Cytogenetics of postimplantation rabbit conceptuses following delayed fertilization.

The chromosome complement and anatomical development of 10-16-day rabbit embryos were studied following delayed fertilization. Preimplantation loss was 40% in the experimental group compared with 17% in control animals. Also, a greater number of embryos retarded in growth or with structural anomalies was seen in the delayed-mated group. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a trisomy for a small metacentric chromosome in 104 control embryos. Only 1 triploid embryo was found in 84 implantation sites from rabbits that had been delayed mated. The incidence of triploidy postimplantation was much less than the 13% found previously in 6-day blastocyts. Increased embryonic loss at the time of or shortly after implantation may be responsible for the discrepancy.