title: Handling and culture of bovine embryos: survey of media used by 26 embryo transfer companies in the USA.
abstract: Embryo transfer has evolved from a few highly centralized clinics to a widespread number of clinics offering both clinic and on-the-farm services. Practitioners in the field have made very few changes in the handling and culture of embryos. A short review of general handling techniques, plus a survey of media used by 26 companies in the USA, is presented here. Currently, phosphate-bufferend saline (PBS) plus two other commercially available media (EMCARE and ViGro) are used by these companies. Fourteen different combinations of these products were reported and only 11 of the 26 consistently used the same medium for flushing, culture and freezing.
authors.affiliation: Nelson Reproductive Services, Versailles, KY 40383, USA.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D003470:Culture Media