细胞生长因子微环境与早期胚胎发育

Microenvironment of cell growth factors and early embryonic development

BACKGROUND: Early mammalian embryonic development and implantation is a very complex process, which is regulated by a variety of cytokines. Moreover, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, insulin-like growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor play an important role in this regulation process.OBJECTIVE: To introduce cytokines related to early embryonic development, including types, structural features and molecular mechanisms, and meanwhile to review the effects of epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, insulin-like growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in the early embryonic development. METHODS: A literature retrieval was performed to search relevant articles published from 1989 to 2015 using the keywords of “embryos development, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, insulin-like growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor”. Active effects of these five kinds of cytokines in overcoming the mammalian embryonic development block were reviewed and summarized to provide theoretical and experimental basis for further optimization of the embryonic culture system in vitro.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Cell growth factors involved in embryonic development is the focus of the study. Insulin-like growth factor is capable of promoting the embryonic growth; epidermal growth factor exhibits multiform functions in the embryonic development; leukemia inhibitory factor directly affects oocyte cell development, and progesterone increases the expression of leukemia inhibitory factor to provide a good cytokine microenvironment for embryonic development; vascular endothelial growth factor promotes in vitro oocyte maturation, and plays a very important role in various stages of embryonic development. To clarify these regulatory patterns of cytokines cannot only contribute to in vitro embryonic culture, but also reduce embryonic apoptosis, which is of great significance for promoting embryonic development.