Pregnancy resulting from cattle oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro.
Follicular oocytes (n = 81) collected from cattle at a local slaughterhouse were matured and fertilized in vitro. Of 27 ova 19 (70%) were penetrated by spermatozoa and 40/54 (74%) inseminated ova transferred surgically to the oviducts of a synchronized heifer were recovered by non-surgical flushing of the uterine horns 6 days later. Of the 40 ova 15 (38%) were at the morula, early blastocyst or diminutive morula stages. Culture in vitro sustained further development of all embryos and 9 were expanding or expanded blastocysts. One pregnancy resulted from non-surgical transfer of 2 blastocysts. The results demonstrate that immature oocytes from cattle can be matured and fertilized in vitro, subsequently develop to the blastocyst stage, and develop into a normal pregnancy after non-surgical transfer.
Department of Animal Reproduction, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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Xu
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Greve
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Callesen
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Hyttel
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal