title: Developmental potential of porcine nuclear transfer embryos derived from transgenic fetal fibroblasts infected with the gene for the green fluorescent protein: comparison of different fusion/activation conditions.
abstract: The in vitro developmental potential of porcine nuclear transfer (NT) embryos was evaluated. Oocytes were matured for 42-44 h, and metaphase II-oocytes were enucleated. Fetal fibroblasts infected with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene were serum-starved for 3-5 days. A single cell was injected into the perivitelline space of the enucleated oocytes. The reconstructed oocytes were allocated to different fusion and activation conditions. In experiment 1, two different fusion/activation conditions were compared: two pulses of 1.2 kV/cm for 30 microsec (group A), or one pulse of 1.6 kV/cm for 30 microsec followed in 30 min by one pulse of 1.2 kV/cm for 30 microsec (group B). Parthenogenetic controls were created by using the group A parameter. The fusion rate in group A (mean +/- SEM, 68.4% +/- 3.9%) was higher (P < 0.05) than in group B (59.4% +/- 2.3%). The rates of cleavage (50.1% +/- 4.6% to 62.8% +/- 5.5%) were not different among control and treatment groups. However, the rate of parthenogenetic control embryos developing to the blastocyst stage (18.1% +/- 3.1%) was higher (P < 0.05) than the rate of NT embryos (5.9% +/- 1.7% and 4.9% +/- 2.5%). In experiment 2, we compared two pulses of 1.2 kV/cm (group C) versus two pulses of 1.3 kV/cm (group D). For two control groups, the same pulses as those given to group C or D, respectively, were supplied. The fusion rate in group D (70.6% +/- 4.2%) was higher (P < 0.05) than in group C (58.9% +/- 2.7%). The cleavage rates were not different among control and treatment groups (58.1% +/- 8.1% to 73.6% +/- 6.0%). However, the rate of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage in group D (3.5% +/- 1.7%) was lower (P < 0.05) than in controls and group C (11.4% +/- 2.0% to 16.4% +/- 1.1%). In experiment 3, we examined whether the presence of cytochalasin B (CB) during donor cell injection affects the development of NT embryos. The fusion rate of oocytes in the group with CB (78.4% +/- 1.4%) was higher (P < 0.05) than in the group without CB (70.9% +/- 0.2%). The cleavage rate of the control group (85.5% +/- 4.9%) was higher (P < 0.05) than those of the treatment groups (61.6% +/- 2.7% and 63.9% +/- 4.3%). However, the rates of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage (8.1% +/- 2.5% to 19.1% +/- 6.0%) and the mean cell number of blastocysts (29.4 +/- 5.2 to 45.7 +/- 6.4) were not different among control and treatment groups. Green fluorescence was observed at all stages in NT embryos. These results indicate that two pulses of 1.2 kV/cm are enough for fusion/activation of NT embryos to develop to the blastocyst stage, and that the presence of CB during donor cell injection is not necessary for early development of NT embryos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Q Y
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Prather
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003571:Cytochalasin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015870:Gene Expression; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010312:Parthenogenesis; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine / Q000196:embryology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D003571:Cytochalasin B