ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between meiotic spindle characteristics in human oocytes and the timing of the first zygotic cleavage after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: Zygotes that had cleaved to two-cell stage by 27 h post-ICSI were classified as early cleaving and the remainder as late cleaving. Meiotic spindle parameters previously imaged using the PolScope were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of 384 embryos, 163 were classed as early cleaving and 221 as late cleaving. The rate of blastocyst formation or pregnancy by Day 2 embryo transfer was significantly higher following early cleavage than after late cleavage (52.4% vs. 24.4% or 32.6% vs. 11.4%). Spindle areas (108.0 vs. 89.8 µm(2)), lengths (14.7 vs. 13.4 µm) and PolScope retardance were also significantly greater in the early cleaving group. CONCLUSIONS: Meiotic spindle parameters determine the timing of the first zygotic cleavage and are strong indicators of human embryo developmental potential.
Subject(s)
Meiosis/genetics , Oocytes/cytology , Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic , Spindle Apparatus/physiology , Zygote/cytology , Adult , Blastocyst/cytology , Cleavage Stage, Ovum/cytology , Embryo Transfer , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Polar Bodies/cytology , Pregnancy , Spindle Apparatus/geneticsABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of anticentromere antibody (ACA) among types of antinuclear antibody (ANA) in the properties of oocytes retrieved from infertile women. The rate of metaphase II oocytes or embryo cleavage was significantly decreased in patients with positive ACA compared with patients with negative ACA, suggesting that ACA is an essential marker for flawed oocytes in infertile women with any type of ANA.
