Parthenogenetic activation of mouse and rabbit eggs by electric stimulation in vitro

The present study was undertaken to determine conditions for parthenogenetic activation of mouse and rabbit eggs by electric stimulation in vitro. The cumulus-free eggs were submitted to square direct current pulses at output voltage of 1.0 to 2.5 kV/cm for 25 to 200 μsec. The best conditions for the activation of mouse eggs were 1.5 kV/cm for 100 μsec, in which 78% of eggs were activated, 32% of which developed to blastocysts in vitro. When the nonelectric solution (0.3M mannitol) was used for electric stimulation, the activation rate was quite low (16%). Optimal conditions for activation of rabbit eggs were 1.5 kV/cm for 200 μsec, in which 77% of eggs were activated, 25% of which developed to blastocysts. Unlike mouse eggs, rabbit eggs frequently had three pronuclei after electric stimulation. It is clearly shown that electric stimulus can induce parthenogenetic activation of the mouse and rabbit eggs in vitro.     

Parthenogenetic activation and subsequent development of rat oocytes in vitro.

Studies were undertaken to determine whether electrical stimulation, or ethanol treatment alone or in combination with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) influenced the rate of parthenogenetic activation of rat oocytes. The percentages of activated oocytes with pronuclei (89-91%) and those developed to the two-cell stage (68-72%) were significantly higher after electrical stimulation with direct current (DC) at 100 V/mm, 99 microsec once or twice, than when other DC voltages (75, 150, and 200) were applied or when ethanol or 6-DMAP treatment was given alone. However, none of the activated oocytes developed beyond the four-cell stage. The percentages of activated oocytes with pronuclei (100%) that developed to the two-cell (100%), eight-cell (89%) and blastocyst stages (50%) were significantly higher when electrical stimulation was followed by treatment with 2 mM 6-DMAP for 4 hr than when other combined procedures were applied. In conclusion, the results of the present study clearly showed that combined treatment of electrical stimulation or ethanol with 6-DMAP induces parthenogenetic activation and subsequent development of rat oocytes in vitro.     

Factors affecting electrical activation of porcine oocyte matured in vitro

This work was undertaken to improve conditions for in vitro maturation and activation of porcine oocytes. Experiments were designed to compare: (i) electrical pulse frequency, (ii) methods of oocyte preparation, (iii) maturation conditions, and (iv) electrical poration medium on development. Oocytes were harvested by follicle dissection or aspiration, co-cultured with follicle shells in M199 based medium with or without media changes at 38.5°C in 5% CO₂ under non-static conditions for 48 h and electroactivated using single or multiple pulses (current strength 1.0 kV/cm for 50 μs in 0.28 M inositol or mannitol based media with 10 mM histidine) at different time intervals. The results showed: (i) neither the pulse frequency nor the pulse interval influenced rates of pronuclear formation but multiple pulse activation (3 pulses at 5 min intervals) induced a higher incidence of development and progression through the 4-cell block in contrast to one pulse activation; (ii) both the rate of nuclear maturation (88.6% vs. 77.6%) and post-activation cleavage (89.8% vs. 67.4%) were higher (P < 0.05) when oocytes were collected by follicle dissection rather than by aspiration; (iii) while changing to a hormone-free medium at 24 h was without effect on maturation (91.9% vs. 91.7%), rate of cleavage (81.6% vs. 72.3%, P < 0.05) at 24 h was enhanced by the medium change; and (iv) oocytes activated with 3 pulses 5 min apart in mannitol based medium at 48–49 h and at 53–54 h formed pronuclei at a comparable rate but subsequent parthenogenetic development was higher in the older eggs. By contrast, inositol-based medium supported development of young and old eggs equally well. Calcium and magnesium ions are, however, necessary in both mannitol and inositol media for activation of porcine oocytes matured in vitro. The present results suggest that optimal parthenogenetic activation and early development of IVM pig oocytes could be obtained if oocytes are harvested by dissection, cultured for 24 h in hormone-containing medium before being placed in hormone free medium and activated at 48 h in inositol based medium using a three pulse activation system.     

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.     

