title: Post-hatching development of in vitro bovine embryos from day 7 to 14 in vivo versus in vitro.
abstract: This study evaluates the post-hatching development of in vitro-produced (IVP) embryos until Day 14. On Day 7, IVP embryos were either transferred to recipient uteruses or placed in a post-hatching development (PHD) system. As a control group, in vivo-produced (IVV), Day-7 embryos were also transferred to recipient uteruses. All groups were collected on Day 14 and were morphologically evaluated. Day-7 and Day-14 IVV and IVP embryos were used for quantification of eight genes (PLAC8, CD9, SLC2A1, SLC2A3, KRT8, SOD2, HSP1A1, and IFNT2) by reverse transcriptase qPCR. Day-14 embryos from the PHD system were smaller (2.92 ± 0.45 mm) and had a lower embryonic disk diameter (0.14 ± 0.00 mm) than those produced by IVV (24.18 ± 3.71; 0.29 ± 0.03 mm, respectively) or IVP (19.06 ± 2.43; 0.28 ± 0.01 mm) culture and transferred to the uterus (P > 0.05). Day-7 IVP embryos had a higher expression of the HSP1A1, SCL2A1, and SCL2A3 genes than IVV embryos. When these embryos were cultured in the uterus, no differences in gene expression were observed on Day 14. Conversely, Day-14 IVP embryos cultured in the PHD system showed a higher expression of PLAC8, SOD2, and SLC2A3 genes. It is concluded that Day-7 IVP embryos are different from IVV embryos in regards to gene expression, although exposure to the uterine environment during the elongation period allowed the IVP embryos to overcome this difference. In contrast, IVP embryos cultured in the PHD system were morphologically and molecularly different, being of poorer quality than those cultured in the uterus.
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Genetic Resource and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Brasília, Brazil; School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Brazil.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pivato
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fidelis
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Spricigo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paulini
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lucci
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dode
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014599:Uterus / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger