On 4 Dec 1994, Natalie Kim Bjorklund wrote:
> I have seen the same thing in our axolotls when we have attempted to
> chill them and stop development for videp taping so I suspect your
> problem is due to messing up some aspect of their development rather than
> an effect of your operation. We stopped dropping the axolotls below 8
> degrees and the problem vanished.This does mean we need to work faster
> because they do keep developing. I would be very interested in knowing if
> anyone has thoughts on why this occurs.
> Natalie K Bjorklund
>
At the IU Axolotl Colony, we have found that most axolotl spawns will
tolerate down to about 10 degrees C once they have cleaved once or twice
and that they will tolerate well to 1-5 degrees C (for up to 2-3 weeks)
provided that they have reached blastula stage first. We regularly chill
embryos to about 5 degrees for holding or shipping, but we always wait
until at least the blastula stage (usually at least stage 9) before doing so.
Axolotl Newsletter 16, page 3 (1987) has a brief note by Ginsburg,
Twersky, and Cohen giving some specific numbers on survival of embryos
after cold storage.
Susan Duhon
______________________________________________________________
Susan T. Duhon Indiana University Axolotl Colony
Phone 812-855-8260 Jordan Hall 407
Fax 812-855-6705 Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
email duhon at indiana.edu