Stimulation of parthenogenesis in mouse ovarian follicles by inhibitors of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase

The effects of hormonal priming and inosine monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase inhibitors on the meiotic maturation and parthenogenetic activation of mouse oocytes were examined in this study. In the first series of experiments, unprimed mice or mice primed 24 h with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) received injections of the IMP dehydrogenase inhibitors, bredinin (Br) or mycophenolic acid (MA), followed by histological examination at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after drug administration. In both treatment groups, oocytes from nonatretic antral follicles were stimulated to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown by 24 h and became parthenogenetically activated as manifested by pronuclear formation and early cleavage divisions. The parthenotes underwent degeneration by 72 h. In the second part of this study, the effects of priming and drug treatment on parthenogenetic activation and subsequent developmental potential in vitro were examined. Mice were primed with eCG, and 24 or 48 h later received injections of Br or MA. Cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes were isolated 21-22 h later and assessed for maturation; those having undergone germinal vesicle breakdown were cultured and subsequently examined for embryonic development. In mice primed for 24 h, but not 48 h, Br and MA stimulated a significant number of oocytes to resume maturation in vivo; these subsequently underwent activation and developed to blastocysts in vitro. In another series of experiments, germinal vesicle-stage oocytes were isolated from primed or unprimed mice and cultured in vitro to permit spontaneous meiotic maturation. Nine percent of mature ova from 24-h-primed mice developed to 2-cell parthenotes; activation in ova from unprimed and 48-h-primed mice was considerably lower. A time-course experiment demonstrated that the extent of parthenogenetic activation in vivo following Br treatment was related to the period of time between drug injection and isolation of ova, the optimal period being 12 h. Neither Br nor MA had a direct activating effect on the oocytes as evidenced by an inability to induce parthenogenesis in vitro. Simultaneous injection of hCG with either Br or MA stimulated ovulation and prevented the parthenogenetic response. These data are consistent with the idea that conditions within the follicle promote parthenogenetic activation when the oocyte matures in the absence of gonadotropin stimulation.     

Optimization of parthenogenetic activation protocol in porcine

The effects of the electrical field strengths, number of pulses, and post-activation media on chromatin conformation and parthenogenetic development were studied to optimize the activation protocol for porcine nuclear transfer. In experiment 1, electrical field strengths were examined. Oocytes were subjected to square direct current pulses at output voltages of 1.2, 1.7, 2.2, and 2.7 kV/cm for 1 x 30 microsec. The voltage resulting from experiment 1 was 2.2 kV/cm, in which 50.0% of activated oocytes developed to blastocysts in vitro. In experiment 2, the influence of 1, 2, and 3 pulses on blastocyst development was tested using field strengths and post-activation medium described in experiment 1. Oocytes activated by a single 30 microsec pulse of 2.2 kV/cm DC yielded a higher blastocyst rate (56.3%) than oocytes activated by 2 or 3 pulses (<42.5%). In experiment 3 and 4, we investigated the effects of cytochalasin B (CB), cycloheximide (CH), and CB + CH on nuclear development stages and parthenogenetic development following a single 30 microsec pulse of 2.2 kV/cm DC. The percentage of activated oocytes was not different among CB (93.3%), CB + CH (98.3%), control (80.0%), and CH (80.0%) groups 12 hr after activation. Treatment with CB (57.5%) or CB + CH (53.8%) enhanced the blastocyst rate compared with other groups, CH (23.8%) treated- and control group (18.8%). The results demonstrated that a single 30 microsec pulse of 2.2 kV/cm DC followed by culturing in post-activation medium with CB for 5 hr were effective parameters for parthenogenetic activation and blastocyst formation of in vitro matured porcine oocytes which suggests that a single calcium rise is sufficient to activate pig oocytes and to achieve high rate of blastocyst development.     

绵羊体外成熟卵母细胞的电激活及其在体外孤雌发育的研究

首先对绵羊卵母细胞收集及其体外成熟（ＩＶＭ）条件进行了摸索,然后对影响电刺激激活ＩＶＭ卵母细胞的因素进行了研究,观察激活后卵母细胞在体外的发育能力。结果表明,剥离法比注射器吸卵法所获得的卵母细胞成熟率高,激活更加正常。剥离法收集的卵母细胞体外成熟培养２７小时后,以含０．１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＣａＣｌ２、０．１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＭｇＳＯ４和１０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ组氨酸的０．２８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ肌醇（ｉｎｏｓｉｔｏｌ）作基     

Developmental competence of in vitro-fertilized porcine oocytes after in vitro maturation and solid surface vitrification: effect of cryopreservation on oocyte antioxidative system and cell cycle stage

The susceptibility of in vitro matured (IVM) porcine oocytes to be fertilized in vitro after vitrification was investigated. IVM oocytes were cryopreserved by solid surface vitrification (SSV) or treated with cryoprotectants (toxicity control, TC). Control oocytes were not treated or vitrified. Live oocytes in the three groups were in vitro fertilized (IVF) and then cultured (IVC) for 6 days. In vitro maturation and IVC were performed under 5% or 20% O(2) tension. The percentage of live oocytes in the SSV group was lower than those in the control and TC groups. Fertilization rates after SSV were significantly lower than in the control group. Significantly fewer penetrated oocytes formed male pronuclei in the SSV group than in the control and TC groups. Cleavage rates were significantly lower in the SSV group than in the control and TC groups. Blastocyst formation rates in the control and TC groups were similar, whereas only a single embryo developed to the blastocyst stage from 113 oocytes after vitrification. Blastocyst formation rates in the control group and in the TC group were significantly higher under 5% O(2) IVC than under 20% O(2) IVC. Oxygen tension during IVM had no effect on embryo development. The glutathione (GSH) content of vitrified oocytes was significantly lower than in the controls. In contrast, the H(2)O(2) level was higher in vitrified oocytes than in control oocytes. Vitrification caused parthenogenetic activation in 44.9% of unfertilized oocytes. This significant increase in parthenogenetic activation along with significantly dropped GSH level in vitrified oocytes may explain the decreased ability of the SSV group to form male pronuclei. These factors might have contributed to the poor developmental competence of vitrified oocytes.     

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.     

Fertilization following intracytoplasmic sperm injection of in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes from an Australian marsupial, the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii)

Conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques have been unable to produce normal embryos in any Australian marsupial, largely owing to problems with the early stages of sperm-oocyte binding. This study has used intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of in vivo and in vitro matured tammar wallaby oocytes to bypass these processes and achieve fertilization in vitro. The fertilization rate (i.e. development to the two-pronuclei stage) of in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes following ICSI and sham injection was assessed at 17-19 h after injection. Fertilization occurred in 48% (45/93) of in vivo matured oocytes that were injected with spermatozoa. Significantly fewer sham-injected oocytes (6/82, P < 0.005) and uninjected control oocytes (5/84, P < 0.005) formed two pronuclei. In a direct comparison, the numbers of in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes that formed two pronuclei after ICSI were 22/28 (78.6%) and 23/40 (57.6%), respectively, which are not significantly different. There was also no significant difference in the nuclear response of in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes to sham injection. The numbers of oocytes forming a single pronucleus after sham injection were 10/24 (41.7%) and 24/37 (64.9) for in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes, respectively. Immature germinal-vesicle-stage oocytes were unable to decondense sperm injected during ICSI or to form pronuclei. These results demonstrate that both in vitro and in vivo matured tammar wallaby oocytes can be fertilized by ICSI. The success of ICSI not only offers the opportunity for fundamental analysis of marsupial fertilization but could, in conjunction with development of appropriate culture conditions and embryo transfer technologies, contribute to increased production of offspring from rare or valuable marsupials.     

Oocyte activation and parthenogenetic development of bovine oocytes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Development of bovine oocytes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was investigated. Oocytes were matured for 24-26 h in vitro and injected with isolated sperm heads. When treated with 7% ethanol (v/v) for 5 min, 71.7% of ICSI oocytes were activated as shown by the resumption of meiosis and the formation of female pronuclei. However, 41.5% of injected sperm heads remained condensed at 18-20 h after injection into the ooplasm. The incidence of decondensing sperm and that of male pronuclei at this stage were 15.1% and 26.4%, respectively. A total of 55.5% of oocytes reached the 2-cell stage following sperm head injection and 54.7% after sham-ICSI; these percentages were not significantly different from those following in vitro fertilisation (IVF) (73.1%). The percentage of 2-cell embryos reaching the 8-cell stage following ICSI was 37.5%, and 27.6% after sham-ICSI, which were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than the equivalent percentage following IVF (62.4%). The percentages of parthenogenetic embryos reaching the 2-cell, 4-cell and 8-cell stages following ICSI were 56.4%, 48.9% and 30.0%, respectively. These results indicate that the low rate of normal embryonic development of bovine oocytes following ICSI is largely due to the parthenogenetic activation of the oocytes.     

