title: Blastocyst production from in vitro-produced day-2 bovine embryos classified by cleavage stage, and cytogenetical evaluation of the resultant day-8 blastocysts.
abstract: The present study was conducted to determine the criteria for selecting good quality embryos on Day-2 post-insemination and at the blastocyst stage. Bovine oocytes were matured, fertilized and cultured in vitro. First, Day-2 embryos were classified based on the number of blastomeres into 2-cell, 3- to 4-cell, 5- to 8-cell and >8-cell stage embryos; chromosome samples were then prepared. In the second experiment, the Day-2 embryos classified according to the number of blastomeres were cultured separately for an additional 6 days (Day 8). The resultant Day-8 blastocysts from each group of Day-2 embryos were classified into the following 3 grades based on morphology and diameter: Grade A, hatched and hatching blastocysts; Grade B, expanded blastocysts; and Grade C, unexpanded blastocysts. Chromosome samples were then prepared. The 5- to 8-cell stage Day-2 embryos had the lowest incidence of chromosomal abnormalities (13.5%, P<0.05) and the highest development rate to blastocysts (59.2%, P<0.05). Furthermore, the blastocysts derived from the 5- to 8-cell stage embryos had the largest mean number of cells (102.8+/-42.4, P<0.05), largest number of metaphases per blastocyst (9.5+/-4.8, P<0.05) and lowest incidence of chromosomal abnormalities (24.6%, P<0.05). The Grade A blastocysts had the largest mean number of cells (136.6+/-33.4, P<0.05), a large number of metaphases per blastocyst (11.9+/-5.5, P<0.05) and a low incidence of severe chromosomal abnormalities (17.3%). The results showed that, at Day 2, the 5- to 8-cell stage embryos were of better quality since they had the lowest incidence of chromosomal abnormalities and the highest blastocyst rate and the resultant blastocysts had the largest number of cells and lowest incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. In particular, selection of Grade A blastocysts can improve the development rate to term.
authors.affiliation: United Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Carlos Manuel
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ulloa Ulloa
authors.forename: Midori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: Chaomulige
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hashi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D013997:Time Factors