An enhanced platform for whole-embryo culture allows continuous and robust ex utero development of postimplantation mouse embryos for up to six days, from pregastrulation stages until advanced organogenesis. In this protocol, we detail the standard procedure for successful embryo culture using static plates and rotating bottle systems.
Postimplantation mammalian embryo culture methods have been generally inefficient and limited to brief periods after dissection out of the uterus. Platforms have been recently developed for highly robust and prolonged ex utero culture of mouse embryos from egg-cylinder stages until advanced organogenesis. These platforms enable appropriate and faithful development of pregastrulating embryos (E5.5) until the hind limb formation stage (E11). Late gastrulating embryos (E7.5) are grown in rotating bottles in these settings, while extended culture from pregastrulation stages (E5.5 or E6.5) requires a combination of static and rotating bottle cultures. In addition, sensitive regulation of O2 and CO2 concentration, gas pressure, glucose levels, and the use of a specific ex utero culture medium are critical for proper embryo development. Here, a detailed step-by-step protocol for extended ex utero mouse embryo culture is provided. The ability to grow normal mouse embryos ex utero from gastrulation to organogenesis represents a valuable tool for characterizing the effect of different experimental perturbations during embryonic development.
Intrauterine development of the mammalian embryo has limited the study of the early stages of postimplantation development1,2. The inaccessibility of the developing embryo hampers the understanding of key developmental processes occurring after the embryo implants into the uterus, such as the establishment of the animal body plan, specification of the germ layers, or the formation of tissues and organs. Moreover, the very small size of the early postimplanted embryo makes it difficult to observe by intravital imaging in utero before E103. The inability to observe and manipulate living embryos at these stages has restricted the study of early postimplantation embryogenesis to snapshots during development.
Protocols for in vitro culture of preimplantation mammalian embryos are well established, reliable, and regularly utilized4. Nevertheless, attempts to establish ex utero culture systems capable of supporting proper mammalian postimplantation embryo growth had limited success5. A variety of culture techniques have been proposed for over a century, mainly by culturing the embryos in conventional static plates6,7,8 or rotating bottles (roller cultures)5,9,10. These platforms proved helpful in expanding the knowledge on mammalian development after implantation11,12, despite being highly inefficient for normal embryo survival and limited to short periods. The embryos began to display developmental retardation and morphological anomalies as early as 24-48 h after culture initiation.
This study provides a detailed description for setting up the ex utero embryo culture system that allows continuous development from pregastrulation to advanced organogenesis stages over up to six days of postimplantation development13. This paper describes the improved roller culture protocol that supports the growth of E7.5 embryos (neural plate and headfold-stage) until the hind limb formation stage (~E11) and the extended culture from E5.5/E6.5 by combining culture on static plates and roller culture platforms.
All animal experiments were performed according to the Animal Protection Guidelines of Weizmann Institute of Science and approved by relevant Weizmann Institute IACUC (#01390120-1, 01330120-2, 33520117-2). Healthy pregnant women were asked to give their informed consent to collect blood from their umbilical cord, as approved by the Rambam Medical Center Helsinki Committee (#RMB-0452-15). Healthy adults were asked for their informed consent to have blood collected according to the guidelines of the Weizmann Institute of Science Helsinki Committee (#1566-3).
1. Media preparation
2. Collection of human umbilical cord blood serum and human adult blood serum
3. Ex utero roller culture of embryos from E7.5 to E11
4. Extended embryo culture from E5.5/E6.5 to E11
The roller culture conditions described for E7.5 embryos (late-gastrulation stage) support constant and normal embryo growth with an average efficiency close to 75% after 4 culture days (Figure 2 and Table 1). The efficiency of embryo development may vary across diverse mouse genetic backgrounds but is consistently robust (Figure 2C). Supplementation with HBS instead of HCS yields an efficiency of ~68% after 4 days of ex utero culture, depending on the genetic background of the mice (Figure 2D and Table 2). The embryos developed ex utero recapitulate proper development until approximately the 44-somite stage. Afterward, the embryos present embryonic abnormalities due to the absence of the allantoic placenta, resulting in insufficient oxygenation and nutrient supply given the increased body size at this stage.
