Thetechniquedescribedhereisaslightmodification(March1997)ofmethodspresentedin:NagyA.,J.Rossant.1993.ProductionofcompletelyEScell-derivedfetuses.In:GeneTargeting:APracticalApproach.(ed.A.Joyner).IRLPressatOxfordUniversityPress.
Recoveryof2-cellstageembryosisverysimilartothatofthe8-cellstageembryosanditmustbedoneontheday1.5dpc.Itissafertocollectlate2-cellsstageembryostoavoidtheso-calledtwo-cell-stageblock.Thepresenceof10-15%3-4-cellstageembryosamong2-cellindicatestheappropriatetiming.Theflushing46+hoursafterhCGinjectionisrecommended.
Fusionoftheblastomeresof2-cellstageembryosoccurswhenasquarepulseisappliedperpendiculartotheplaneofcontactofthetwocells.Thepulseparametersvarrydependingontheelectrodesandpulsegenerator.WeuseCell-fusioninstrument,CF-150BavailablefromBLSLtd.,Hungarywithfollowingparameters(fornon-electrolytefusion):Voltage-30V;Duration-35microsec;Numberofpulses-2;AdjustableACfieldisappliedtoallowthecorrectorientationofembryos(enable,1or2Vonthedisplay).ToohighanACfieldcancauselysis.
1.TurnontheCF-150Bpulsegenerator.Makesureyousettheswitchonthebacksideofthemashineto"Non-electrolyte".DoNOTusethe"Normal"position!
2.Puta100mmPetridishcontainingtheelectrode-chamberunderadissectingmicroscope,connectthecablestothepulsegeneratorandadjustallparametersbysettingthe<mode>buttontoVoltageandturningtheappropriatedialontheleftside,thensettingthe<mode>todurationandturningtheappropriatedialuntilthedesirednumberisdisplayed.
TypicalsettingsforGSS-250:40V,30microsec,2repeats,forGSS-500:75V,35microsecandforGSS-1000:137V,26microsec.Theparametershowevercoulddependonlocalconditionsandembryosused.Theyshouldbeoptimizedempirically.
Onthefrontpanel,inthelowerrightcorner,youhaveatwobuttonsandadial.Pushthefirstbutton,whichiscalled"HFSINUS"-"ENABLE"untilthediodlitsupanditissoenabled.Pushthebuttonontheothersideofthedialuntilalsothisisenabled.Thisbuttoniscalled"ATTENUATOR"-"AMP/10.Nowturnthedialuntil1.0-2.0isshownonthedisplay.Whichstrengthyoushouldchoosedependsonhowquicklyyoucanwork,andthesensitivityofyourembryos.Thehigherthisvalue,thefasterwilltheembryosalignintherightposition,butatoohighvalueformorethen20-30secondssecondswillharmthem.Thisyoushouldoptimizeempirically.
3.PlacetwolargedropsofM2mediumandtwodropsofmannitolsolutioninthesecond100mmPetridishunderotherdissectingmicroscope.Placelargedropofmannitoloverelectrodes.
4.Place50-100embryosinonedropofM2.Thenumberofembryosdependsonthespeedsincethedropofmannitolovertheelectrodechambercannotbeusedforlongerthat10-15minutes(itevaporatesandthefusionbecomeslessefficient)andshouldbechangedtofreshoneafterthattime.

Fusionofblastomeresshouldbecompletedin20-40minutes.Sinceembryosarerecoveredatthelate2-cellstage,thesecondmitoticdivisionisexpectedsoonafterfusion.Thereforeitisimportanttoselectfortheperfectlyfusedtetraploidembryos20-60minafterapplicationofthepulse.Itissafesttotransferthetetraploidsintoanewculturedishornewmicrodrop.Underoptimalconditionstherateofunfusedandlysedembryosdoesnotexceed5%.Thetetraploidembryosareculturedovernight.Majorityofthemformthe2-cellstage.Bynoonofthenextdaymostofthemhavecleavedoncemoreandreachedthe4-cellstage.Thisstageisequivalenttothediploid8-cellstageandshouldbeusedforaggregationwithES-cells,tetraploidembryosstartcompactingatthisstage.Someembryosarestillatthe2-cellstagethenextstage,theyaredelayed.Dependingonthetotalnumberof4-cellstageembryosandnumberofrecipients,2-cellstagemightstillbeusedforaggregationsbutwithlimitedsuccess.


Thefollowingafternoon,themajorityofaggregatesshouldhaveformedblastocysts.Atthistimetheyshouldbetransferredintotheuterus
of2.5dpcpseudopregnantfemales.Wetransferamaximumof8-10embryosintoeachuterinehornofapseudopregnantrecipient.MatureCD-1femalesareusedaspseudopregnantfostermothersandorderedataweightof30+g.Intheeventofarecipientshortage,itispossible:
DissolvetribromethanolinTert-amylalcohol,thenaddto200mldistilledwater.Placeonamagneticstirreruntilsolutionisinonephase.Storeinbrownbottleandkeeprefrigerateduntiluse.Shouldbewarmedandshakenbeforeuse.Dosageis0.2ml/10gbodyweight.
Theembryotransferprocedureisdescribedindetailsinmanypublications,suchasthefollowing:1.Hogan,B.,F.Constantini,E.Lacy.1986.ManipulatingtheMouseEmbryo.ColdSpringHarbor,NewYork.2.Bradley,A.1987.ProductionandanalysisofchimericmiceinTeratocarcinomasandEmbryonicStemcells:aPracticalApproach(ed.E.J.Robertson)IRLPress,Oxford,Washington,D.C.3.Pappaioannou,V.,R.Johnson.1993.ProductionofchimerasandgeneticallydefinedoffspringfromtargetedEScells.InGeneTargeting:APracticalApproach(ed.A.Joyner)IRLPressatOxfordUniversityPress4.StewartC.L.1993.ProductionofChimerasbetweenEmbryonicStemCellsandEmbryos.inMethodsinEnzymology.vol.225.AcademicPressInc.