Full-term development of hamster embryos produced by injection of round spermatids into oocytes.

The golden hamster is a mammal in which microinjection of round spermatids into oocytes (ROSI) was first attempted. However, no live ROSI offspring have ever been obtained in this species. This is the first report of live hamster offspring obtained by round spermatid injection. Over 90% of oocytes, injected with round spermatids, were activated without any additional stimulation. The proportion of the oocytes that were fertilized normally and that developed to morulae and blastocysts was higher when the plasma membranes of the spermatids were broken before injection, as compared with when the membranes were left intact. Five percent of 57 ROSI morulae/blastocysts developed into live offspring after transfer to foster mothers.