title: In vitro culture of bovine IVM-IVF embryos: Cooperative interaction among embryos and the role of growth factors.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a cooperative interaction among bovine embryos during in vitro culture. Furthermore, culture medium was supplemented with the growth factors, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), to determine if these factors had a stimulatory effect on bovine embryo development similar to that seen in mouse development. In vitro matured - in vitro fertilized bovine embryos (2- to 8-cell) were cultured singly and in groups of five in 25 mul of medium (CR1 + amino acids + fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin) with or without EGF and TGF-beta1. Bovine embryos cultured in groups had a significantly higher rate of development to the blastocyst stage than embryos cultured singly. Neither EGF (10 ng/ml) nor TGF-beta1 (2 ng/ml) affected blastocyst development, hatching or the cell number of the embryos cultured in groups. Epidermal growth factor stimulated hatching of embryos cultured singly from the 8-cell stage, but did not significantly affect blastocyst development.
authors.affiliation: ABS Specialty Genetics American Breeders Service 6908 River Road DeForest, WI 53532-0459 USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keefer
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stice
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paprocki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Golueke