title: Selection of in vitro-matured porcine oocytes based on localization patterns of lipid droplets to evaluate developmental competence.
abstract: Localization patterns of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of porcine oocytes were evaluated as a novel marker for in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes with high developmental competence. Porcine oocytes were cultured in TCM-199, which is a complete synthetic medium, for 44 h at 38.5 C. Localization patterns were divided into 2 classes: lipid droplets localized uniformly in the whole cytoplasm (class I) and those that were centrally located (class II). After IVM in TCM-199, 60% of matured oocytes exhibited the class II pattern. To investigate the relation between the distribution of lipid droplets and the developmental rate of the oocyte, the developmental rates of class I and class II oocytes were compared after in vitro fertilization (IVF). Class II oocytes showed a significantly higher rate of blastocyst development than class I oocytes. These results suggest that porcine oocytes with high developmental competence can be selected based on the localization patterns of lipid droplets.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 981-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiraga
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanemura
authors.forename: Eimei
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary*; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000662:veterinary; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*