Abstract

The system for directly manipulating mammalian embryos is an advantage not only to revealing the various developmental evidences but also in evaluating the availability of possible techniques for fetal surgery. "Exo utero development in mice" was reported by Muneoka et. al.' and has been one of the most useful techniques in experimental embryology\ including developmental neurobiology3 and prenatal plastic surgery for malformations." We have applied this method to establish experimental animal models with congenital disor-der-s+' and examined the mechanisms of normal and abnormal morphogenesis. In this paper, we would like to introduce the jection system in mice embryos.

Abstract

The genetic engineering of mammalian whole embryos has become one of the most popular and fruitful techniques in modern developmental biology, not only to investigate the normal development and pathogenesis of diseases but also to develop future gene-therapy applications for human genetic diseases. Although the rapid advancement of molecular biological techniques has created a theoretical basis for genetically engineering mammalian embryos, it has become practical only after the establishment of the culture system for mammalian embryos, which normally develop (hidden from the human eye) in the oviduct and the uterus, the improvement of optic instruments, and finally, the development and establishment of microsurgical techniques.