猪卵母细胞体外成熟的发育潜力及核移植重构胚构建方法的研究

为了提高猪体细胞核移植重构胚发育潜力,本研究对体外成熟28 h、32 h、36 h、40 h、44 h、48 h、52 h和56 h的猪卵母细胞分别进行去核构建重构胚.研究结果表明,成熟44 h的卵母细胞核移植后有较高的融合率(58.99%)、卵裂率(67.52%)和囊胚率(22.78%),而成熟48 h的卵母细胞则分别为56.51%、65.73%和15.96%;且卵龄为44 h的卵母细胞核移植后分裂率与囊胚率显著高于卵龄为40 h、36 h、32 h、28 h的卵母细胞的分裂率与囊胚率(P＜0.05).卵龄为48 h的卵母细胞融合率高于卵龄为52 h卵母细胞的融合率(P＜0.05).同时我们还探讨了不同去核方法(盲吸法、Hochest33342染色法和Spindle-view system)对猪体细胞核移植重构胚发育能力的影响.研究结果发现,盲吸法、Hoechest33342染色法和Spindle-view system法的去核率分别达到76.33%,100.00%和98.40%.Hoechest染色法去核率显著高于盲吸法的去核率(P＞0.05),而与Spindle-view法去核率没有差异(P＞0.05).三种方法在融合率和囊胚率方面差异不显著(P＞0.05),但Hoechest染色法的分裂率较低,差异显著(P＜0.05).进一步的研究表明,细胞质内注射进行核移植构建重构胚的分裂率和囊胚率分别为68.13%和6.44%;透明带下注射法则为60.37%和8.08%,两者差异不显著(P＜0.05);两者均可运用于猪体细胞的核移植,这为建立有效的猪体细胞核移植体系提供了参考.     

Demecolcine化学辅助去核技术在牛体细胞核移植中的初步研究

本实验目的是研究demecolcine辅助去核的卵母细胞能否支持牛的核移植胚胎的发育。通过化学药物demecolcine处理牛MII期卵母细胞来辅助去除牛卵母细胞核,并用去核的卵母细胞做受体,进行核移植的研究。实验结果显示,demecolcine辅助去核后的卵母细胞质膜有明显一个或二个突起,并且突起内都含有卵母细胞染色体组,显示去核效果较好（57.89%～73.3%）。药物处理一小时为最适时间,去核率可达73.3%。对demecolcine辅助去核的卵母细胞的核移植胚胎发育情况显示囊胚率较盲吸法核移植胚胎较好（12.5%VS10.2%）,但二者差异不显著(p>0.05)。Demecolcine药物处理后的卵母细胞能够支持核移植胚胎的发育。Demecolcine辅助去核可以在牛体细胞核移植中的到应用。     

绵羊体细胞核移植去核前程序的优化

目前绵羊体细胞克隆效率仍然很低,本研究拟对去核前的操作环节进行优化。主要为卵巢保存时间(3 h和3–5 h)、卵母细胞体外成熟时间(18 h和24 h)、供核细胞贴壁率(10%和30%)和盲吸法去核时间(16 hpm和18 hpm)等4个方面优化。以成熟率、融合率和重构胚胎发育能力作为评价参数。结果表明:在卵巢保存方面,卵巢保存3 h组卵母细胞成熟率显著高于3–5 h组卵母细胞成熟率(60.18%vs 52.50%)(P0.05),重构胚胎发育力差异不显著(P0.05);在体外成熟时间方面,体外成熟18 h组和24 h组卵母细胞成熟率差异极显著(53.81%vs 89.06%)(P0.01),胚胎发育力差异不显著(P0.05);在融合率方面,贴壁率30%组极显著高于贴壁率10%组(80.85%vs 57.69%)(P0.01),在克隆胚胎发育率方面没有显著差异(P0.05),具有贴比率差异性的细胞在细胞生长平台期表现出差异性;在去核时间方面,16 hpm组和18 hpm组胚胎卵裂率差异显著,囊胚发育力差异不显著(P0.05),16 hpm组获得一只克隆羊,重复16 hpm获得4只妊娠克隆羊。组织微卫星序列经SDS-PAGE分析,DNA指纹与供体细胞相同。结论:去核前程序的优化保证了材料的质量,为提高克隆胚胎数量和质量奠定基础,可以获得体细胞克隆羊。     

Leptin对陕北白绒山羊体细胞核移植的影响

Leptin的功能较为复杂,主要调控机体能量代谢。有研究表明Leptin在卵母细胞成熟及胚胎发育过程中也具有重要作用。本研究在卵母细胞体外成熟基础培养液中添加了不同浓度的Leptin,其中未添加Leptin的设为Ⅰ组,添加10ng/mL和50ng/mL Leptin的分别设为Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组。以陕北白绒山羊皮肤成纤维细胞为供体细胞,三组体外培养成熟的卵母细胞作为受体,利用显微操作方法对成熟卵母细胞进行去核操作,然后将供体细胞注射到卵周隙内,经电融合后形成体细胞克隆胚。根据卵母细胞体外成熟率、核移植效率以及克隆胚囊胚发育率分析Leptin在山羊核移植中的作用。结果表明Ⅰ组山羊卵母细胞体外成熟率和核移植效率显著高于其他两组(P<0.05),三组克隆囊胚发育率无显著差异(P>0.05)。Leptin降低了山羊卵母细胞体外成熟和核移植效率,对克隆胚发育能力无影响。     

影响猪体细胞核移植重构胚体外发育的若干因素

以卵丘细胞为核供体细胞组成重构胚,卵裂率达到56.7%,发育至桑椹胚达11.7%、孵化囊胚率为6.7%,显著高于成纤维细胞组成的重构胚(p<0.05)。我们研究了卵母细胞的采集方法,激活方法和卵龄对卵丘细胞核移植重构胚体外发育的影响。以血清饥饿法将卵丘细胞诱导至GO或G1期,抽吸法/解剖法采集卵母细胞,体外培养33或44 h,将卵丘细胞置于去核卵母细胞的卵周隙中,重构胚以钙离子载体A23817或电脉冲结合6-DMAP激活处理,体外培养6天,结果表明,卵母细胞采集方法、激活液中细胞松弛素(CB)并不影响重构胚的发育(以卵龄44h的卵母细胞为受体);而以电脉冲结合6-DMAP激活处理能提高重构胚发育能力(以卵龄33 h的卵母细胞为受体)(p<0.05)。本研究显示,以电脉冲结合6-DMAP激活卵丘细胞重构胚,能在体外发育至囊胚     

化学激活和季节对克隆猪出生率的影响

为了解化学激活对克隆猪出生效率的影响, 研究了体外成熟的猪卵母细胞被激活恢复减数分裂到克隆猪出生的整个过程. 首先研究了电激活(Ele), Ele+CHX+CB和Ele+6-DMAP 3种激活方法对猪卵母细胞孤雌激活(parthenogenetic, PA)和核移植(nuclear transfer, NT)重构胚体外发育的影响. 比较了Ele或Ele+CHX+CB激活方法对克隆猪出生效率的影响. 实验中单独列出了PA胚的扩张囊胚率或NT优质囊胚率来代表囊胚的质量. 结果表明: 化学联合激活提高了PA的囊胚率和扩张囊胚率, 但对PA胚的卵裂率和囊胚细胞数没有显著影响(P>0.05). Ele+6-DMAP对PA胚的囊胚率和扩张囊胚率有显著提高(P<0.05), 但对NT胚的囊胚率和优质囊胚率没有提高甚至降低了NT胚的发育. Ele+CHX+CB虽然提高了NT胚的囊胚率(P<0.05), 但对优质囊胚率没有影响. Ele+CHX+CB激活方法使克隆猪出生率有所提高但不显著. 本文还研究了季节对猪孤雌发育和克隆猪出生率的影响. 结果表明, 春季收集的猪卵母细胞使用3种激活方法卵母细胞的孤雌囊胚率均高于冬季收集的猪卵母细胞的囊胚率. 春季和冬季进行移植, 克隆猪出生率没有区别. 综上, 在PA中获得的结果与NT胚中获得的结果不一定完全匹配, 说明孤雌激活和重构胚的激活机制还是有区别的. 化学联合激活虽然能提高囊胚率, 但它的作用相当于降低囊胚形成的门槛, 却不是从本质上改变囊胚发育能力, 因此不能显著提高克隆猪出生效率. 春季收集的卵母细胞在体外培养中的发育能力好于冬季收集的卵母细胞, 但季节对克隆猪出生率没有显著影响.     

