UTERINE MAINTENANCE OF EMBRYO DORMANCY

本项目涉及调节代谢和增殖的 早期胚胎 总体目标是确定鼠标 囊胚在延迟发育期间保持静止状态， 置入 关于这种控制的两个基本假设是： 探讨：1）胚胎休眠是通过限制 子宫中的某些成分对正常代谢功能至关重要; 和2）休眠是由特定的抑制作用维持的， 子宫成分。 第一种可能性将通过评估 有限浓度的离子的影响，包括一个简单的定义 支持休眠胚胎体外激活的培养基。 可逆 用有限量的特定组分防止活化， 将提出一种机制，通过这种机制，静止可以在体内维持。 第二种可能性将通过测试以下因素的影响来研究： 子宫提取物对体外活化过程的影响。 维持一个 这些提取物的可逆休眠将表明一个可能的作用， 在体内起作用的抑制因子。 如果是这种情况， 抑制组分将被纯化并通过标准品表征 生化技术 这个因素的生理作用将是 通过确定其在子宫液中的存在进行评估， 激素依赖性，确定因素对各种指数的影响 胚胎代谢，检查这种成分诱导的能力， 静止在活跃的胚胎，并调查其种类和组织 的特异性 这项研究将提供宝贵的资料， 控制早期胚胎发育的胚胎-子宫相互作用 和植入。

This project deals with the regulation of metabolism and proliferation of early embryos. The overall aim is to determine the means by which mouse blastocysts are maintained in a quiescent state during delayed implantation. Two basic hypotheses concerning this control will be explored: 1) that embryonic dormancy is maintained through the limitation in the uterus of some components essential for normal metabolic function; and 2) that dormancy is maintained by the inhibitory action of a specific uterine component. The first possibility will be tested by assessing the effects of limited concentrations of ions comprising a simple defined medium which supports in vitro activation of dormant embryos. A reversible prevention of activation with limited amounts of a particular component, will suggest a mechanism by which quiescence may be maintained in vivo. The second possibility will be investigated by testing the effects of uterine extracts on the in vitro activation process. Maintainance of a reversible dormancy by these extracts will indicate a possible role of an inhibitory factor operating in vivo. If this appears to be the case, the inhibitory component will be purified and characterized by standard biochemical techniques. The physiological role of this factor will be assessed by determining its presence in uterine fluid, establishing its hormone dependency, determining the effect of the factor on various indices of embryo metabolism, examining the ability of this component to induce quiescence in active embryos, and investigating its species and tissue specificity. This study will provide valuable information on the embryo-uterine interaction involved in controlling early embryo development and implantation.