Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Progress achieved in culture media formulations have resulted led to an improvement in maintaining the mammalian embryo in culture throughout the preimplantation and pre-attachment period. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of myo-inositol during in vitro fertilization of bovine oocytes on subsequent embryo development. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Bovine cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) were matured in vitro at 39(o)C, in humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere for 22-24 h. The COCs were co-incubated with epididymal spermatozoa of post mortem bulls in modified TALP medium for 22-24hr. The fertilization medium used was: 1) TALP medium without myo-inositol (control); 2) control+0.02 g/l myo-inositol; 3) control+0.03 g/l myo-inositol; 4) control+0.04 g/l myo-inositol. Zygotes were cultured in vitro for 8 days when the ratios of in vitro embryo development of the hatched blastocysts were assessed and compared with the control group (p<0.05). RESULTS:The presence of 0.04 g/l myo-inpsitol significantly improved overall morula and blastocyst rates (46.94%) compared to control (32.19%), but there was no difference in the percentage of embryos successfully developed to the morula and blastocyst stage when different levels of myo-inositol were used (46.94, 36.36 and 37.33% respectively). The mean percentage of cleavage rate was not significantly affected by treatments. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that, addition of 0.04 g/l myo-inositol in TALP medium is more beneficial for subsequent bovine embryonic development.

BACKGROUND:Improvements in culture media formulations have led to an increase in the ability of sheep embryo in culture throughout the preimplantation period. OBJECTIVE:This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of various concentrations of MEM vitamins during in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes and subsequent embryo development. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Sheep ovaries were collected from a slaughterhouse and transported to the laboratory. Oocytes were matured in SOF medium supplemented with, eCG, hCG and EGF in various concentrations of MEM vitamins (control, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 ) for 24h. The cumulus oocyte compelex (COCs) were co-incubated with epididymal spermatozoa of post mortem rams in synthetic oviduct fluid fertilization (SOFF) medium with 10% heat inactivated estrous sheep serum for 18h. Embryos were cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid culture 1 (SOFC1) medium for 48h followed by cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid culture 2 (SOFC2) medium for six days. RESULTS:Addition of 0.5 and 1   MEM vitamins significantly increased (P< 0.05) overall blastocyst development (21.62% and 22.33%; respectively) compared with 1.5 MEM vitamins (15.59%), but there was no difference between control, 0.5 and 1 MEM vitamins in the percentage of embryos successfully developing to the blastocyst stage (19.50%, 21.62% and 22.33% respectively). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:It seems that addition of 1.5  of MEM vitamins has detrimental effect on blastocyst rate.