Claims
- 1. A mammalian cell culture medium comprising nutrients conducive to the growth of mammalian cells in vitro, and an effective amount of a nitric oxide inhibitor.
- 2. A mammalian cell culture medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said nitric oxide inhibitor comprises hemoglobin.
- 3. A mammalian cell culture medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said nitric oxide inhibitor comprises free hemoglobin.
- 4. A mammalian cell culture medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said medium additionally comprises mammalian cells that promote the maintenance, growth, or development of a mammalian oocyte or embryo.
- 5. A mammalian cell culture as recited in claim 4, wherein said cells comprise cumulus-granulosa cells.
- 6. A mammalian cell culture medium as recited in claim 4, wherein said nitric oxide inhibitor comprises hemoglobin.
- 7. A mammalian cell culture medium as recited in claim 4, wherein said nitric oxide inhibitor comprises free hemoglobin.
- 8. A method for promoting the growth and development of a mammalian cell or cells, comprising growing the cell or cells in a culture medium comprising nutrients conducive to the growth of mammalian cells in vitro, and an effective amount of a nitric oxide inhibitor.
- 9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the nitric oxide inhibitor comprises hemoglobin.
- 10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the nitric oxide inhibitor comprises free hemoglobin.
- 11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the cell or cells comprise a mammalian oocyte or embryo, and wherein the medium additionally comprises helper cells that promote the maintenance, growth, or development of a mammalian oocyte or embryo.
- 12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the helper cells comprise cumulus-granulosa cells.
- 13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the nitric oxide inhibitor comprises hemoglobin.
- 14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the nitric oxide inhibitor comprises free hemoglobin.
- 15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the cell or cells comprise a bovine oocyte or embryo.
- 16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the cell or cells comprise a human oocyte or embryo.
- 17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the cell or cells comprise a human embryo; additionally comprising the step of implanting the embryo into a woman's uterus following said growing in the culture medium; wherein the nitric oxide inhibitor comprises free hemoglobin derived from the woman's own erythrocytes.
- 18. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the cell or cells are selected from the group consisting of mammalian epithelial cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, cumulus cells, and endometrial cells.
Government Interests
[0001] The development of this invention was partially supported by a HATCH grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60155236 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09335244 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09862576 |
May 2001 |
US |