title: Replacement of serum with sericin in in vitro maturation and culture media: Effects on embryonic developmental competence of Sanjabi sheep embryo during breeding season.
abstract: Sericin is a water-soluble component of silk and has been used as a biomaterial due to its antibacterial and ultraviolet radiation-resistant properties. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of sericin supplementation, as a serum replacement, in maturation and culture media on the meiotic competence of oocytes or in vitro culture of ovine embryos. In experiment 1, oocytes were matured in the presence of 10% fetal ovine serum (FOS), 0.1% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and different concentrations of sericin (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2.5%), for 24 h. The addition of 0.5% sericin to maturation medium increased the rates of maturation to metaphase II of oocytes compared with those in cultures with 0.1% PVA. Following fertilization, blastocyst development was higher for oocytes matured with 0.5% of sericin compared with 0.1% PVA. However, the rates of nuclear maturation of oocytes and blastocyst development under FOS and 0.5% sericin were not significantly different. In experiment 2, presumptive zygotes were cultured in the presence of 10% FOS, 0.1% PVA and different concentrations of sericin (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2.5%), for 7-8 days. The addition of 0.5% sericin to culture medium increased the blastocyst rate compared with those in cultures without sericin or addition of 0.1% PVA and 10% FOS. These results indicate the feasibility of sericin as an alternative protein supplement for IVM and IVC in ovine oocytes and zygotes.
authors.affiliation: IVF Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. Electronic address: h.hajarian@razi.ac.ir.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hajarian
authors.affiliation: IVF Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran; Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aghaz
authors.affiliation: IVF Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karami Shabankareh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques; D008297:Male; D047030:Sericins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D047030:Sericins
keywords: Free serum media; In vitro embryo production; Sericin; Sheep