至 2002-03-20
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6073953
• 关键词: assistive reproductive technique; bioengineering /biomedical engineering; bioimaging /biomedical imaging; birefringences; egg /ovum; gametogenesis; microscopy; mitotic spindle apparatus; morphology; morphometry

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.

自1978年第一个试管婴儿诞生以来，试管婴儿已经为成千上万的不孕夫妇带来了巨大的好处。在这些成功案例的背后，每个周期的成功率仅为23%，多胎妊娠率很高，并付出了巨大的情感、健康和经济代价。目前用于卵子质量评估的辅助生殖技术包括使用霍夫曼或DIC显微镜的形态学目视检查和一些遗传测试。有令人信服的证据表明，形态学的第二阶段减数分裂纺锤体可以用来评估生活力。然而，传统的对比增强技术显示梭形形态是侵入性的，与临床IVF不相容。一种非侵入性揭示纺锤体形态的成像技术和使用形态测量信息预测结果的软件可能为减少IVF过程中的不确定性提供一种重要的新工具。使用PolScope显微镜的双折射成像通过测量视野中每个图像点的双折射延迟来非侵入性地揭示减数分裂纺锤体。我们在第一阶段的目标是通过与荧光共聚焦图像的比较来确认PolScope准确地揭示纺锤体形态，并开发多元回归模型来评估PolScope在基于形态测量数据预测IVF结果方面的实用性。拟定商业应用：如果我们能够证明预测IVF结果的实用性，我们将开发一种有助于卵子分级的商业工具，这将对美国300家或更多的IVF诊所以及美国以外的500家或更多的IVF诊所产生重大影响。我们也期待兽医诊所的兴趣。