Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

Journal of Reproduction & Infertility

The Effect of Macromolecule Source and Type of Media During in vitro Maturation of Sheep Oocytes on Subsequent Embryo Development

Authors
1 Department of Embryology and Andrology, Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Gametes and Cloning, Research Institute of Animal Embryo Technology, Shahrekord Un
2 Department of Gametes and Cloning, Research Institute of Animal Embryo Technology, Shahrekord University, Shahr-e-Kord, Iran
3 Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ahvaz University, Ahvaz, Iran
4 Department of Embryology and Andrology, Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Oocyte maturation and subsequent in vitro production (IVP) of embryos are affected by diverse groups of chemicals in maturation medium which are needed for successful mammalian oocyte maturation during which the dramatic cytoplasmic and nuclear reprogramming events take place. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of protein source (fetal bovine serum, FBS, and bovine serum albumin, BSA) as well as two different maturation media during in vitro maturation of ovine oocytes on subsequent embryo development. Methods: Cumulus oocyte complexes were recovered from ovaries obtained from slaughter house and cultured for 24 hr in either TCM-199 or SOFaa maturation medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) FBS or 0.8% (w/v) BSA. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using Sigma Stat (Ver. 2). A p-value smaller than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The proportions of cleavage and total blastocyst (evaluated on days 3 and 6, respectively) were significantly higher in FBS than BSA supplemented groups, though no differences were observed between the two used different maturation media. The cryotolerance of blastocysts was negatively influenced by the presence of FBS rather than BSA during IVM. The quality of produced embryos, however, was affected neither by the source of macromolecules nor the maturation medium in terms of hatching rate, total blastocyst cells and inner cell mass/total cell ratio. Conclusion: The rate of oocyte development was improved by the presence of FBS, though the cryosurvival of resulting blastocysts was negatively influenced by the presence of the serum during in vitro production of sheep oocytes.
Keywords

