Establishment of an Embryo Implantation Model In Vitro

Embryo implantation is the first step in the establishment of a successful pregnancy. An in vitro model for embryo implantation is critical for basic biological research, drug development, and screening. This paper presents a simple, rapid, and highly efficient in vitro model for embryo implantation. In this protocol, we first introduce mouse blastocyst acquisition and human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells (Ishikawa) preparation for implantation, followed by the co-culture method for mouse embryos and Ishikawa cells. Finally, we conducted a study to assess the impact of varying concentrations of 17-β-estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P4) on embryo adhesion rates based on this model. Our findings revealed that high concentrations of E₂ significantly reduced embryo adhesion, whereas the addition of progesterone could restore the adhesion rate. This model offers a simple and fast platform for evaluating and screening molecules involved in the adhesion process, such as cytokines, drugs, and transcription factors controlling implantation and endometrial receptivity.