Impact of tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses on nucleolus-like bodies of mouse GV oocyte and the ability of mouse oocytes to mature.

Using femtosecond laser radiation, nucleolus-like bodies (NLBs) of mouse oocytes were locally dissected without damage to zona pellucida, cytoplasmic membrane, nuclear membrane, and nucleoplasm surrounding NLB. It was found that, after dissection of 2.7 × 10(-11) cm(3) of NLB material, which is approximately 5.2% of 10 µm NLB volume, the probability of germinal vesicle oocyte development to metaphase II stage of meiosis decreased 3-7 times compared to the non-treated oocytes. This result indicates that NLB material organization is significant for mouse oocyte maturation.

Effect of laser optoperforation of the zona pellucida on mouse embryo development in vitro.

The effect of laser optical perforation of the zona pellucida on the viability and development of mouse embryos has been studied. Operations of zona pellucida thinning and single or double perforation were carried out on 2-cell embryo, morula, and blastocyst stages with a laser pulse (wavelength 1.48 µm, pulse duration 2 ms). Embryo development up to the blastocyst stage and hatching efficiency were statistically analyzed. It was found that 2-cell or morula stage embryo zona pellucida thinning or single perforation did not affect development to the blastocyst stage and number of hatched embryos, but it accelerated embryo hatching compared to control groups one day earlier in vitro. Double optoperforation on 2-cell embryo or morula stage did not significantly affect development to the blastocyst stage, but it strongly decreased the number of hatched embryos. Also, zona pellucida perforation at the blastocyst stage had a negative effect: hatching did not occur after this manipulation. Blastocyst cell number calculation after single zona pellucida perforation at 2-cell and morula stages showed that cell number of hatching or hatched blastocysts did not differ from the same control groups. This fact points out that the laser single optoperforation method is a useful and safe experimental tool that allows further manipulations within the zona pellucida.