Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0617, USA.
Biol Reprod. 2012 Mar 8;86(3):62. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.111.095778. Print 2012 Mar.
The preponderance of research toward improving embryo development in vitro has focused on manipulation of the chemical soluble environment, including altering basic salt composition, energy substrate concentration, amino acid makeup, and the effect of various growth factors or addition or subtraction of other supplements. In contrast, relatively little work has been done examining the physical requirements of preimplantation embryos and the role culture platforms or devices can play in influencing embryo development within the laboratory. The goal of this review is not to reevaluate the soluble composition of past and current embryo culture media, but rather to consider how other controlled and precise factors such as time, space, mechanical interactions, gradient diffusions, cell movement, and surface interactions might influence embryo development. Novel culture platforms are being developed as a result of interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists and biomedical, material, chemical, and mechanical engineers. These approaches are looking beyond the soluble media composition and examining issues such as media volume and embryo spacing. Furthermore, methods that permit precise and regulated dynamic embryo culture with fluid flow and embryo movement are now available, and novel culture surfaces are being developed and tested. While several factors remain to be investigated to optimize the efficiency of embryo production, manipulation of the embryo culture microenvironment through novel devices and platforms may offer a pathway toward improving embryo development within the laboratory of the future.
提高胚胎体外发育的研究大多集中在对化学可溶环境的操作上，包括改变基本盐成分、能量底物浓度、氨基酸组成，以及各种生长因子的作用或添加或去除其他补充物。相比之下，研究胚胎植入前的物理要求以及培养平台或设备在实验室中影响胚胎发育的作用的工作相对较少。这篇综述的目的不是重新评估过去和当前胚胎培养液的可溶成分，而是考虑其他可控和精确的因素，如时间、空间、机械相互作用、梯度扩散、细胞运动和表面相互作用，如何影响胚胎发育。由于生物学家与生物医学、材料、化学和机械工程师之间的跨学科合作，新型培养平台正在被开发。这些方法超越了可溶介质成分的范围，研究了诸如培养基体积和胚胎间距等问题。此外，现在可以使用允许精确和调控胚胎动态培养的方法，包括流体流动和胚胎运动，并且正在开发和测试新型培养表面。虽然还有一些因素需要进一步研究以优化胚胎生产效率，但通过新型设备和平台来操纵胚胎培养微环境可能为未来实验室中胚胎发育的改善提供途径。
