title: Assessment of mouse germinal vesicle stage oocyte quality by evaluating the cumulus layer, zona pellucida, and perivitelline space.
abstract: To improve the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for patients with ovulation problems, it is necessary to retrieve and select germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes with high developmental potential. Oocytes with high developmental potential are characterized by their ability to undergo proper maturation, fertilization, and embryo development. In this study, we analyzed morphological traits of GV stage mouse oocytes, including cumulus cell layer thickness, zona pellucida thickness, and perivitelline space width. Then, we assessed the corresponding developmental potential of each of these oocytes and found that it varies across the range measured for each morphological trait. Furthermore, by manipulating these morphological traits in vitro, we were able to determine the influence of morphological variation on oocyte developmental potential. Manually altering the thickness of the cumulus layer showed strong effects on the fertilization and embryo development potentials of oocytes, whereas manipulation of zona pellucida thickness effected the oocyte maturation potential. Our results provide a systematic detailed method for selecting GV stage oocytes based on a morphological assessment approach that would benefit for several downstream ART applications.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying-Lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sha-Na
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiang-Peng
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of National Education Ministry for Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Guang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015044:Zona Pellucida