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Development of an in vitro model to study uterine functions and early implantation using rat uterine explants.
- Source :
- Cell & Tissue Research; Dec2017, Vol. 370 Issue 3, p501-512, 12p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- This study was conducted to develop an in vitro model using rat uterine explants to explore complex uterine functions. Rat uterine explants (1-2 mm) were isolated, cultured and further characterized. Steroid hormone treatment of cultured explants showed that both Muc1 and Pr were significantly up-regulated ( P < 0.05) by E2. Areg was significantly up-regulated ( P < 0.05) by P4 and Igfbp1 was significantly up-regulated ( P < 0.05) by the combination of E2 and P4, although, in rat, Igfbp1 is E2-dependent. In vitro decidualization of cultured explants was induced and two potential markers of decidualization, Prl8a2 and Bmp2, were examined. Real-time quantitative PCR data revealed that both Prl8a2 and Bmp2 were significantly up-regulated ( P < 0.05) in MPA- and db-cAMP-treated explants compared to the control group of explants. Then, an individual hatched blastocyst and cultured explant was placed in a 96-well (round-bottom U-shaped) plate. Co-culture results showed that stable attachments were observed after 48 h, where embryos were stably attached to the explants and could not be dislodged after mild shaking and/or pipetting. The rates of attachment of embryos to the explants were increased significantly in the P4-treated group (63.6%) compared to the control group (35.5%), after steroid hormone treatment. The rates of attachment were reduced significantly in the E2-treated group (0.0%), where no stable attachments were observed. Despite the necessity of comprehensive investigation, our results suggest that the cultured rat uterine explants can be a useful in vitro model to study uterine functions and early implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- UTERUS physiology
HORMONE therapy
CELL culture
IN vitro studies
LABORATORY rats
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0302766X
- Volume :
- 370
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Cell & Tissue Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 126418856
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-017-2679-8