Effect of estrus-associated glycoprotein and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 secreted by oviduct cells on in vitro bovine embryo development.
The effect of two glycoproteins (estrus-associated glycoprotein [EGP] and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase [TIMP-1]) secreted by bovine oviduct cells on in vitro bovine embryo development was assessed. A first set of experiments was conducted to determine whether the embryotrophic activity of the bovine oviduct-conditioned medium (BOCM) was correlated with the presence of EGP or TIMP-1. EGP and TIMP-1 were detected in BOCM, supporting the development of 22% zygotes to the blastocyst stage, as well as in BOCM yielding a low blastocyst rate (3-4% blastocysts). These glycoproteins do not seem to be necessary for bovine embryo development up to the blastocyst stage in our BOCM. In a second experiment, zygotes were cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) supplemented with different concentrations (0.5, 5, 50, and 500 micrograms/ml) of purified bovine EGP. In the third experiment, since purified bovine TIMP-1 was not available, zygotes were cultured in BOCM depleted of TIMP-1 by immunoprecipitation treatment. Adding EGP to mSOF, or removing TIMP-1 from BOCM, did not affect bovine embryo development up to the blastocyst stage, or mean number of cells per blastocyst after 8 days of culture. The results indicate that, under our culture conditions, EGP and TIMP-1 do not play an important role in sustaining bovine embryo development, and do not influence blastocyst quality, assessed in terms of total number of cells per embryo.
Vansteenbrugge
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Unité des Sciences Vétérinaires, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Van Langendonckt
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Massip
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Dessy
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F
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; C104698:estrus-associated oviductal protein, Bos taurus