Oct4基因在猪孤雌激活和体外受精早期胚胎中的表达特征

目的研究植入前胚胎发育重要基因Oct4在猪孤雌和体外受精胚胎中的表达特征。方法收集成熟卵母细胞、孤雌和体外受精2细胞、4细胞、8细胞胚胎和囊胚,做荧光即时定量PCR检测,以体外成熟的猪卵母细胞做对照分析相对表达量。结果孤雌组和体外受精组胚胎在8细胞期Oct4表达量均最高(P<0.05),在孤雌和体外受精组囊胚相对于其他时期Oct4表达量最低(P<0.05)。在同一时期孤雌和体外受精胚胎上Oct4表达并没有差异。结论多能性基因Oct4在卵裂发育时期表达量动态变化,孤雌胚胎在一定程度上可作为体外胚胎基因表达的模型,且不同的胚胎培养条件可能导致基因表达的差异。     

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.     

猪克隆胚胎激活方法优化与转人溶菌酶基因克隆猪的生产

为了提高转基因克隆效率和获得转人溶菌酶基因克隆猪,研究了不同电激活参数和化学辅助激活方法对猪克隆胚胎和孤雌胚胎体外发育的影响.结果发现:电场强度会显著影响克隆胚胎的融合率和体外发育能力(P<0.05),电脉冲次数对克隆胚胎体外发育促进作用不显著(P>0.05),而相同电激活条件下克隆胚胎和孤雌胚胎的体外发育能力变化趋势不同;电激活后再利用放线菌酮+细胞松弛素B(CHX+CB)处理4 h能显著提高克隆胚胎的囊胚率(P<0.05),而用二甲基氨基嘌呤(6-DMAP)处理没有提高克隆胚胎囊胚率(P>0.05),但6-DMAP或CHX+CB处理均可显著提高孤雌胚胎的囊胚率(P<0.05).上述结果表明,最佳的孤雌激活条件并不一定是克隆胚胎的最佳激活条件.本研究中猪克隆胚胎的最佳激活方法为1.6 kV/cm、100μs、2次直流电脉冲间隔100μs,再辅以CHX+CB处理4 h.利用优化的激活条件成功获得了乳腺特异表达人溶菌酶的转基因猪,为猪转基因育种奠定了基础.     

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。     

化学联合激活可明显提高小鼠孤雌胚胎发育率

为探讨一种高效的小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活的方案,进一步提高孤雌囊胚发育率。用不同浓度的氯化锶及不同作用时间的乙醇,并分别联合6-DMAP对不同卵龄小鼠卵母细胞进行活化,统计小鼠卵母细胞卵裂率和体外发育状况。结果显示,15～16h、18～19h和20～21h卵龄组卵母细胞经6mmol/LSrCl2联合6-DMAP处理后,三组的激活率随卵龄增长而升高,其中20～21h卵龄组显著高于15～16h、18～19h组(P<0.05),激活胚胎的发育率以18～19h时最高;6mmol/L和10mmol/L的SrCl2联合6-DMAP均能有效地激活小鼠卵母细胞,激活率分别为76.4%和83.6%,桑葚胚率分别为50.0%和56.3%;70ml/L乙醇联合6-DMAP以处理7min组获得了较好的激活率和囊胚发育率,分别为77.1%和42.4%,囊胚率均显著高于4min和10min处理组(P<0.05)。6-DMAP与SrCl2或乙醇联合应用可以有效抑制第二极体的排出,提高激活胚的二倍体比率;孤雌囊胚的平均细胞数显著低于正常受精囊胚(P<0.05)。不同激活方案对孤雌活化胚的核型和发育能力的作用差异较大,小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活率与卵龄...     

人-山羊异种核移植胚胎发育的初步研究

以体外分离培养的人胚胎成纤维细胞为核供体,经血清饥饿培养后,通过显微操作技术移入山羊去核卵母细胞中,采用化学方法激活重组胚.通过体外培养观察,2-细胞胚胎发育率可达51.33%,4-细胞发育率为31.42%,但发育至桑椹胚阶段的胚胎数目大大减少,仅为9.73%.虽然目前尚未能获得异种核移植囊胚,但实验结果说明山羊成熟卵母细胞可以支持人体细胞核完成重编程,人-山羊异种体细胞核移植重组胚可在体外完成其早期发育.     

体外受精和孤雌活化过程中小鼠胚胎细胞骨架的动态变化

为研究微管在体外受精与孤雌活化过程中的动态变化,本实验比较了体外受精胚胎、SrCl2激活的孤雌胚胎和体内受精的原核期胚胎在体外发育的情况,采用免疫荧光化学与激光共聚焦显微术检测卵母细胞孤雌活化过程中及体外受精后微管及核的动态变化,以分析微管在减数分裂过程中的作用及其对早期发育的影响.结果显示,体内受精胚胎的发育率显著高于体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎体外发育率(P<0.05),而体外受精与孤雌激活胚胎在各阶段发育率差异均不显著.在体外受精中,精子入卵,激活卵母细胞,减数分裂恢复,纺锤丝牵拉赤道板卜致密排列的母源染色体向纺锤体两侧迁移;后期将染色体拉向两极;末期时,微管分布于两组已去凝集的母源染色体之间,卵母细胞排出第二极体(the second polarbody,Pb2),解聚的母源染色体形成雌原核.同时,在受精后5～8 h精子染色质发生去浓缩与再浓缩,形成雄原核.在原核形成的同时,胞质星体在雌、雄原核的周围重组形成长的微管,负责雌、雄原核的迁移靠近.孤雌活化过程中,卵母细胞恢复减数分裂,姐妹染色单体分离,被拉向两极,经细胞松弛素B处理后,活化4～6 h,卵周隙中未见Pb2,而在胞质中出现两个混合的单倍体原核,之间由微管相连接,负责两个单倍体原核的迁移靠近.与体外受精相比较,孤雌活化时卵母细胞更容易被激活,减数分裂期间微管的发育早且更完善.     

电刺激家兔卵母细胞孤雌活化的研究

采用电刺激使家兔卵母细胞孤雌活化,并对电刺激参数和电刺激介质进行选择,发现在电刺激电压为1.5kV/cm,脉冲持续时间为80us,电刺激3次,电刺激介质为M16的条件下,兔卵母细胞孤雌活化效果最好,可使95％的兔卵母细胞激活,体外培养有89.5％的激活卵发育到正常的8—16细胞期,12％的激活卵发育到囊胚,在体内培养的条件下,26％的激活卵发育到囊胚。采用不同的电刺激介质,卵母细胞最佳激活条件和发育情况不同,表明电刺激介质中Ca~(++)和Mg~(++)浓度似乎与卵母细胞的孤雌活化和维持早期发育有关。家兔在注射LH后17—19小时取卵,电刺激效果最好,激活卵在含细胞松弛素B的培养基中培养3小时,电镜观察已有原核形成,细胞膜附近的细胞器向中央移动。光镜检查表明:约有85％的激活卵具有二个原核,约15％的激活卵有四个原核。     

牛卵母细胞孤雌激活及马-牛异质克隆胚构建

首先用不同的激活剂孤雌激活体外成熟培养的牛卵母细胞,经试验获得:离子霉素、A23187和7%乙醇联合6-DMAP可有效地激活牛卵母细胞,并支持其发育到囊胚,但离子霉素激活效率显著优于其他两种(P<0.05);以10?S SOFaa 颗粒细胞为发育体系培养激活的成熟牛卵母细胞可得到较高的卵裂率和囊胚率(72.30%,14.91%)。其次,通过体外培养成年马皮肤成纤维细胞,将获得的成纤维细胞经血清饥饿培养后,作为核供体移入去核牛卵母细胞透明带下,电融合后,能得到融合的马牛重构胚,在交流电脉冲起始电压20V,持续时间10s,频率0.2MHz,结束电压15V,2次脉冲和融合间隔为0.125s的条件下,当融合电压为2.0kV/cm,脉冲时程为40μs时,重组胚的融合率和卵裂率最高(52.27%,71.74%)。     