Development of E6.5 embryos (early-streak) in static plates is correctly recapitulated with an efficiency of >90% until the early somite-stage E8.5, using EUCM with both HCS and HBS (Figure 3, Table 3, and Table 4) (see8,13 for a detailed description of embryo staging between E5.5 to E8.5). Ex utero culture from gastrulation to advanced organogenesis by combining cultures on static plates followed by the roller culture in a constant 21% oxygen atmosphere gives an estimated efficiency of proper development of 55% and 26% to the 44-somite stage, using HCS and HBS, respectively (Figure 3A, Table 3, and Table 4). There is a delay of 1-2 somite pairs in these embryos compared to embryos developed in utero. The greatest drop in efficiency occurs at the transition from E8.5 to E9.5 due to failure of axial turning and closure of the neural tube.
Cultures starting from E5.5 pregastrulating embryos show efficiency of proper development to the early-somite stage (E8.5) of approximately 46%, and nearly 17% of the embryos will complete proper development after six days of culture after being transferred to the roller culture (Figure 4 and Table 5). Extended ex utero culture prolongs the developmental delay in the embryos, with embryos explanted at E5.5 showing a delay of 2-4 pairs of somites compared to in vivo embryos. Nevertheless, morphogenesis and tissue development proceed properly until approximately the 42-somite stage.
The most common defects seen in the embryos for cultures initiated from E7.5, E6.5, and E5.5 are exemplified in Figure 5A–C. At the time of dissection, embryos with even minor damage to the epiblast or the extraembryonic region, as well as embryos retaining the Reichert's membrane, should be discarded. Likewise, early embryos will not grow properly (see Figure 5B for dead embryos) or display severe developmental delays (see Figure 5B for a delayed embryo). Attachment of the embryonic epiblast to the surface of the plate will affect development depending on the position and grade of attachment. Attachment of a part of the epiblast or the whole embryo will cause the failure of further development (see Figure 5B for an attached embryo).
The main abnormalities observed in the percentage of defective embryos at E8.5 (early somite stage) are the development of the posterior region outside the yolk sac or defects in the growth of the neural folds (Figure 5A,B). In the case of cultures started at E5.5, a frequently observed developmental defect is the presence of a small, underdeveloped epiblast (Figure 5C). At the time equivalent to E9.5, defects in the closure of the neural folds, failure of axial turning, or a deficiency in brain growth represent the most commonly observed abnormalities (Figure 5). The most frequently observed developmental defects at E10.5/E11 are anomalies in the head region, disruption of normal blood circulation in the yolk sac, and pericardial effusion (Figure 5). Rupture of one main blood vessel and blood outflow may cause subsequent death of the embryo. Notably, proper growth of the embryo itself might be reached even in the absence of evident yolk sac circulation. Embryos kept in culture beyond the stage equivalent to E11 exhibit body shrinkage and death after few hours due to a lack of proper tissue oxygenation.
Figure 1: Gas and pressure regulation system adapted to a roller culture incubator. (A) Top view of the gas regulation module connected to the roller culture incubator. N2 and CO2 enter the gas regulator to allow precise control of the oxygen/CO2 concentrations and gas pressure. The gases are directed towards the mixing box, in which they are mixed by a centrifugal blower and injected into the incubator by a pump that generates positive pressure. The gas flows through the inlet into a water bottle and later to the sealed bottles. (B) Internal configuration of the electronic module for gas and pressure regulation. The voltage value set on the pressure transmitter regulates the pressure generated by the pump inside the gas mixing box (5-6 V to attain pressure of 6-7 psi in this specific model). Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 2: Ex utero culture platform supports growth of E7.5 embryos until advanced organogenesis. (A) Diagram depicting the E7.5 ex utero embryo culture protocol. (B) Representative bright-field images of groups of cultured embryos developing ex utero over 4 days, from late gastrulation (E7.5) to the 44-somite stage (E11). The typical variation in somite number assessed every 24 h is indicated. Scale bars = 500 µm. (C, D) Percentage of normally developed embryos at 1-4 days of culture starting from E7.5 divided by mouse parental strains and serum supplementation (C, human umbilical cord blood serum; D, human adult blood serum). Panel A has been modified from 13. Abbreviations: EUCM = ex utero embryo culture medium; HCS = human umbilical cord blood serum; HBS = human adult blood serum. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 3. Extended ex utero culture protocol for growing E6.5 early-gastrulating mouse embryos until late organogenesis. (A) Schematic illustration of the extended ex utero culture protocol combining static plates and rotating bottles systems. (B) Bright-field images of embryos cultured ex utero for five days from E6.5 to the 44-somite stage. The typical variation in somite number assessed every 24 h is indicated. Scale bars = 500 µm. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 4: Continuous ex utero culture of pregastrulation mouse embryos from E5.5 until late organogenesis stages. (A) Schematic depiction of the ex utero culture the protocol for E5.5 embryos.(B) Representative bright-field images of embryos cultured ex utero for six days from E5.5 until the 42-somite stage. The typical variation in somite number assessed every 24 h is indicated. Scale bars = 500 µm. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 5: Representative developmental defects observed in embryos cultured ex utero. (A–C) Bright-field microscopy images of abnormal mouse embryos grown ex utero starting from E7.5 (A), E6.5 (B), or E5.5 (C). A general description of the defect is provided on each image. Scale bars = 500 µm. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Table 1: Efficiency of proper development of embryos isolated at E7.5 days post coitum. The embryos were cultured ex utero for 4 days in EUCM (25% Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum). [-] indicates cultures not continued due to experimental requirements. Please click here to download this Table.
