Mouse in vitro fertilization using sperm treated with pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine.

If sperm were treated by both pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine before insemination of postovulatory mouse oocytes, two-cell embryo formation was found to be reduced even if both agents were eluted from the sperm before insemination. If these agents were not washed out before insemination, an adverse effect on early embryonic development was noted, that is, the numbers of two-cell embryos reaching the blastocyst stage and the numbers of blastocysts able to form the egg cylinder were found to be reduced. However, egg-cylinder formation was also found to be reduced when both compounds were washed out before insemination.