title: In vitro and in vivo viability of vitrified and non-vitrified embryos derived from eCG and FSH treatment in rabbit does.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo viability of vitrified and non-vitrified embryos derived from eCG and FSH treatments in rabbit does. Ninety-six nulliparous does were randomly subjected to consecutive superovulation treatments with eCG (20 IU/kg body weight intramuscularly (i.m.), eCG group), FSH (3 x 0.6 mg/doe at 24 h intervals i.m., FSH group), or without superovulation treatment (control group). Does were artificially inseminated 3 days later and ovulation was induced immediately by hCG (75 IU/doe intravenous). Seven experimental groups were differentiated: first FSH and eCG treatment, second FSH and eCG treatment, eCG-interchanged group (does with previous FSH treatment), FSH-interchanged group (does with previous eCG treatments) and control group. Embryos were collected in vivo by laparoscopy 76-80 h post-insemination in the first and second recovery cycles and post mortem in the third recovery cycles. The ovulation rate was significantly higher in does treated with the first-FSH than in those treated with eCG or in control does (25.2+/-2.0 versus 19.2+/-1.4 to 11.0+/-1.5, and 12.2+/-1.2, first-FSH, first-eCG to second-eCG and control groups, respectively, P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in the total recovery influenced by ovulation rate in each group (20.3+/-2.2 to 9.4+/-1.2, first-FSH to control groups). Embryo donor rate (donor with at least one normal embryo) was similar among groups with an overall of 75.1%. The number of normal embryos recovered per doe with at least one normal embryo increased significantly in relation to ovulation rate (17.7+/-2.2 to 8.41+/-3, first-FSH and control groups). The vitrification of embryos negatively affected their in vitro development to hatched blastocyst in all groups (88.1% versus 48%, P > 0.05). However, after embryo transfer, this negative effect was only observed in superovulated vitrified embryos (16.8 and 12.8% versus 39.4% total born rate from eCG, FSH and control vitrified groups, P < 0.05). Results indicated that the primary treatments with eCG or FSH increased the number of normal embryos recovered per donor doe, but these embryos are more sensitive to vitrification protocols.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biotecnología de la Reproducción, Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera 14, 46071 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Gamal Mohamed Kamel
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mehaisen
authors.forename: María Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Viudes-de-Castro
authors.forename: José Salvador
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lavara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits / Q000196:embryology*; D013480:Superovulation; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone