A novel single-cell DNA fingerprinting method successfully distinguishes sibling human embryos

Objective: To validate a novel system for embryonic DNA fingerprinting which can reliably distinguish sibling embryos from each other. Design: Prospective, randomized, and blinded study. Setting: Academic center for reproductive medicine. Patient(s): Blastomeres were obtained from discarded and transferred embryos from six patients undergoing IVF treatment. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Single lymphocytes from sibling cell lines and blastomeres from sibling day 3 human embryos were evaluated for accurate assignment of relationship using whole genome amplification and single-nucleotide polymorphism microarrays. Result(s): Assignment of single-cell relationships was accomplished with 100% accuracy. We also observed complete agreement between the molecular karyotype and DNA fingerprint-based identification of embryos implanted in three clinical IVF cases after multiple embryo transfer. Conclusion(s): These data demonstrate the first single-blastomere DNA fingerprinting technology capable of unequivocal discrimination of sibling human embryos. (Fertil Steril(R) 2010;94:477-84. (C) 2010 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)