• We have invented a unique method to non-invasively evaluate the quality of individual mammalian embryos based on oxygen consumption. A Pt microelectrode was scanned near the single embryo sample to obtain oxygen concentration profile. Respiration activity of single embryo was estimated based on spherical diffusion theory. Further, it was found that the respiration activities of individual embryos corresponded the developmental potential of the embryos. Independently, we have developed a procedure of mRNA quantification from single-cell based on SPM featuring multi-functional probes. Next, we are going to combine the two methods mentioned above for quality control of mammalian embryos and embryonic stem cells.

Our methods will be applied for assisted reprodictive technoloy (ART), pancreatic islet transplantation, or animal breeding.

• electrochemistry
• scanning probe microscopy
• single cell analysis
• three dimensional culture
• embryo