title: [Use of a protein-free medium for the in vitro development of sheep embryos].
abstract: The employment of protein-free medium for the culture of ovine embryos collected at the 1-2 cell stage from superovulated ewes was investigated. For this purpose sheep zygotes were randomly allocated in four treatment groups: T1) CZB medium + bovine serum albumin (BSA) on sheep oviductal monolayer (SOM), T2) CZB + polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) + SOM, T3) CZB + PVA + SOM supplemented with inositol (I) and serine (S), T4) TCM 199 + 10% fetal calf serum + SOM. Standard culture conditions were 2 ml of medium in 35 mm Petri dishes, under 5% CO2 in air at 39 degrees C. The percentages of morulae and blastocysts were recorded after 4 and 7 days of culture. After 4 days of culture there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the percentage of morulae between embryos cultured in T1 (86%), T2 (85%), T3 (88.8%), and T4 (87.5%). After 7 days the percentages of blastocysts were T1 (70%), T2 (50%), T3 (55.5%) and T4 (46.8%). These data suggest that a protein-free medium, CZB + PVA and CZB + PVA + I + S, can support ovine preimplantation embryo development in vitro; however CZB medium supplemented with BSA enhances development to blastocyst.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisiologia Veterinaria, Università di Sassari.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Branca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cappai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dattena
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naitana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free
vernacular_title: Impiego di un medium privo di proteine per lo sviluppo in vitro di embrioni di ovino.