title: Effects of culture duration and time of gonadotropin addition on in vitro maturation and fertilization of red deer (Cervus elaphus) oocytes.
abstract: Immature red deer (Cervus elaphus) oocytes (n = 1208) were collected from 1 to 4 - mm diameter follicles on ovaries and then cultured for 16, 20, 24 or 28 h (Groups I to IV) in TCM 199 supplemented with 10% FCS, 1 x 10(6) granulosa cells/ml and 1 microg/ml estradiol at 39 degrees C under 5% CO(2) in air. Gonadotropins (10 microg/ml, FSH and LH) were added to the culture medium at the start of culture (0 h) or after 6 h. Approximately one-third of the oocytes were examined for maturation, and the remainder were fertilized in vitro with frozen-thawed semen collected from a stag by electroejaculation. In vitro fertilized oocytes (n = 309) from four of the maturation treatment (Groups II and III in both gonadotropin treatments) were cultured for 7 d and examined for cleavage. Oocytes cultured for 16 h (Group I) had lower (P < 0.001) maturation rates (4.7%) than those in the longer culture durations (Groups II to IV: 68.9%). Culture for 20 (Group II) and 24 h (Group III) resulted in higher (P <0.001) fertilization rates than culture for 16 (Group I) and 28 h (Group IV) (18.3, 20.5, 7.1, 7.8%, respectively). The time of gonadotropin addition did not affect maturation or fertilization rates, but its addition at 6 h increased (P < 0.05) the percentage of oocytes cleaving (5.7 vs 12.5%). Oocytes cultured for 20 h (Group II) and with the delayed addition of gonadotropins cleaved most readily (18.2%). No embryos developed beyond eight-cell stage.
authors.affiliation: MAF Technology, Ruakura Agricultural Centre, Private Bag Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Asher
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Tervit