title: In vitro production of small ruminant embryos: late improvements and further research.
abstract: Beyond the potential use of in vitro production of embryos (IVP) in breeding schemes, embryos are also required for the establishment of new biotechnologies such as cloning and transgenesis. Additionally, the knowledge of oocyte and embryo physiology acquired through IVP techniques may stimulate the further development of other techniques such as marker assisted and genomic selection of preimplantation embryos, and also benefit assisted procreation in human beings. Efficient in vitro embryo production is currently a major objective for livestock industries, including small ruminants. The heterogeneity of oocytes collected from growing follicles by laparoscopic ovum pick up or in ovaries of slaughtered females, remains an enormous challenge for IVM success, and still limits the rate of embryo development. In addition, the lower quality of the IVP embryos, compared with their in vivo-derived counterparts, translates into poor cryosurvival, which restricts the wider use of this promising technology. Therefore, many studies have been reported in an attempt to determine the most suitable conditions for IVM, IVF, and in vitro development to maximize embryo production rate and quality. This review aims to present the current panorama of IVP production in small ruminants, describing important steps for its success, reporting the recent advances and also the main obstacles identified for its improvement and dissemination.
authors.affiliation: INRA, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France; Faculty of Veterinary, Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction (LFCR), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. Electronic address: joannavet@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joanna Maria Gonçalves
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Souza-Fabjan
authors.affiliation: INRA, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Panneau
authors.affiliation: INRA, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France; Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Réserve de la Haute Touche, Obterre, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duffard
authors.affiliation: INRA, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France; Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Réserve de la Haute Touche, Obterre, France.
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary, Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocyte and Preantral Follicles (LAMOFOPA), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Ricardo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary, Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction (LFCR), State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vicente José de Figueirêdo
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: INRA, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mermillod
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012418:Ruminants / Q000196:embryology*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Embryo; Goat; In vitro embryo production; Oocyte; Sheep