A simple and inexpensive chamber for regulating gaseous environment of small culture plates, such as those used for culture of preimplantation embryos, can be constructed using disposable media-filtration devises such as Corning’s 115-ml system. The following is a description of how to make such a device. - [Read Mini-Chamber for Regulating Gaseous Environment During Culture]
Details a placenta specific gene manipulation by transducing blastocysts with lentiviral vectors1. After a removal of zona pellucida which functions as a physical barrier, trophoblast cells lying outermost layer of blastocyst were transduced from outside with high-titer lentiviral vectors. As most placental cells descend from trophoblast cells while fetus originated from inner cell mass, transgene expression can be observed in trophoblast cells from preimplantation stages and in placenta... - [Read Placenta Specific Gene Manipulation by Transducing Zona-Free Blastocyst using Lentiviral Vector]
Protocol to Count Cell Number of Preimplantation Embryos
using Nuclear Staining with Hoechst 33342 or DAPI. Includes: Preparation of Embryos; Preparation of Hoechst 33342 dye; Preparation of DAPI; Staining the Embryo; Mounting Embryos to Slides; What to Do When There are Too Many Cells to Count. - [Read Protocol to Count Cell Number of Preimplantation Embryos]
Protocol describes a simple method for removal of the zona pellucida of preimplantation mouse embryos using an acidified Tyrode’s solution. - [Read Removal of Zona Pellucida Protocol]