Isolation and development of the inner cell mass after exposure of mouse embryos to calcium ionophore A23187

Compacted morulae and blastocysts were obtained from CBA, BALB/c and CFLP strains of mice. The embryos were incubated in medium containing 2 × 10−5 M or 2 × 10−6 M ionophore A 23187. With 2 × 10−6 M ionophore, morulae survived for up to 12 h showing slight decompaction. Normal development resumed when the morulae were explanted to fresh medium. There was no detectable effect on blastocysts. With 2 × 10−5 M ionophore, morulae survived for about 20 min and then extensive cell death occurred after this time. With blastocysts however, selective lysis of trophectoderm cells occurred after approximately 30 min following their swelling and vesiculation but the inner cell mass cells (ICM) remained apparently intact and viable. Nearly 80% of the early blastocysts obtained 87 h postovulation and all of the late blastocysts used after 12 h in culture (99 h blastocysts) showed this response. Individual fluid accumulating cells were detected in a few isolated ICMs after their overnight culture in vitro, especially in those obtained from early blastocysts, but the majority of the ICMs did not have these cells. All aggregates of three to five ICMs, except one which reformed into a blastocyst, developed as embryoid bodies after 2 days in culture and these survived for up to 10 days; in some cases they developed into cystic embryoid bodies or attached to the culture dish displaying a variety of cell types. The development of the isolated ICMs in vivo was judged to be normal after their transfer to intact host blastocysts as these developed as chimaeric embryos to term.