Nuclear Transplantation in the Mouse Embryo by Microsurgery and Cell Fusion

Nuclear transplantation in the mouse embryo was achieved by using a method that combines microsurgical removal of the zygote pronuclei with the introduction of a donor nucleus by a virus-mediated cell fusion technique. Survival of embryos was greater than 90 percent in tests of this procedure. The embryos developed to term at a frequency not significantly different from that of nonmanipulated control embryos. Because nuclei and cytoplasm from genetically distinct inbred mouse strains can be efficiently interchanged, this procedure may be useful in characterizing possible cytoplasmic contributions to the embryonic and adult phenotype.