The present study established techniques to induce pseudopregnancy, in vitro oocyte cultures from pronuclear to 2- to 4-cell stages, and embryo transfer in musk shrews, a reflex ovulator. Offspring were subsequently obtained by transferring in vivo-developed or in vitro-cultured embryos. Female musk shrews received human chronic gonadotropin (hCG), with or without mating stimuli, from vasectomized males to produce pseudopregnant recipients. Embryos at the 2- to 4-cell stage were collected 44–48 h after mating. Another set of embryos was collected 26–27 h after mating and then cultured for 20 h from the pronuclear to 2- to 4-cell stages. Subsequently, embryos were transferred into the oviducts of pseudopregnant recipients 24 or 48 h after the induction of pseudopregnancy. Offsprings were successfully obtained from recipients that received hCG 24 h before embryo transfer, regardless of mating stimuli. These techniques may be valuable for producing transgenic musk shrews.

本研究建立了诱导假妊娠、从原核到 2 到 4 细胞阶段的体外卵母细胞培养以及在反射排卵器麝鼩中进行胚胎移植的技术。随后通过转移体内发育或体外获得后代-培养的胚胎。雌性麝鼩接受人类慢性促性腺激素 (hCG)，有或没有交配刺激，来自输精管切除的雄性，以产生假孕受体。交配后 44-48 小时收集 2 至 4 细胞阶段的胚胎。在交配后 26-27 小时收集另一组胚胎，然后从原核到 2 到 4 细胞阶段培养 20 小时。随后，在诱导假孕后 24 或 48 小时，将胚胎移植到假孕受者的输卵管中。无论交配刺激如何，从胚胎移植前 24 小时接受 hCG 的受体成功获得后代。这些技术可能对生产转基因麝鼩很有价值。