Novel human endometrial cell line promotes blastocyst development.
OBJECTIVE: To test and contrast the embryotrophic potential of an established human endometrial cell line to that of two other epithelial cell types: human oviduct and African monkey kidney (Vero) cells. DESIGN: Mouse IVF was performed. Subsequent development of embryos cocultured with our endometrial cell line was contrasted to that seen with oviductal and Vero cell coculture systems. Percent blastocyst transformation, expansion, and hatching were compared. SETTING: University-based research laboratory associated with clinical IVF program. RESULTS: All three epithelial cell monolayers tested significantly improved the rate of blastocyst transformation of in vitro fertilized murine oocytes. The overall percent blastocysts obtained was highest with endometrial cells (69%), followed by oviductal cells (52%), Vero cells (45%), and the medium-alone controls (29%). Only 13% of oviduct cocultured embryos were able to reach the hatched blastocyst stage compared with a 30% hatching rate with endometrial cells and a 21% hatching rate with Vero cells. Only 3% of control embryos hatched in vitro. CONCLUSION: We have described a novel continuous endometrial cell line with excellent embryotrophic potential. This cell line is technically easy to use and is of human origin. As a coculture system it appears to be superior to both oviductal and Vero cells in correcting for defects in culture environment during in vitro development up to the blastocyst stage.