Mouse In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can be used to rapidly expand mouse lines from a few males that carry the desired genotype or to maintain strains with poor breeding efficiency. However, the success of IVF is dependent on the number of motile sperm that can be retrieved. This is often unknown until after the male mouse is euthanized, the sperm collected from cauda epididymides, and the sperm number and motility assessed under the microscope. If an insufficient number of sperm and/or immotile sperm are found, the investigators will be informed on the day of the procedure and, if IVF is cancelled, the investigator will be charged for the time for sperm extraction.

The investigator will provide five to ten donor females for IVF which will be superovulated by the CMGM. The oocytes are incubated with the fresh (or frozen) sperm and cultured overnight. Any resulting two-cell embryos will be transferred the next day into 0.5dpc pseudopregnant recipients. Housing for mice is provided until weaning. At that time the mice are transferred to the investigator.

Investigator needs to provide a protocol for frozen sperm from the institution where the frozen sperm originated.

Investigators who are interested in IVF should fill out an In Vitro Fertilization Request Form.