Table 2: Efficiency of proper development of embryos isolated at E7.5, cultured ex utero for 4 days, replacing Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum with freshly isolated Human Adult Blood Serum. [-] indicates cultures not continued due to experimental requirements. Please click here to download this Table.
Table 3: Efficiency of proper development of embryos (B6D2F1/ICR) isolated at E6.5 and cultured ex utero for 5 days using EUCM (25% Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum). The ex utero culture was done in static culture for two days (21% O2) followed by three days in rotating bottles at 21% O2. [-] indicates cultures not continued due to experimental requirements. Abbreviation: NA = not acquired. Please click here to download this Table.
Table 4: Efficiency of proper development of embryos (B6D2F1/ICR) isolated at E6.5 and cultured ex utero for 5 days using EUCM (replacing Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum with freshly isolated Human Adult Blood Serum). The embryos were developed in static culture for two days (21% O2) followed by three days in rotating bottles at 21% O2. [-] indicates cultures not continued due to experimental requirements. Please click here to download this Table.
Table 5: Efficiency of proper development of embryos (B6D2F1/ICR) isolated at E5.5 and cultured ex utero for 6 days using EUCM (25% Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum). The embryos were developed in static culture for three days (21% O2) followed by three days in rotating bottles at 21% O2. [-] indicates cultures not continued due to experimental requirements. Please click here to download this Table.
The culture protocol presented herein can sustain proper and continuous mouse embryo development ex utero for up to six days, from E5.5 to E11. Previously, embryos at these developmental stages could develop normally in culture only for short periods (up to 48 h)15. The coupling of the gas regulation module to the roller culture incubator for precise control of oxygen concentration and hyperbaric gas pressure is critical for the proper mouse embryo culture described herein. Increasing the gas pressure to 7 psi enhances oxygen diffusion, allowing embryo development up to E11 in an atmosphere of up to 21% O2/5% CO2, in contrast to the previously employed conditions of 95% O216, which may be harmful to the embryo in the long term. Further, oxygen concentration is known to play a critical role in embryonic development, as early postimplantation embryogenesis takes place under hypoxic conditions17. Accordingly, the successful culture of late-gastrulating embryos requires an initial 5% O2 atmosphere, with a dynamic increase in oxygen concentration as the embryo grows. Remarkably, culturing pre/early-gastrulating embryos in static culture at 5% O2 drastically decreased the efficiency of proper embryo development compared to 21% O2, and they could not develop further to E9.5. The latter might be explained by the slower rate of nutrient and oxygen diffusion through the embryonic tissues in the static culture compared to the culture in rotating bottles1,10.
Furthermore, the high content of rat and human umbilical cord blood serum provides more consistent results for growing early postimplanted embryos than media supplemented with only rat serum13,18. Importantly, the serum used for embryo culture should be prepared from freshly extracted blood. Although high-quality rat serum for whole-embryo culture is commercially available, human serum should be isolated in-house. Supplementation with human umbilical cord blood serum can be replaced by serum isolated from human adult blood, which is widely accessible and still provides consistent and efficient embryo growth.
Successful and efficient embryo development ex utero is also highly dependent on accurate embryo isolation. First, the dissection procedure should be performed in dissection medium warmed at 37 °C, and the dissected embryos should be transferred into the culture bottles/plates within 30 min. Second, precise embryo isolation from the decidua and removal of the Reichert’s membrane without damaging the epiblast is key for obtaining high efficiency of embryo development. Third, only embryos at the adequate stage should be selected for culture, as early/delayed embryos will not grow properly.
