Embryo Transfer Into Rabbit: A Procedure for Laparoscopy-Guided Transfer of Embryos Into Oviduct of Ovulating Recipient Female Rabbit Model

To perform embryo transfer, take an unfertilized rabbit doe. Inject the rabbit intramuscularly with a synthetic analog of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This procedure induces ovulation and allows the rabbit to exhibit pseudopregnancy – a condition where the body exhibits pregnancy-like symptoms without having a viable fetus, which increases the chances of embryo survival in the subsequent steps.

Anesthetize the rabbit and place it supine, in an inclined position with the feet elevated above its head. This position shifts abdominal organs upward, ensuring enough gap from the reproductive organs. Make an opening in the anterior portion of the abdominal region. Use this area to insert an endoscopic camera inside the peritoneal cavity to visualize the reproductive system.

Now, take a syringe-catheter assembly containing viable embryos. Insert the needle near the oviduct – a canal that passes the embryo toward the uterus. Advance the catheter through the end of the funnel-shaped cavity or infundibulum till it reaches the ampulla – a long tubular position of the oviduct.

Release the embryos into the ampulla. Retract the catheter and remove the camera. Seal the incision site. Transfer the rabbit to its cage and monitor it. The embryos migrate from the ampullary region toward the uterine horn – the part of the uterus where implantation occurs. Healthy embryos get implanted, eventually leading to a successful pregnancy.