OBJECTIVES: The aim of our investigation was to compare the efficiencies of the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and the quantitative-fluorescent PCR (QF-PCR) methods for the detection of sexing and numerical chromosome disorders in single blastomeres collected from the same preimplantation human embryos. METHODS: FISH analysis was carried out on 145 blastomeres from the 79 surplus embryos with probes specific for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y. QF-PCR was performed with each one or two of the primers specific for the same chromosomes on 151 blastomeres from the same embryos obtained from patients undergoing IVF treatment. RESULTS: Analyses were possible on 135 blastomeres (93%) by FISH and on 117 blastomeres (77%) by QF-PCR. Of 65 embryos, which could be analyzed by both methods, 20 embryos (31%) were diagnosed as abnormal. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that FISH tests are more accurate than QF-PCR assays for the detection of numerical chromosome disorders when performed on single blastomeres. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of our investigation was to compare the efficiencies of the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and the quantitative-fluorescent PCR (QF-PCR) methods for the detection of sexing and numerical chromosome disorders in single blastomeres collected from the same preimplantation human embryos. METHODS: FISH analysis was carried out on 145 blastomeres from the 79 surplus embryos with probes specific for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y. QF-PCR was performed with each one or two of the primers specific for the same chromosomes on 151 blastomeres from the same embryos obtained from patients undergoing IVF treatment. RESULTS: Analyses were possible on 135 blastomeres (93%) by FISH and on 117 blastomeres (77%) by QF-PCR. Of 65 embryos, which could be analyzed by both methods, 20 embryos (31%) were diagnosed as abnormal. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that FISH tests are more accurate than QF-PCR assays for the detection of numerical chromosome disorders when performed on single blastomeres. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.