聚乙烯醇和卵泡液添加方式对猪卵母细胞体外成熟及孤雌胚胎发育的影响

本试验研究目的在于探讨在猪卵母细胞体外成熟(IVM)过程中,聚乙烯醇(polyvinyl alcohol,PVA)和猪卵泡液(porcine follicular fluid,PFF)添加方式对猪卵母细胞体外成熟及孤雌激活早期胚胎发育的影响。卵母细胞、卵丘细胞复合体(COCs)在含有HCG和PMSG的改良TCM-199+10%FBS+10%猪卵泡液(PMH-PFF)或改良TCM-199+10%FBS+0.1%PVA(PMH-PVA)成熟液中培养22~23 h;再移至无HCG和PMSG的PM-PFF或PM-PVA的成熟液中成熟培养至44 h。试验:(1)处理组1:使用PMH-PFF培养22~23 h后,更换PM-PFF继续培养至44 h;(2)处理组2:使用PMH-PFF培养22~23 h后,更换PM-PVA继续培养至44 h;(3)处理组3:使用PMH-PVA培养22~23 h后,更换PM-PVA继续培养至44 h;(4)处理组4:使用PMH-PVA培养22~23 h后,更换PM-PFF继续培养至44 h。将在不同成熟体系中IVM 44 h后的卵母细胞进行固定染色,鉴定卵母细胞核和细胞质成熟情况;对在不同处理组的成熟液中成熟培养44 h的卵母细胞进行孤雌激活后放入PZM-3中培养,分别于第2天、第7天统计分裂率和囊胚发育率。结果表明:经44 h成熟培养后,处理组1卵母细胞核成熟率(42.00%)显著低于处理组2(64.67%)、处理组3(69.00%)、处理组4(64.33%)核成熟率(p0.05)。处理1、处理2、处理4的卵母细胞皮质颗粒分布类型Ⅲ比例(62.00%/54.67%/46.67%)均高于处理组3(28.67%),且处理组1、处理组2卵母细胞皮质颗粒分布类型Ⅲ比例显著高于处理组3卵母细胞皮质颗粒分布类型Ⅲ比例(p0.05)。处理组1、处理组2、处理组4孤雌分裂率(81.92%/76.00%/73.33%)均高于处理组3(69.00%)。处理组3孤雌激活囊胚率(9.67%)显著低于处理组1(23.33%)、处理组2(25.00%)、处理组4(23.00%)(p0.05)。结果表明,在本研究条件下,处理组2的各项指标均优于其它组,IVM液中添加猪卵泡液培养22~23 h后更换添加有PVA的IVM液继续培养至44 h,更有利于促进IVM猪卵母细胞核成熟、胞质成熟以及早期孤雌胚胎发育。     

In vitro ageing of pig oocytes: effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A.

After in vitro maturation, the unfertilized pig oocytes underwent the process called ageing. This process involves typical events such as fragmentation, spontaneous parthenogenetic activation or lysis. Inhibition of histone deacetylase, using its specific inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA), significantly delayed the maturation of pig oocytes cultured in vitro. The ageing of oocytes matured under the effect of TSA is the same as the ageing in oocytes matured without TSA. The inhibition of histone deacetylase during oocyte ageing significantly reduced the percentage of fragmented oocytes (from 30% in untreated oocytes to 9% in oocytes aged under the effect of 100 nM of TSA). Oocytes matured in vitro and subsequently aged for 1 day under the effects of TSA retained their developmental capacity. After parthenogenetic activation, a significantly higher portion (27% vs. 15%) of oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage after 24 h ageing under 100 nM TSA when compared with oocytes activated after 24 h ageing in a TSA-free medium. The parthenogenetic development in oocytes aged under TSA treatment is similar to the development of fresh oocytes (29% of blastocyst) artificially activated immediately after in vitro maturation.     

Low oxygen tension during in vitro maturation of porcine follicular oocytes improves parthenogenetic activation and subsequent development to the blastocyst stage

To establish a reliable in vitro maturation system for activation and subsequent development as nuclear recipients for the effective production of pig clones, we assessed maturation, activation and parthenogenetic development in response to the following: (1) type of immature oocytes (cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) or parietal granulosa plus cumulus-oocyte complexes (GCOCs)); (2) oxygen (O(2)) tension (5 or 20%); and (3) maturation period (36-60 h). The rate of nuclear maturation to metaphase-II (M-II) in the GCOC group (73.0 +/- 3.1%) was higher than that in the COC group (P < 0.05, 60.6 +/- 3.5%), but the rates did not differ between the 5 and 20% O(2) tension groups. M-II rate increased (P < 0.05) to about 70% after 42 h and then remained constant until 60 h of culture. When oocytes were matured under 5% O(2) tension and stimulated, the rate of normal oocyte activation (a female pronucleus formation and emission of the second polar body) was higher (P < 0.05, 38.5 +/- 3.9%) than when oocytes were matured under 20% O(2) tension (24.5 +/- 3.9%). On the other hand, the rate of normal activation was not significantly different between the COC and GCOC groups, and the highest (P < 0.05) normal activation rate was obtained in oocytes cultured for 48 and 54 h (48.4 +/- 5.5% and 47.9 +/- 8.2%, respectively). When COC and GCOC matured for 48 h under 5 and 20% O(2) tension were stimulated and subsequently cultured in vitro for 6 days, the rate of blastocyst formation did not differ between the oocyte types nor between the O(2) tension groups. However, blastocyst quality, as measured by mean total cell number, was significantly higher in the 5% O(2) group (P < 0.05, 34.6 +/- 2.0 for COC; 33.8 +/- 1.8 for GCOC) compared with the 20% O(2) group (25.9 +/- 1.8 for COC; 27.0 +/- 2.0 for GCOC). In conclusion, low O(2) tension (5%) during in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes promoted their ability to be activated normally and improved the quality of parthenogenetic blastocysts developed in vitro in modified NCSU-37 solutions. This knowledge may be applicable for preparation of in vitro matured oocytes with good quality as recipient oocytes for generating pig clones.     

Serial nuclear transfer improves the developmental potential of mouse embryos cloned from oocytes matured in a protein-free medium

Germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes matured in vitro are an alternative source for cytoplasmic recipients of nuclear transfer (NT). However, the developmental potential of oocytes matured in vitro is limited. In this study, we developed a protein-free maturation medium for mouse GV oocytes. Following parthenogenetic activation, the oocytes matured in the protein-free medium develop to blastocyst stage with a high efficiency, even up to the rate obtained from in vivo MII-oocytes (90.6% vs. 92.8%). Using the oocytes matured in the protein-free medium as the recipient, NT embryos develop to the blastocyst stage (17.6%). To further improve the developmental potential of NT embryos, we performed serial NT and compared the effect of three different activated cytoplasm samples derived from in vitro matured oocytes as the second recipient, that is, the effect of in vitro fertilized (IVF) zygote, the preactivated cytoplast and the IVF cytoplast, on the development of NT embryos. We found that when the pronucleus of NT zygote was transferred into the cytoplasm of the IVF zygote, the blastocyst formation increased to 39.4%. This is the first report to demonstrate the IVF zygote from oocytes matured in protein-free medium can be used successfully as the recipient for serial NT to enhance the developmental potential of mouse NT embryos from oocytes matured in the protein-free medium.     

Parthenogenetic development of bovine oocytes treated with ethanol and cytochalasin B after in vitro maturation.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of different culture durations (24-36 hr) on bovine oocyte maturation in vitro and the effect of the presence or absence of cumulus cells at the time of treatment to induce parthenogenetic activation (exposure to ethanol and cytochalasin B; CB) (experiment I). The effects of dosage (2.5 or 5.0 micrograms/ml) and incubation time (2.5, 5, or 10 hr) in CB (experiment II) on the subsequent development to the blastocyst stage in vitro was also investigated. In experiment I, cleavage and development to the blastocyst stage were not affected by the presence or absence of cumulus cells at the time of parthenogenetic activation. However, the 24-hr culture duration for in vitro maturation had a significantly lower rate of development to the blastocyst stage than the longer culture durations (27-36 hr). In experiment II, treatment with 5 micrograms/ml CB for 5 hr showed the highest percentage of development to blastocyst in the oocytes matured for both 27 and 30 hr. To determine the viability of the parthenogenetic embryos (morulae and blastocysts), four recipient heifers received two embryos each, and one heifer was found to be pregnant on day 35 following transfer. Although fetal heartbeat was not observed, the subsequent estrus was prolonged in all heifers. The present results demonstrate development of in vitro-matured, parthenogenetically activated bovine embryos up to the preimplantation stage.     

Developmental competence of porcine oocytes after in vitro maturation and in vitro culture under different oxygen concentrations

In this study, we investigated the effect of two oxygen concentrations (5 and 20%) during in vitro maturation (IVM) and during in vitro culture (IVC) on porcine embryo development and analysed differences in gene expression between cumulus-oocyte complexes matured under 5 or 20% oxygen and the resulting blastocysts cultured under 5% or 20% oxygen following parthenogenetic activation. There was no significant difference in oocyte maturation rate. However, the numbers of resulting blastocysts were significantly increased in the 5% IVC group compared with the 20% IVC group. Moreover, the M20C5 treatment group (23.01%) supported greater blastocyst development compared with the M5C5 (14.32%), M5C20 (10.30%), and M20C20 (17.88%) groups. However, total cell numbers were not significantly different among groups. According to mRNA abundance data of multiple genes, each treatment altered the expression of genes in different patterns. GLUT1, G6PD and LDHA were up-regulated in cumulus cells that had been matured in low oxygen, suggesting a higher glucose uptake and an increase in anaerobic glycolysis, whereas cyclin B1 (CCNB) and MnSOD (Mn-superoxide dismutase) were upregulated in cumulus cells that had been matured in high oxygen, which suggests a higher activity of mitosis-promoting factor and antioxidant response. In spite of these differential effects on cumulus cells, oocytes could mature normally regardless of different oxygen concentrations. Therefore, it can be concluded that high oxygen concentration during in vitro maturation and low oxygen during in vitro culture may alter the expression of multiple genes related to oocyte competence and significantly improves embryo development (p < 0.05) but not blastocyst quality.     

Induction and activation of meiosis and subsequent parthenogenetic development of growing pig oocytes using calcium ionophore A23187

The pig ovary contains a large number of growing oocytes, which do not mature in vitro and cannot be readily used in various biotechnologies. This study was conducted to determine the possibility of inducing meiotic maturation in growing pig oocytes with an internal diameter of 110 μm, which had developed partial meiotic competence. Most of these oocytes spontaneously stopped maturation at the metaphase I stage (68%); a limited number proceeded to the metaphase II stage (26%). Treatment with calcium ionophore A23187 (50 μM for 5 or 10 min) after 24 h in vitro culture overcame the block at the metaphase I stage, and treated growing pig oocytes matured to the metaphase II stage (66%). Oocytes in which maturation had been induced by calcium ionophore were again treated with calcium ionophore. Up to 58% of the treated oocytes were activated. Parthenogenetic development in oocytes treated with ionophore for meiosis induction and activation was very limited. The portion which reached morula stage did not exceed 8% and at most 3% developed to the blastocyst stage.     

Bovine parthenogenetic blastocysts following in vitro maturation and oocyte activation with ethanol

The appropriate in vitro bovine oocyte maturation and ethanol activation conditions for preimplantation bovine embryo parthenogenetic development to the blastocyst stage were investigated. A 7% ethanol concentration significantly enhanced (P<0.05) the proportion of activated, in vitro-matured bovine oocytes (7% ethanol, 83.4 +/- 3.2% versus 0% ethanol, 63.9 +/- 2.0%). The proportion of activated oocytes was significantly higher (P<0.05) by treatment with 7% ethanol for a minimum of 2 minutes (2 minutes, 89.8 +/- 4.0% versus 0.5 minutes 63.4 +/- 4.9%). Oocyte maturation for periods ranging from 30, 34, 38 and 44 hours resulted in a significant increase (P<0.05) in the proportion of activated oocytes, and in oocytes displaying 2 or 3 pronuclei versus oocytes matured for 26 hours. The proportion of cleaved, activated oocytes (2-cell stage), 4 -cell stage and parthenogenetic morula/blastocysts was significantly higher (P<0.05) within the 34-hour oocyte maturation treatment group. Although the 44-hour oocyte maturation treatment group displayed the highest proportion of activated oocytes with 2 pronuclei, it did not display the highest cleavage frequency, possibly due to the effects of postovulatory aging. Several morphologically normal parthenogenetic bovine blastocysts developed from oocytes that were in vitro matured for 34 hours. The ability to produce such parthenogenetic embryos will eventually facilitate investigation into the role(s) of the maternal and paternal genomes during bovine early development.     

Utility of ultrasound stimulation for activation of pig oocytes matured in vitro

The present study was carried out to examine the development of pig oocytes after exposing to ultrasound under various conditions. When oocytes were exposed to ultrasound in the sorbitol medium, the blastocyst formation rate was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of oocytes exposed in HEPES-TLP-PVA. Optison, an echo-contrast microbubble, prevented the development into blastocysts of oocytes exposed to ultrasound in the sorbitol medium (P < 0.01). The mean number of cells in the blastocysts developed from oocytes exposed to ultrasound with 10% duty cycle was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that obtained by using ultrasound with 50% duty cycle. The blastocyst formation rate of oocytes exposed to ultrasound for 30 sec was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that exposed for 10 sec. There were no significant differences in the rates of oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage and the mean numbers of cells in the blastocysts among different intensities of ultrasound. The pronuclear formation and second polar body extrusion rates of oocytes exposed to ultrasound did not differ from eclectically activated oocytes. Although there was no significant difference in the blastocyst formation rates between different activation methods, the mean number of cells in the blastocysts developed from oocytes activated by exposing to ultrasound was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that obtained by applying electric pulses. The results of the present study showed that ultrasound stimulation can induce the nuclear activation and parthenogenetic development of pig oocytes matured in vitro.     

Influence of cysteamine supplementation and culture in portable dry-incubator on the in vitro maturation, fertilization and subsequent development of mouse oocytes

The need to transport oocytes and embryos between two laboratories have prompted us to evaluate the effects of in vitro maturation of immature mouse oocytes in a CO2-deficient dry heat portable incubator and subsequent in vitro development of these fertilized mouse oocytes in a standard CO2 incubator. In addition, the effects of cysteamine supplementation on maturation rate and embryonic development during in vitro maturation (IVM) and culture of embryos in the portable incubator were also investigated. Germinal vesicle stage mouse oocytes, recovered at 40-h post-FSH from 6- to 8-week-old C57BL/6xCBA F1 healthy female mice, were matured in vitro in a modified TCM-199 supplemented with or without 100 microM cysteamine in a standard incubator (5% CO2; 37 degrees C) or cultured in a CO2-deficient dry heat portable incubator for 5 h at 37 degrees C and thereafter transferred to a standard incubator for further culture. The addition of cysteamine in the IVM medium significantly improved maturation rates of the GV mouse oocytes to metaphase II stage. However, cysteamine supplementation in the culture medium did not significantly improve fertilization and blastocyst formation rates of IVM and ovulated oocytes, and in vivo-derived zygotes. Culture conditions in a CO2-deficient dry heat portable incubator did not adversely affect the developmental competence of in vivo-derived zygotes and in vitro matured mouse oocytes after IVF or parthenogenetic activation. Cysteamine supplement in the IVM medium could enhance nuclear maturation of these immature oocytes during shipment.