  1. Moor RM, Mattioli M, Ding J, Nagai T. Maturation of pig oocytes in vivo and in vitro. J Reprod Fertil Suppl. 1990;40:197-210.
  2. Rose TA, Bavister BD. Effect of oocyte maturation medium on in vitro development of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos. Mol Reprod Dev. 1992;31(1): 72-7.
  3. Ali A, Sirard MA. Effect of the absence or presence of various protein supplements on further development of bovine oocytes during in vitro maturation. Biol Reprod. 2002;66(4):901-5.
  4. Motlík J, Fulka J. Factors affecting meiotic competence in pig oocytes. Theriogenology. 1986;25(1): 87-96.
  5. Thibault C, Szöllösi D, Gérard M. Mammalian oocyte maturation. Reprod Nutr Dev. 1987;27(5): 865-96.
  6. Sagirkaya H, Misirlioglu M, Kaya A, First NL, Parrish JJ, Memili E. Developmental potential of bovine oocytes cultured in different maturation and culture conditions. Anim Reprod Sci. 2007;101(3-4):225-40.
  7. Natsuyama S, Noda Y, Narimoto K, Mori T. Role of protein supplements in the culture of mouse embryos. Theriogenology. 1993;40(1):149-57.
  8. Lonergan P, Carolan C, Mermillod P. Development of bovine embryos in vitro following oocyte maturation under defined conditions. Reprod Nutr Dev. 1994;34(4):329-39.
  9. Korhonen K, Kananen K, Ketoja E, Matomäki J, Halmekytö M, Peippo J. Effects of serum-free in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes on subsequent embryo development and cell allocation in two developmental stages of day 7 blastocysts. Reprod Domest Anim. 2010;45(1):42-9.
  10. Gómez E, Rodríguez A, Muñoz M, Caamaño JN, Hidalgo CO, Morán E, et al. Serum free embryo culture medium improves in vitro survival of bovine blastocysts to vitrification. Theriogenology. 2008;69(8):1013-21.
  11. Leibfried-Rutledge ML, Critser ES, First NL. Effects of fetal calf serum and bovine serum albumin on in vitro maturation and fertilization of bovine and hamster cumulus-oocyte complexes. Biol Reprod. 1986;35(4):850-7.
  12. Holm P, Booth PJ, Callesen H. Kinetics of early in vitro development of bovine in vivo- and in vitro-derived zygotes produced and/or cultured in chemically defined or serum-containing media. Reproduction. 2002;123(4):553-65.
  13. Yoshioka K, Othman AM, Taniguchi T, Yamanaka H, Sekikawa K. Differential patterns of blastulation in bovine morulae cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid medium containing FCS or BSA. Theriogen-ology. 1997;48(6):997-1006.
  14. Herrick JR, Behboodi E, Memili E, Blash S, Echelard Y, Krisher RL. Effect of macromolecule supplementation during in vitro maturation of goat oocytes on developmental potential. Mol Reprod Dev. 2004;69(3):338-46.
  15. Gil L, Saura S, Echegaray A, Martinez F, de Blas I, Akourki A, et al. Effect of the in vitro maturation medium on equine oocytes: comparison of follicular fluid and oestrous mare serum. Acta Vet Hung. 2005;53(2):241-8.
  16. Mingoti GZ, Castro VS, Méo SC, Sá Barretto LS, Garcia JM. The effects of macromolecular and serum supplements and oxygen tension during bovine in vitro procedures on kinetics of oocyte maturation and embryo development. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2011;47(5-6):361-7.
  17. Marco-Jiménez F, Vicente JS, Viudes-de-Castro M P. Effect of lanosterol on the in vitro maturation in semi-defined culture system of prepubertal ewe oocytes. Zygote. 2011:1-8.
  18. Bavister BD. Culture of preimplantation embryos: facts and artifacts. Hum Reprod Update. 1995;1(2): 91-148.
  19. Tervit HR, Whittingham DG, Rowson LE. Successful culture in vitro of sheep and cattle ova. J Reprod Fertil. 1972;30(3):493-7.
  20. Shirazi A, Soleimani M, Karimi M, Nazari H, Ahmadi E, Heidari B. Vitrification of in vitro produced ovine embryos at various developmental stages using two methods. Cryobiology. 2010;60 (2):204-10.
  21. Willis P, Caudle AB, Fayrer-Hosken RA. Equine oocyte in vitro maturation: influences of sera, time, and hormones. Mol Reprod Dev. 1991;30(4):360-8.
  22. Saeki K, Hoshi M, Leibfried-Rutledge ML, First NL. In vitro fertilization and development of bovine oocytes matured in serum-free medium. Biol Reprod. 1991;44(2):256-60.
  23. Zheng YS, Sirard MA. The effect of sera, bovine serum albumin and follicular cells on in vitro maturation and fertilization of porcine oocytes. Theriogenology. 1992;37(4):779-90.
  24. Shirazi A, Shams-Esfandabadi N, Ahmadi E, Heidari B. Effects of growth hormone on nuclear maturation of ovine oocytes and subsequent embryo development. Reprod Domest Anim. 2010;45(3): 530-6.
  25. Calder MD, Caveney AN, Sirard MA, Watson AJ. Effect of serum and cumulus cell expansion on marker gene transcripts in bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes during maturation in vitro. Fertil Steril. 2005;83 Suppl 1:1077-85.
  26. Ikeda S, Imai H, Yamada M. Apoptosis in cumulus cells during in vitro maturation of bovine cumulusenclosed oocytes. Reproduction. 2003;125(3):369-76.
  27. McKiernan SH, Bavister BD. Different lots of bovine serum albumin inhibit or stimulate in vitro development of hamster embryos. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol. 1992;28A(3 Pt 1):154-6.
  28. Pinyopummintr T, Bavister BD. In vitro-matured/ in vitro-fertilized bovine oocytes can develop into morulae/blastocysts in chemically defined, proteinfree culture media. Biol Reprod. 1991;45(5):736-42.
  29. Schroeder AC, Schultz RM, Kopf GS, Taylor FR, Becker RB, Eppig JJ. Fetuin inhibits zona pellucida hardening and conversion of ZP2 to ZP2f during spontaneous mouse oocyte maturation in vitro in the absence of serum. Biol Reprod. 1990; 43(5):891-7.
  30. Wrenzycki C, Herrmann D, Keskintepe L, Martins A Jr, Sirisathien S, Brackett B, et al. Effects of culture system and protein supplementation on mRNA expression in pre-implantation bovine embryos. Hum Reprod. 2001;16(5):893-901.
  31. Niemann H, Wrenzycki C. Alterations of expression of developmentally important genes in preim-plantation bovine embryos by in vitro culture conditions: implications for subsequent development. Theriogenology. 2000;53(1):21-34.
  32. Abe H, Yamashita S, Satoh T, Hoshi H. Accumulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets in bovine embryos and cryotolerance of embryos developed in different culture systems using serum-free or serum containing media. Mol Reprod Dev. 2002;61(1): 57-66.