猪体细胞核移植重构胚的体外发育(英文)

以卵丘细胞为核供体细胞组成重构胚 ,卵裂率达到 5 6.7% ,发育至桑椹胚率达到1 1 .7% ,囊胚率为 6.7% ,显著高于成纤维细胞重构胚 (P <0 .0 5 )。本文还研究了卵母细胞的采集方法、激活程序和卵龄对卵丘细胞核移植重构胚体外发育的影响。以血清饥饿法将卵丘细胞诱导至G0 G1 期 ,抽吸法 解剖法采集卵母细胞 ,体外培养 3 3～ 44h ,将卵丘细胞放至去核卵母细胞的卵周隙中 ,重构胚以钙离子载体A2 3 81 7或电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活处理 ,体外培养 6d。研究表明 ,卵母细胞采集方法、激活液中细胞松弛素 (CB)、激活程序并不影响重构胚的发育 (以卵龄 44h的卵母细胞为受体 ) ;而以电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活处理能提高重构胚发育能力 (以卵龄 3 3h的卵母细胞为受体 ) (P <0 .0 5 )。本研究显示 ,以电脉冲结合 6 DMAP激活卵丘细胞重构胚 ,体外能发育至囊胚     

山羊卵巢大小对卵母细胞体外成熟的影响

目的探讨卵巢大小对卵母细胞体外成熟的影响。方法根据质量将卵巢分为3组,Ⅰ组质量小于0.95 g,Ⅱ组质量介于0.95~1.7 g,Ⅲ组质量大于1.7 g,并统计了不同组卵母细胞的体外成熟率、孤雌激活胚的卵裂率和囊胚率,以及克隆胚的卵裂率和囊胚率。结果 3组卵母细胞体外成熟率分别为62.25%、43.58%和40.7%;3组孤雌激活胚卵裂率分别为83.77%、82.92%和79.73%;孤雌激活胚囊胚发育率分别为19.51%、18.9%和18.78%;3组克隆胚的卵裂率分别为67.36%、65.97%和66.33%;克隆胚囊胚发育率分别为11.63%、13.41%和12.29%。Ⅰ组卵母细胞体外成熟率显著高于其余2组,3组之间孤雌激活胚卵裂率、孤雌激活胚囊胚率、克隆胚卵裂率和克隆胚囊胚发育率差异无统计学意义。结论上述结果表明来源于小卵巢的卵母细胞体外成熟率最高。卵巢大小仅影响卵母细胞的体外成熟率,对发育能力无影响。     

猪体细胞核移植重构胚的体外发育

以卵丘细胞为核供体细胞组成重构胚,卵裂率达到56．7％,发育至桑椹胚率达到11．7％,囊胚率为6．7％,显著高于成纤维细胞重构胚（P＜0．05）。本文还研究了卵母细胞的采集方法、激活程序和卵龄对卵丘细胞核移植重构胚体外发育的影响。以血清饥饿法将卵丘细胞诱导G0/G1期,抽吸法／解剖法采集卵母细胞,体外培养33－44h,将卵丘细胞放至去核卵母细胞的卵周隙中,重构胚以钙离子载体A23817或电脉冲结合6－DMAP激活处理,体外培养6d。研究表明,卵母细胞采集方法、激活液中细胞松驰素（CB）、激活程度并不影响重构胚的发育（以卵龄44h的卵母细胞为受体）;而以电脉冲结合6－DMAP激活处理能提高重构胚发育能力（以卵龄33h的卵母细胞为受体）（P＜0．05）。本研究显示,以电脉冲结合6－DMAP激活卵丘细胞重构胚,体外能发育至囊胚。     

一种改进的牛体细胞核移植去核方法

为了提高传统的盲吸法牛体细胞核移植去核效率,将0.5mL离心管底部截掉,在截口处蒙上一层400目的细胞筛网,再与1 mL的离心管套在一起。实验1,将成熟的卵母细胞置于改造过的离心管内膜上,分别以1,000r/min、2,000r/min及3,000r/min离心10min,Hoechst 33342染色后,在荧光显微镜下计算第一极体与染色体的位置关系及去核效率;实验2,将卵母细胞以2,000r/min离心后去核做受体,颗粒细胞做供体进行核移植,检查重构胚胎的早期发育情况。结果表明:以2,000 r/min将卵母细胞离心10min后,有86.6%卵母细胞的极体与染色体之间夹角在20°以内,此时去核效率最高(87.4%);将卵母细胞离心后,对随后的重构胚发育无影响。因此,采用离心辅助去核的方法可以显著提高牛卵母细胞的去核效率。     

