EMBRYONIC MORTALITY FOLLOWING CULTURE IN VITRO OF ONE- AND TWO-CELL RABBIT EGGS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

Abstract

Summary. In-vitro culture of 1-cell fertilized rabbit ova for 6 hr at a temperature corresponding to elevated body temperature (40°C) resulted in increased post-implantation embryonic mortality following the transfer of such eggs to synchronous pseudopregnant females. This increased mortality was not observed when culture temperatures corresponded to normal body temperature (38° C) or in cultures that were begun after completion of the first cleavage. It is concluded that the early rabbit embryo is directly affected by the increased maternal body temperature that accompanies thermal stress of the female. Such effects may not become apparent until the late stages of embryonic development.