Handling the embryos during transfer is another essential point during the ex utero culture, mainly after the development of the embryonic yolk sac. Embryos should be transferred carefully because damage to major yolk sac blood vessels could affect proper development. Generally, the longer the period of embryo culture, the lower the efficiency of normal embryo development, i.e., embryos explanted at E7.5 will develop with higher efficiency than those explanted at E6.5 or E5.5. Moreover, the presence of antibiotics in the medium is fundamental to prevent contamination if a dissection microscope allocated inside a biological hood is not available.
It cannot be ruled out that other platforms, pressure levels, or conditions might enable similar or enhanced outcomes to the results obtained with the present protocol. Further optimization of the conditions described in this study is needed to reach an efficiency of embryo development equal to that observed by intrauterine development. Moreover, future development of a defined serum-free medium could help define the specific metabolic and chemical requirements during mammalian embryo development and reduce batch-to-batch serum variability. The need for constant nutrient and gas mixing after E8.5 using the rotating bottles culture in the current settings limits the long-term imaging capabilities during organogenesis stages. Future development of microfluidics devices enabling gas and nutrient mixture in static culture coupled to microscopy setups could help overcome this challenge.
Embryos cultured ex utero can be experimentally manipulated and kept in culture up to advanced organogenesis stages outside the uterus. We previously demonstrated the ability to introduce diverse perturbations in developing embryos, such as genetic manipulation by electroporation or lentiviral infection, live imaging, cell grafting, and teratogenic studies13. Ultimately, this platform may help uncover cell fate specification and organ formation mechanisms in mammals by allowing real-time experimentation in living mouse embryos for up to six days of early postimplantation development.
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was funded by Pascal and Ilana Mantoux; European Research Council (ERC-CoG-2016 726497-Cellnaivety); Flight Attendant Medical Research Council (FAMRI); Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) professorship, BSF, Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helen and Martin Kimmel Award for Innovative Investigation; Israel Science Foundation (ISF), Minerva, the Sherman Institute for Medicinal Chemistry, Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases, David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research, Kekst Family Institute for Medical Genetics, Dr. Beth Rom-Rymer Stem Cell Research Fund, Edmond de Rothschild Foundations, Zantker Charitable Foundation, Estate of Zvia Zeroni.
0.22 µm pore size filter (250 mL) | JetBiofil | FCA-206-250 | |
0.22 µm pore size syringe PVDF filter | Millipore | SLGV033RS | |
8-well µ-plates glass bottom/ibiTreat | iBidi | 80827/80826 | |
Bottle with adaptor cap for gas inlet | Arad Technologies | ||
Bungs (Hole) | B.T.C. Engineering, Cullum Starr Precision Engineering | BTC 06 | Used to seal the bottles to the drum |
Bungs (Solid) | B.T.C. Engineering, Cullum Starr Precision Engineering | BTC 07 | Used to seal the rotating drum |
Culture bottles | B.T.C. Engineering, Cullum Starr Precision Engineering | BTC 03/BTC 04 | Either Glass Bottles (Small) BTC 03 or Glass Bottles (Large) BTC 04 |
D(+)-glucose Monohydrate | J.T. Baker | ||
Diamond knife | Fine Science Tools | 10100-30/45 | |
Digital Pressure Gauge | Shanghai Benxu Electronics Technology co. Ltd | BX-DPG80 | |
DMEM | GIBCO | 11880 | |
Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline | Biological industries | 02-020-1A | |
Fetal Bovine Serum | Biological industries | 04-013-1A | |
Gas regulation module | Arad Technologies | HannaLab1 | |
Glutamax | GIBCO | 35050061 | glutamine |
Graefe forceps | Fine Science Tools | 11052-10 | |
HEPES | GIBCO | 15630056 | |
Microsurgical forceps (Dumont #5, #55) | Fine Science Tools | 11255-20 | |
Pasteur pipettes (glass) | Hilgenberg | 3150102 | |
Pasteur pipettes (plastic) | Alexred | SO P12201 | |
Penicillin/Streptomycin | Biological industries | 03-031-1B | |
Petri Dishes (60 mm and 100 mm) | Falcon | 351007/351029 | |
Precision incubator system | B.T.C. Engineering, Cullum Starr Precision Engineering | BTC01 | BTC01 model with gas bubbler kit |
Pro-coagulant sterile test tubes (5 mL) | Greiner Bio-One | #456005 | |
Rat whole embryo culture serum | ENVIGO Bioproducts | B-4520 | |
Stereoscopic microscope equipped with heating plate | Nikon | SMZ18 | |
Sterile syringes (5, 10 ml) for sera filtration | Pic Solution | ||
Surgical scissors | Fine Science Tools | 14094-11 |