title: A single medium supports development of bovine embryos throughout maturation, fertilization and culture.
abstract: Oocytes and embryos are typically exposed sequentially to varying culture media in standard in-vitro protocols. Expenditures of energy may be required following each medium change to adjust to the changing environment. Therefore, a single base medium was evaluated for its ability to support in-vitro maturation, fertilization and pre-implantation development (IVM/F/C) of bovine oocytes and embryos. Four treatments were examined: a standard maturation [tissue culture medium (TCM) 199 with bovine calf serum (BCS)], fertilization (modified Tyrode's medium with albumin, lactate and pyruvate) and culture (hamster embryo culture medium/TCM with BCS) system (control) and three synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) treatments; maturation in SOF with bovine serum albumin (SOFBSA), SOF with bovine calf serum (SOFBCS) or the control maturation medium (TCM199 with BCS; SOF199), followed by fertilization and culture in SOF medium. The percentage of total inseminated oocytes successfully developing to the morula and blastocyst stage did not differ (P > 0. 05) between treatments (control, 30.5 +/- 3.5; SOFBSA, 24.6 +/- 3.2; SOFBCS, 22.4 +/- 4.7; SOF199, 27.3 +/- 3.2). Embryos cultured in SOFBCS (92.1 +/- 6.4) had significantly higher cell numbers (P < 0. 05) than those cultured in control (74.8 +/- 4.8) and SOFBSA (71.6 +/- 6.6) but not SOF199 (81.2 +/- 6.8). In conclusion, a single medium can be used successfully throughout maturation, fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development. Moreover, inclusion of serum during maturation in the single medium system resulted in significantly greater cell numbers, possibly reflecting increased quality of the embryos produced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Krisher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media