Biology of Reproduction, Vol 56, 739-744, Copyright © 1997 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Taurine acts as an osmolyte in human and mouse oocytes and embryos

JC Dumoulin, LC van Wissen, PP Menheere, AH Michiels, JP Geraedts and JL Evers
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Academic Hospital, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Taurine transport in mouse embryos has been shown to be osmotically regulated. We studied release of taurine from mouse and human oocytes and embryos when exposed to conditions that created osmotic imbalances, either by incubation in anisosmotic media or by inhibition of Na(+)- K(+)-ATPase with ouabain. Furthermore, we studied the effect of cleavage in mouse embryos on release of taurine. When human oocytes that remained unfertilized after in vitro fertilization, human embryos (2- to 8-cell), and mouse 2-cell embryos were loaded with [3H]taurine and subsequently incubated for 4 h in hyposmotic media (200 and 240 mOsm/kg), they showed significantly lower radioactivity as compared to those incubated in media of 280, 320, and 360 mOsm/kg and higher radioactivity of the incubation media. Incubation with 1.5 mM ouabain resulted in decreased radioactivity of mouse embryos and increased radioactivity of incubation medium. When mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured for 24 h after loading with [3H]taurine, radioactivity of embryos that cleaved to the 4-cell stage was significantly lower than that of uncleaved embryos. This finding is in accordance with the theory that cell division induces cell volume-regulatory mechanisms. In contrast, when 1-cell embryos were cultured for 24 h, radioactivity of embryos developing to the 2-cell stage was significantly higher than that of uncleaved embryos. These data support the theory that taurine is released by embryos when they have to adjust their cell volume because of either extracellularly induced or intracellularly occurring osmotic imbalances. When culture is performed without taurine, the resultant taurine depletion of embryos may be disadvantageous, either because the embryo has to rely more on its inorganic osmolytes for volume regulation or because taurine can no longer provide its other protective functions.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. R. Herrick, J. B. Bond, G. M. Magarey, H. L. Bateman, R. L. Krisher, S. A. Dunford, and W. F. Swanson Toward a Feline-Optimized Culture Medium: Impact of Ions, Carbohydrates, Essential Amino Acids, Vitamins, and Serum on Development and Metabolism of In Vitro Fertilization-Derived Feline Embryos Relative to Embryos Grown In Vivo Biol Reprod, May 1, 2007; 76(5): 858 - 870. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M Orsi and H. J Leese Ammonium exposure and pyruvate affect the amino acid metabolism of bovine blastocysts in vitro Reproduction, January 1, 2004; 127(1): 131 - 140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. D. Houghton1, J. A. Hawkhead, P. G. Humpherson, J. E. Hogg, A. H. Balen, A. J. Rutherford, and H. J. Leese Non-invasive amino acid turnover predicts human embryo developmental capacity Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2002; 17(4): 999 - 1005. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Van Winkle Amino Acid Transport Regulation and Early Embryo Development Biol Reprod, January 1, 2001; 64(1): 1 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M.A. Hammer, M. Kolajova, M.-C. Leveille, P. Claman, and J.M. Baltz Glycine transport by single human and mouse embryos Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2000; 15(2): 419 - 426. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Devreker, M. Van den Bergh, J. Biramane, RM.L. Winston, Y. Englert, and K. Hardy Effects of taurine on human embryo development in vitro Hum. Reprod., September 1, 1999; 14(9): 2350 - 2356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Stojkovic, K. Westesen, V. Zakhartchenko, P. Stojkovic, K. Boxhammer, and E. Wolf Coenzyme Q10 in Submicron-Sized Dispersion Improves Development, Hatching, Cell Proliferation, and Adenosine Triphosphate Content of In Vitro-Produced Bovine Embryos Biol Reprod, August 1, 1999; 61(2): 541 - 547. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. Kolajova and J. M. Baltz Volume-Regulated Anion and Organic Osmolyte Channels in Mouse Zygotes Biol Reprod, April 1, 1999; 60(4): 964 - 972. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				B. Behr, T.B. Pool, A.A. Milki, D. Moore, J. Gebhardt, and D. Dasig Preliminary clinical experience with human blastocyst development in vitro without co-culture Hum. Reprod., February 1, 1999; 14(2): 454 - 457. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Dawson, J. L. Collins, and J. M. Baltz Osmolarity-Dependent Glycine Accumulation Indicates a Role for Glycine as an Organic Osmolyte in Early Preimplantation Mouse Embryos Biol Reprod, August 1, 1998; 59(2): 225 - 232. [Abstract] [Full Text]