Effects of colchicine or demecolcine on cytoplasmic protrusions and assisted enucleation of golden hamster oocytes

To establish experimental protocols for cloning golden hamsters, optimal concentrations of colchicine and demecolcine were determined for inducing cytoplasmic protrusion (containing chromosomes) and assisting enucleation of their oocytes. Denuded oocytes at different ages were treated with 2.5–10 μg/ml of colchicine for 1–4 h or 0.02–0.6 μg/ml of demecolcine for 15–60 min. Cytoplasmic protrusions of oocytes were removed with a micromanipulation pipette. The results show that: 1) at 13.5–18 h post-hCG injection, ∼90% of oocytes treated for with 10 μg/ml of colchicine formed cytoplasmic protrusions, and in some oocytes enucleation occurred; 2) when treated with 0.4 μg/ml of demecolcine for 1 h, cytoplasmic protrusions 13.5–18 h post-hCG treatment were present in almost all oocytes; 3) after the protrusions induced by either treatment had been removed, the assisted enucleation rate was >80%, whereas it was ∼32% with blind enucleation.     

Demecolcine- and nocodazole-induced enucleation in mouse and goat oocytes for the preparation of recipient cytoplasts in somatic cell nuclear transfer procedures

Treatment of pre-activated oocytes with demecolcine (DEM) has been shown to induce the extrusion of all oocyte chromosomes within the second polar body (PB2). However, induced enucleation (IE) rates are generally low and the competence of these cytoplasts to support embryonic development following somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is impaired. Here, we explored whether short treatments with DEM or another antimitotic, nocodazole (NOC), improve IE efficiency, and determined the most appropriate timing for nuclear transfer in the cytoplasts produced. We show, for the first time, that IE can be accomplished in mouse and goat oocytes using NOC and that short treatments with DEM or NOC result in similar IE rates, which proved to be strain- and species-specific. Because enucleation induced by both antimitotic drugs is reversible, the IE protocol was combined with the mechanical aspiration of PB2s to increase permanent enucleation rates in mouse oocytes. None of the cloned mouse embryos produced from the resultant cytoplasts developed to the blastocyst stage. However, when they were reconstructed prior to the activation and antimitotic treatment, their in vitro embryonic development was similar to that of cloned embryos produced from mechanically-enucleated oocytes.     

The effects of chemical enucleation combined with whole cell intracytoplasmic injection on panda-rabbit interspecies nuclear transfer

Conventional methods of somatic cell nuclear transfer either by electrofusion or direct nucleus injection have very low efficiency in animal cloning, especially interspecies cloning. To increase the efficiency of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer, in the present study we introduced a method of whole cell intracytoplasmic injection (WCICI) combined with chemical enucleation into panda-rabbit nuclear transfer and assessed the effects of this method on the enucleation rate of rabbit oocytes and the in vitro development and spindle structures of giant panda-rabbit reconstructed embryos. Our results demonstrated that chemical enucleation can be used in rabbit oocytes and the optimal enucleation result can be obtained. When we compared the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation of subzonal injection (SUZI) and WCICI using chemically enucleated rabbit oocytes as cytoplasm recipients, the rates in the WCICI group were higher than those in the SUZI group, but there was no statistically siginificant difference (p > 0.05) between the two methods. The microtubule structures of rabbit oocytes enucleated by chemicals and giant panda-rabbit embryos reconstructed by WCICI combined with chemical enucleation were normal. Therefore the present study suggests that WCICI combined with chemical enucleation can provide an efficient and less labor-intensive protocol of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer for producing giant panda cloned embryos.     

