Solving the mystery of defective embryos

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"It's the dream of many infertile couples: to have a baby. Tens of thousands of children are born by in vitro fertilization, or IVF, a technique commonly used when nature doesn't take its course. However, embryos obtained when a sperm fertilizes an egg in a test tube often have defects. In a study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) discovered an important element in understanding how these anomalies occur in the developing embryo.

"About half of embryos used in fertility treatments have some cells that contain the wrong number of chromosomes. These so-called 'mosaic' embryos are considered of poor quality, and many clinics choose not to transfer them to the woman. By studying embryos in mice, we found a mechanism by which defective cells divide and perpetuate in the developing embryo," said Greg FitzHarris, a researcher at the CRCHUM and professor at the University of Montreal.

In mice, normal oocytes (eggs) contain 20 chromosomes, while in humans they contain 23. Having an abnormal number of chromosomes in cells, known as aneuploidy, is a well known problem in reproductive biology..."


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