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The effect of amorphous calcium carbonate as a culture media supplement on embryonic development of murine sibling embryos

  • Embryo Biology
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the addition in culture media of stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) versus calcium chloride (CaCl2) or calcium carbonate in crystalline form (CCC) on growth rates among sibling mouse embryos.

Methods

We evaluated the effect of different ACC concentrations on the rates of embryo compaction at 60 h, blastocyst rate at 84 h and percentage of fully hatched at 108 h following hCG injection. As ACC is stabilized by tripolyphosphate (TPP), we also evaluated the addition of TPP alone to the culture media. Finally, we compared supplemented ACC culture media to one-step SAGE and Irvine cleavage media.

Results

The results revealed that ACC accelerates the compaction and blastocyst rates, as well as the percentage of fully hatched embryos in a dose-dependent manner, with an increased positive effect at 2.5 mM. The magnitude of the effect for ACC-supplemented media on the embryo developmental rate was between 30 to 40% (p < 0.01) faster for each stage, compared to both SAGE and Irvine one-step standard media. Embryos cultured with SAGE or Irvine media with or without supplementation of CaCl2 or CCC, did not produce the same improvements as observed with ACC.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ACC demonstrates a rapid modulation effect for restoring media optimal pH. ACC can inhibit cathepsin B activity during in vitro culture of fibroblast cells. The beneficial impact of ACC on cleavage mouse embryos is likely due to an improved buffering effect causing slower pH media variations, which may enhance quality and implantation potential of embryos following in vitro culture.

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Funding

This research was funded by Amorphical Ltd.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. A.A Cash Technology, Shlomtzion Hamalca, 59, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Amir Arav & Yehudit Natan

  2. Amorphical, 11 Haharash, Ness Ziona, Israel

    Tamila Hejja, Yigal D Blum & Ylena Poliansky

  3. Division Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Pasquale Patrizio

Authors
  1. Amir Arav
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  2. Yehudit Natan
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  4. Yigal D Blum
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Contributions

Conceptualization, A.A. and P.P.; methodology and performing experiments, A.A.; and Y.N. and Y.P.; formal analysis, AA and Y.N. and T.H.; writing—original draft preparation, A.A. and Y.D.B; writing—review and editing, A.A. and Y.N. and T.H. and Y.P. and Y.D.B. and P.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Amir Arav.

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Competing interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Y.N, T.H, Y.P, and Y.D.B are employees of Amorphical Ltd.

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Arav, A., Natan, Y., Hejja, T. et al. The effect of amorphous calcium carbonate as a culture media supplement on embryonic development of murine sibling embryos. J Assist Reprod Genet 40, 2409–2418 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-023-02899-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-023-02899-5

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