Chemically assisted handmade enucleation of porcine oocytes

The purpose of our work was to find an efficient and reliable chemically assisted procedure for enucleation of porcine oocytes connected to the handmade cloning (HMC) technique without the potentially harmful chromatin staining and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for cytoplast selection. After 41-42 h in vitro maturation, porcine oocytes were incubated with 0.4 microg/mL demecolcine for 45 min. Subsequently, the cumulus cells were removed and zonae pellucidae were partially digested. Oocytes with extrusion cones or oocytes only with polar body (PB) were subjected to oriented bisection. Less than half of the cytoplasm with the extrusion cone or adjacent to the PB was removed with a microblade. The remaining putative cytoplasts, containing the major part of the cytoplasm, were used as recipients for reconstruction with porcine fetal fibroblasts as nuclear donors. The overall efficiency achieved with chemically assisted enucleation was higher compared to oriented bisection without demecolcine incubation (90 +/- 3% vs. 81 +/- 4%, respectively; mean +/- absolute deviation [AD]). Reconstructed and activated embryos were cultured in vitro for 7 days. Fusion, cleavage and blastocyst rates were 87 +/- 7%, 97 +/- 6%, and 28 +/- 9%, respectively. These rates are at least as good as those achieved with normal HMC (81 +/- 4%, 87 +/- 8%, and 21 +/- 9%, respectively). For traditional, micromanipulator-based cloning, fusion and blastocyst rates were similar (81 +/- 10% and 21 +/- 6%, respectively), but the cleavage rate was lower (69 +/- 9%). In conclusion, chemically assisted handmade enucleation seems to be a simpler and potentially superior alternative to more conventional methods used for somatic cell nuclear transfer in pigs.     

Demecolcine-assisted enucleation of goat oocytes: protocol optimization, mechanism investigation, and application to improve the developmental potential of cloned embryos

Although demecolcine-assisted enucleation has been performed successfully in porcine and cattle, the mechanism and protocol optimization of chemically assisted enucleation need further investigation. The present study optimized the protocol for goat oocyte enucleation and demonstrated that a 30-min treatment with 0.8 ng/mL demecolcine-induced cytoplasmic protrusions in over 90% of the oocytes. Rates of enucleation, cell fusion, and blastocyst formation were significantly higher after demecolcine-assisted than after blind aspiration enucleation, although differences in rates of live births remain to be unequivocally determined between the two treatments. The ability to form protrusions decreased significantly as spindles became less organized in aged oocytes and the oocytes with a poor cumulus expansion. More than 93% of the demecolcine-induced protrusions persisted for 2 h in the absence of cytochalasin B (CB) but most disappeared within 30 min of CB treatment. The spindle disintegrated, an actin-rich ring formed around the chromosome mass and the MAP kinase activity increased significantly after demecolcine treatment. When oocytes with induced protrusions were treated with CB, however, the contractile ring disappeared, the spindle reintegrated, and both MPF and MAP kinase activities decreased significantly. It is concluded that (1) cytoplasmic protrusions can be induced in goat oocytes with a very low concentration of demecolcine; (2) oocyte selection and enucleation can be achieved simultaneously with demecolcine treatment; and (3) an interactive effect between the MAP kinase, MPF, microfilaments and microtubules might be implicated in the control of cytoplasmic protrusion formation after demecolcine treatment.     

Noninvasive chemical enucleation of mouse oocytes

A noninvasive method of enucleating mouse oocytes has been developed and evaluated. Strong chromosome to chromosome binding was induced by culturing early metaphase I oocytes in etoposide supplemented medium. Subsequent expulsion of the entire chromosome complex during polar body extrusion was facilitated by exposing the etoposide treated oocytes to a combination of cycloheximide and etoposide during anaphase and telophase. This simple two-step chemical enucleation procedure yields fully enucleated mouse oocytes in 96% of cases. Chemically enucleated oocytes do not contain maturation promoting factor (MPF) at the end of etoposide-cycloheximide enucleation. MPF levels are, however, restored during subsequent incubation in drug-free medium and, after 15 h of post-enucleation culture, the cytoplasts regain their full capacity for parthenogenetic activation and nuclear remodelling. We believe that this novel enucleation technique will greatly facilitate the research in nuclear transplantation. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Demecolcine-induced oocyte enucleation for somatic cell cloning: coordination between cell-cycle egress,kinetics of cortical cytoskeletal interactions,and second polar body extrusion

Studies were designed to further explore the use of pharmacological agents to produce developmentally competent enucleated mouse oocytes for animal cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer. Metaphase II oocytes from CF-1 and B6D2F1 strains were activated with ethanol and subsequently exposed to demecolcine at various times postactivation. Chromosome segregation, spindle dynamics, and polar body (PB) extrusion were monitored by fluorescence microscopy using DNA-, microtubule-, and microfilament-selective probes. Exposure to demecolcine did not affect rates of oocyte activation induced by ethanol but did disrupt the coordination of cytokinesis and karyokinesis, suppressing the extent and completion of spindle rotation and second PB extrusion in a strain-dependent manner. Moreover, strain- and treatment-specific variations in the rate of oocyte enucleation were also detected. In particular, CF1 oocytes were more efficiently enucleated relative to B6D2F1 oocytes, and demecolcine treatments initiated early after activation resulted in higher enucleation rates than when treatment was delayed. The observed strain differences are possibly caused by a combination of factors, such as the time course of meiotic cell-cycle progression after ethanol activation, the degree of spindle rotation, and the extent of second PB extrusion. These results suggest that developmentally competent cytoplasts can be produced by timely exposure of activated oocytes to agents that disrupt spindle microtubules. However, the utility of the demecolcine-induced enucleation protocol will require further investigation into factors linking karyokinesis to cytokinesis at the levels of cell-cycle control and oocyte cytoskeletal remodeling following artificial or natural means of egg activation.     

The influence of enucleation on the ultrastructure of in vitro matured and enucleated cattle oocytes

The enucleation of recipient oocytes in nuclear transfer experiments is generally carried out by aspirating one third of the ooplasm adjacent to the first polar body. It was supposed that this enucleation step affects the ultrastructure of the remaining cytoplast, resulting in a decline or destruction of its cellular compartments. Even if the transferred nucleus had the potential to support the development of a single-cell nucleus transfer embryo to the blastocyst stage, meiotic division could be stopped at any stage if the destruction of the ultrastructure of host cytoplasm resulted in a limited metabolism. The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of the enucleation procedure on the ultrastructure of the remaining ooplast. In vitro matured oocytes; in vitro matured and enucleated oocytes; and in vitro matured and enucleated oocytes that were subsequently cultivated in vitro for additional 4 h were prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An examination of ultra-thin sections showed that the arrangement of organelles in all matured oocytes was in accordance with that already described for normal oocyte development. Immediately after enucleation no major differences in the arrangement of cortical granules, mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), lipid droplets and vacuoles were found compared with nonmanipulated oocytes. After enucleation and 4 h of culture, 24- and 36-h matured oocytes differed from each other in the arrangement of large aggregates of SER surrounded by a wall of mitochondria and lipid droplets. These complexes were still found in the 24-h but not in 36-h matured, enucleated and cultivated oocytes. Clusters of SER, mitochondria and lipid droplets were described by different authors as having metabolic activity. The results of this study in connection with results from nuclear transfer experiments suggest that these aggregates and their metabolic activity can be transferred with cytoplasm from 24- but not 36-h matured oocytes. Only cytoplasm from the 24-h matured oocytes showed a development-supporting effect when fused to enucleated recipient cells before nuclear transfer.     

Comparison of bulk enucleation methods for porcine oocytes

Cloning of mammalian oocytes requires that the recipient oocyte is enucleated to remove all genetic material associated with the chromosomes. The procedure currently used in most species requires careful micromanipulation of oocytes treated with cytochalasin B to prevent structural damage. Although functional, this procedure requires time and limits the number of oocytes available for cloning, and our ability to understand the mechanisms of nuclear reprogramming. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating different procedures to enucleate large pools of oocytes in a time-efficient manner. Two different approaches were tested. The first approach involved centrifugation of zona-free oocytes through a percoll gradient to separate the portion containing the chromatin from the cytoplasmic portion. The second used etoposide to prevent chromatin segregation at first metaphase and resulting in the expulsion of all chromosomes in the polar body. Using the chemical approach an average enucleation rate of 39.4 +/- 7.5% was obtained, while the centrifugation approach resulted in an average enucleation rate of 66.9 +/- 6. In terms of time efficiency, the control manipulation method takes 0.11 min and the centrifugation took an average of 0.52 min per oocyte. The MPF activity at the end of procedure was estimated through the measurement of H1 activity and as expected, the etoposide-cycloheximide treated oocytes had lower H1 activity which was restored by further incubation in the maturation medium for 5 hr while the centrifugation gave a nonsignificant intermediary result. In conclusion, the results presented suggest that both the chemical and the mechanical methods are usable alternatives to micromanipulation of oocytes to generate a large number of chromosome free cytoplasm for biochemical analysis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 67: 70-76, 2004.