title: Ovum pick-up and in vitro embryo production (OPU-IVEP) in Mediterranean Italian buffalo performed in different seasons.
abstract: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of season on in vivo oocyte recovery and embryo production in Mediterranean Italian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). For this purpose repeated transvaginal ultrasound-guided ovum pick up (OPU) was conducted twice a week throughout autumn, mid-winter (transitional period) and spring-summer. The number and size of follicles was determined before puncture. The recovered oocytes were first classified in morphological categories and then used for in vitro embryo production (IVEP) according to standard procedures. The mean number of total follicles observed per session did not differ among the three periods we examined (on average 4.6). Although season did not considerably affect the number of oocytes recovered (on average 2.3/buffalo/session), the number of degenerated and abnormally expanded oocytes increased during autumn. Furthermore, the percentage of abnormally expanded oocytes significantly increased during autumn (6.1%) compared with both the transitional period and spring-summer (1.9 and 2.3%, respectively). Interestingly, the embryo output we recorded at day 7, in terms of tight morulae-blastocysts was higher in autumn (30.9%) compared to the other two periods (13.3% and 10.3%, respectively, in spring-summer and in the transitional period; P<0.01). The results of this trial demonstrated that the morphological features of the oocytes did not vary substantially among the considered periods, with the exception of degenerated and abnormally expanded oocytes. On the other hand, the oocyte developmental competence improved in autumn compared to spring-summer and the transitional period. This datum reflects buffalo reproductive pattern expressed in vivo at Italian latitudes.
authors.affiliation: DISCIZIA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federico II University, via F. Delpino, 1, 80147, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Francesco
authors.forename: Maria Virginia Suarez
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Novoa
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Neglia
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boccia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campanile
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zicarelli
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gasparrini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000662:veterinary; D010063:Ovum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012621:Seasons; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014463:Ultrasonography