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embryo transfer medium
Michael L. Reed said on 30 August 2010
"Regarding embryo transfer, my opinion is that not only is the catheter choice very important for the technical aspect of the transfer, but the choice of culture medium and supplementation to the medium can impact the outcome as well.
Regarding the medium, I would suggest that you consider both pH and viscosity. Starting with pH, what happens to the pH of a bicarbonate culture medium inside the embryo transfer catheter? It should rise without the CO2. How fast does it change? A good question, and one I don't have an answer to, but the longer the time it takes to perform a transfer, the higher the pH will go to a point where it plateaus. Is pH important? We spend an inordinate amount of time making sure pH is monitored, so there must be something to pH.
I use Hepes-buffered HTF with albumin for the transfer, so that I don't have to worry about pH changes, no matter how long the transfer takes. And there are other buffers that can be used as well, that don't require CO2. If you are concerned about amino acid depletion while the embryo or embryos are in the medium, then use a Hepes or Mops, or other buffered zwitterionic medium that contains amino acids, for transfer.
Second, consider supplementation of the medium, e.g. protein or hyaluronate for example. Having 10% v/v SSS or SPS or other similar solutions is more than adequate, as is 4 or 5 mg/ml albumin in the medium. There are labs that use larger volumes of protein, for example 50% medium and 50% SSS, in an effort to change how the medium flows from the catheter. SSS is slightly acidic - so there goes the pH. And you are diluting any medium components by 50%, as SSS is primarily saline. Does 50% SSS appreciably change the viscosity of the medium? I think so, but to what benefit? If you are having retained embryos, it is not likely due to the viscosity of the medium. If you want to use a more viscous medium for transfer, there are many reports about hyaluronate-supplemented medium, commercially available from VitroLife. Hyaluronate medium feels more viscous, to me, and it has the benefit of being a potential embryo to endometrium attachment enhancer. But it is expensive. As for pH, I believe that VitroLife was exploring the possibility of a Hepes or Mops-buffered hyaluronate medium.
Embryo transfer is not simple, and like every other procedure, it needs to be broken down piece by piece and evaluated, according to the needs of your own facility.
Mike"
Reply
Transfer media
Angela Searton said on 19 August 2010
"I think it is general practice these days, for those using sequential media, to transfer in blastocyst media rather than in cleavage. I am sure the company providing your media will have guidelines as to how they think their media will best perform."
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Embryologist
Jaochang Lin said on 13 August 2010
"Hello my dear:
This is not point of all about whatever kinds of media used as in embryo transfer procedure. The battling field are volume of fluid and the technique you usher embryos into the catheter that do really matter to embryo retained after ET."
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