title: Growth hormone and in vitro maturation of rhesus macaque oocytes and subsequent embryo development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to use a nonhuman primate model to examine the effects of growth hormone (GH) on oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunocytochemistry confirmed the presence of GH receptors in rhesus cumulus oocyte complexes and the cytoplasm of embryonic blastomeres. Recombinant human GH (r-hGH) was added to IVM medium and cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation, cytoplasmic maturation and embryo development were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cumulus expansion was highest in the presence of 1 and 10 ng/ml r-hGH. The addition of r-hGH during IVM increased the percentage of embryos progressing to at least the 9-16 cell stage. In a separate study, 100 ng/ml r-hGH was supplemented to IVM and embryo culture medium and no effect was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of GH receptors along with increased cumulus expansion and embryos progressing to the 9-16 cell stage supports the hypothesis that r-hGH may be involved in oocyte maturation.
authors.affiliation: California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Roads 98 and Hutchison, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Jenna K Nyholt
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: de Prada
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: VandeVoort
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D023421:Models, Animal; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone