Claims
- 1. A method for evaluating a biological characteristic in an in vitro fertilized embryo, comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining a media specimen from an in vitro culture containing the embryo; (b) measuring a concentration of one or more bioactive lipids in the media specimen; and (c) correlating the concentration to a biological characteristic in the embryo.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the biological characteristic is the likelihood that an in vitro fertilized embryo will develop to term.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biological characteristic is the likelihood that an in vitro fertilized embryo will implant upon transfer into a uterus.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the biological characteristic is the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the correlating step is comprised of developing a profile of bioactive lipids and determining the biological characteristic from the profile.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bioactive lipid is selected from the group consisting of lysophospholipids, glycerophosphatidyl compounds, sphingolipids, and combinations thereof.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the bioactive lipid is at least one lysophospholipid with the general structure:
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, choline, inositol, ethanolamine, glycerol, and serine
- 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the bioactive lipid is at least one lysophospholipid with the general structure:
- 10. The method of claim 14 wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, choline, inositol, ethanolamine, glycerol, and serine.
- 11. The method of claim 6 wherein the bioactive lipid is at least one glycerophosphitidyl compound selected from the group consisting of: glycerol-3-phosphate, glycerophosphitidyl inositol, glycerophosphitidyl choline, glycerophosphitidyl serine, glycerophosphitidyl glycerol, glycerophosphitidyl ethanolamine, and combinations thereof.
- 12. The method of claim 6 wherein the bioactive lipid is at least one sphingolipid selected from the group consisting of: sphingosine-1-phosphate, sphinganine-1-phosphate, sphingomyelin, and combinations thereof.
- 13. The method of claim 6 wherein the bioactive lipid is at least one sphingolipid with the general formula:
- 14. The method of claim 13 wherein S1 a 15:1 alkenyl chain, and R is choline.
- 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the in vitro fertilized embryo is cocultured on a feeder cell line.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the feeder cell line is of human origin.
- 17. The method of claim 15 wherein the feeder cell line is obtained from a patient who is to be the recipient of the in vitro fertilized embryo.
- 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the feeder cell line is an endometrial epithelial cell line.
- 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the media specimen is obtained from an in vitro culture whose embryo is between approximately one hour and approximately twenty days old.
- 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the embryo is between approximately one day and approximately ten days old.
- 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the embryo is approximately 2 days old.
- 22. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring a concentration of one or more bioactive lipids is accomplished by mass spectroscopy.
- 23. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring a concentration of one or more bioactive lipids is accomplished by an enzymatic chemical reaction.
- 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the enzymatic chemical reaction is a cycling reaction.
- 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the enzymatic chemical reaction comprises the use of at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of lysophospholipase, a glycerophosphatidyl compound phosphodiesterase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase.
- 26. The method of claim 23 wherein the enzymatic chemical reaction comprises:
i) converting lysophospholipids in the specimen into glycero-3-phosphate by incubating with lysophospholipase and a glycerophosphatidyl compound phosphodiesterase; and ii) determining the total concentration of G3P using an enzymatic cycling reaction.
RELATED INFORMATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/837,308 filed on Apr. 17, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,135. The priority of these applications are expressly claimed, and the disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09837308 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
Child |
10309445 |
Dec 2002 |
US |