Comparison of DNA between blastocoele fluid and trophectoderm cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparison of genomic DNA analysis between blastocoele fluid and trophectoderm cells in human embryos.
IRAS ID
214276
Contact name
Paul Serhal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The embryo (fertilised egg) is known as a blastocyst on the fifth-sixth day after fertilisation. It consists of 100-150 cells and has two cell types. These are the inner cell mass (ICM), which will give rise to the baby and trophectoderm cells (outer cell layer), which will become the placenta. The trophectoderm (TE) cells surround the ICM. Following the formation of the two cell types, TE cells start producing fluid. The progressive accumulation of fluid leads to the formation of a cavity, which expands to form the blastocoele cavity. This cavity contains fluid, which is known as blastocoelic fluid (BF). The fluid contains proteins, cells and genetic material. To date, to make a genetic diagnosis in order to avoid couples transmitting an inherited condition to their children (preimplantation genetic diagnosis, PGD) or to screen embryos for abnormal chromosome number (preimplantation genetic screening, PGS), cells are removed (biopsied) from the TE. The blastocoele cavity is routinely collapsed in embryos destined for PGD or PGS. Collapsing the cavity results in the release of blastocoelic fluid, which is collected from the blastocele cavity. This is known as blastocentesis. This fluid can be used for genetic analysis of an embryo. It is potentially less invasive and harmful to the embryo than the conventional technique.
The aim of this study is to compare genetic analysis obtained from blastocoele fluid versus trophectoderm cells. All patients undergoing PGD or PGS treatment will be invited to participate in the study. Recruitment of patients will be from an IVF clinic. The procedure will be carried out at the IVF centre. The genetic analysis will be conducted at a genetics laboratory. The study may take twelve months to complete based on a sample of 150 embryos.REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0273
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion