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Identification of Viable Embryos by Noninvasive Measurement of Amino Acids in Culture Media

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Human Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos

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Abstract

This chapter highlights many important roles of amino acids for human preimplantation embryos. Amino acids are not only beneficial to embryo development but their utilisation by the embryo is also predictive of future viability, genetic health, DNA damage and trophectoderm integrity. These findings were remarkable and highlight how integral amino acids are to the physiology of the embryo. Thus, it is important that much consideration is given to the media used in clinical IVF. This will require suppliers to provide details of media formulations so that informed choices can be made. The use of amino acid profiling in a clinical setting offers the exciting prospect to nonsubjectively select the most developmentally competent embryo for transfer with the greatest chance of producing a live birth.

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Acknowledgment

I thank Prof. Tom Fleming for his helpful comments on this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells & Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK

    Franchesca D. Houghton

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  1. Franchesca D. Houghton
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Correspondence to Franchesca D. Houghton .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Melbourne, Department of Zoology, Royal Parade, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    David K. Gardner

  2. Boston IVF, Second Ave. 130, Waltham, 02451, Massachusetts, USA

    Denny Sakkas

  3. Yale School of Medicine, Dept. of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Cedar St. 333, New Haven, 06510, Connecticut, USA

    Emre Seli

  4. Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of, Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2HW, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    Dagan Wells

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Houghton, F.D. (2013). Identification of Viable Embryos by Noninvasive Measurement of Amino Acids in Culture Media. In: Gardner, D., Sakkas, D., Seli, E., Wells, D. (eds) Human Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6651-2_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6651-2_24

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6650-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6651-2

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