Are mosaic embryos the ‘dark horse’ of IVF?

Study in nonhuman primates gives new hope to people seeking infertility treatment; abnormal embryos can result in successful in vitro fertilization

By Tracy Brawley March 01, 2019 Portland, Oregon

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VIDEO DOWNLOAD: Excluded cellular fragments left and blastomeres right

Advanced time-lapse imaging of mosaic rhesus mecaque embryoss shows the biological processes of cellular fragmentation (left) and blastomere exclusion (right).(OHSU/Shawn Chavez, Ph.D.)

Rhesus embryo cellular fragmentation

The biological process of cell fragmentation (shown here) plays an important role in identifying genetic abnormalities within an embryo. (OHSU/Shawn Chavez, Ph.D.)

Rhesus excluded blastomeres first 3 and fragments last

Researchers the Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU found that blastomeres (images 1-3) and their cellular fragments (image 4) can act as a trash bin within a mosaic embryo, and exclude genetic abnormalities. (OHSU/Shawn Chavez, Ph.D.)

Shawn Chavez, Ph.D.

Shawn Chavez, Ph.D. (OHSU)

Paula Amato, M.D. (OHSU)