REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES IN ANIMAL SPECIES EMPHASIZING DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

这个项目的目标是确定生物因素 影响猫科动物的生殖功能和胚胎发生。 重点放在配子相互作用和胚胎的体外成熟上。 在活体内。研究结果与(1)基础研究有关 受精机制、配子发生和早期胚胎发生；(2) 具有遗传价值的实验动物和濒危动物的繁殖 物种；以及(3)发育研究，最终将允许 将分子克隆的基因导入植入前的早期 胚胎。工作领域主要集中在(1)体外受精 和胚胎的体外和体内发育；(2)人工授精 通过腹腔镜精子沉积；以及(3)卵母细胞挽救， 体外成熟和基因传递技术的发展 胚胎，这将使研究与 早期发展中的转型和先天错误。当前重点 应用于家猫的配子和胚胎 在各种非驯养猫科动物中进行的比较研究 物种。到目前为止，进展已经允许(1)比较以下因素 体外受精对胚胎体外发育的影响 家猫和非家猫(即气体环境、中等环境、 蛋白质来源、温度)；(2)适合胚胎的发育 受精后的受体和胚胎的产生；(3)启动 涉及猫科动物物种的体外受精研究 异常精子比例，圈养繁殖能力差； (4)家猫卵母细胞渗透率测定方法的建立 和胚胎到可用于胚胎冷冻的冷冻保护剂 协议；以及(5)继续成功地开发一种高效的 家猫经腹人工授精方法的研究 导致了对非家养猫科动物的比较研究，包括 家猫×豹猫杂交种的生产 家猫高分辨率遗传连锁图谱研究 进一步了解肿瘤转化所涉及的遗传位点 以及其他疾病状态。

The objective of this project is to identify biological factors influencing reproductive function and embryogenesis in felid species. Emphasis is placed on gamete interaction and embryo maturation in vitro and in vivo. Findings are relevant to (1) fundamental studies of fertilization mechanisms, gametogenesis, and early embryogenesis; (2) the propagation of genetically valuable laboratory animals and endangered species; and (3) developmental studies which eventually will allow delivering molecularly cloned genes into early-staged pre-implantation embryos. Areas of effort primarily focus on (1) in vitro fertilization and embryo development in vitro and in vivo; (2) artificial insemination via laparoscopic deposition of spermatozoa; and (3) oocyte rescue, maturation in vitro and the development of gene delivery techniques into embryos which will allow studying the mechanisms associated with transformation and inborn errors in early development. Current emphasis is applied to the gametes and embryos of the domestic cat with comparative studies conducted in a variety of nondomesticated Felidae species. To date, progress has allowed (1) comparison of factors which influence in vitro fertilization and embryo development in vitro in domestic cats and nondomestic felids (i.e., gas atmosphere, medium, protein sources, temperature); (2) development of suitable embryo recipients after fertilization and embryo production in ; (3) initiation of in vitro fertilization studies involving felid species producing large proportions of abnormal sperm and which reproduce poorly in captivity; (4) development of assays measuring permeation of domestic cat oocytes and embryos to cryoprotectants useful for developing embryo freezing protocols; and (5) continued success in the development of an efficient transabdominal artificial insemination approach in the domestic cat which has lead to comparative studies in nondomestic felids including production of domestic cat x leopard cat hybrids produced to develop a high resolution genetic linkage map of the domestic cat in order to further understand the genetic loci involved in neoplastic transformation as well as other disease states.