Parthenogenetic activation of domestic cat oocytes using ethanol, calcium ionophore, cycloheximide and a magnetic field

The objective of this study was to evaluate parthenogenetic activation of domestic cat oocytes after being exposed to either ethanol, magnetic field, calcium ionophore A23187, or cycloheximide and a combination of these agents. We also wished to evaluate the usefulness of the magnetic field for oocyte activation. In vitro matured oocytes subjected to artificial activation were randomly assigned into eight groups according to activating agents: (1) 10% ethanol; (2) the magnetic field (slow-changing, homogenous magnetic field with low values of induction); (3) 10% ethanol plus magnetic field; (4) 10 microM calcium ionophore A23187; (5) 10 microM calcium ionophore A23187 plus magnetic field; (6) 10% ethanol and 10 microg/mL of cycloheximide; (7) 10% ethanol and 10 microg/mL of cycloheximide plus magnetic field; (8) oocytes were not exposed to any of the activating agents. After activation oocytes were stained with Hoechst 33258 and parthenogenetic activation was defined as oocytes containing pronuclei and second polar bodies or two to four or six nuclei (embryonic cleavage). The total activation rate by using different activation treatments was 40%. The addition of the magnetic field to ethanol or calcium ionophore treatments resulted in increased parthenogenetic activation rates from 47% to 75%, and from 19% to 48%, respectively (P<0.001). Instead, when the magnetic field was added to ethanol and cycloheximide treatment, activation rate decreased from 48% to 30%. Oocytes activated with magnetic field only gave the lowest activation rate (12%). We concluded that a magnetic field can be used as an activating agent, and the combination of ethanol and magnetic field is an effective method for domestic cat oocyte activation.     

Electroactivation of rabbit oocytes in an hypotonic pulsing medium and parthenogenetic in vitro development without cytochalasin B-diploidizing pretreatment

We investigated the electroactivation frequencies, type of activation and in vitro development of rabbit oocytes. In Experiment 1, activation (8 pulses, 12 min apart, 60 microsec, 0.6 kVcm(-1)) was performed by altering osmolarity (190 vs. 320 mOsm kg(-1)) and Ca++ concentration (10, 60 or 100 microM) in mannitol pulsing media. More oocytes were activated in hypotonic pulsing medium, regardless of Ca++ concentration (96 to 100%). Both haploid and diploid parthenogenetic embryos developed to compacted morulae (57 to 92% and 63 to 100%, respectively) regardless of the activation treatment; however, the blastocyst rates were more variable (0 to 74% and 0 to 73%, respectively). In Experiment 2, the effects of pulse duration (30 or 60 microsec) and number of applied pulses (4, 8 or 12) under hypotonic conditions were studied. Activation frequencies were the lowest after four 30 microsec-pulses (58 vs. 88 to 100%, respectively). A lower haploid frequency was obtained when more than four 30 or 60 microsec-pulses were applied (from 67 to 25% and 83 to 0%, respectively). Increasing the number of 60-microsec pulses improved the compacted morula rate of haploid and diploid oocytes (47 to 83% and 57 to 96%, respectively). Overall, haploid development to morulae and blastocysts was lower than diploid development to these stages (69 and 25% vs. 74 and 44%, respectively).     

Haploidy but not parthenogenetic activation leads to increased incidence of apoptosis in mouse embryos.

Aneuploidy underlies failed development and possibly apoptosis of some preimplantation embryos. We employed a haploid model in the mouse to study the effects of aneuploidy on apoptosis in preimplantation embryos. Mouse metaphase II oocytes that were activated with strontium formed haploid parthenogenetic embryos with 1 pronucleus, whereas activation of oocytes with strontium plus cytochalasin D produced diploid parthenogenetic embryo controls with 2 pronuclei. Strontium induced calcium transients that mimic sperm-induced calcium oscillations, and ploidy was confirmed by chromosomal analysis. Rates of development and apoptosis were compared between haploid and diploid parthenogenetic embryos (parthenotes) and control embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF). Haploid mouse parthenotes cleaved at a slower rate, and most arrested before the blastocyst stage, in contrast to diploid parthenotes or IVF embryos. Developmentally retarded haploid parthenotes exhibited apoptosis at a significantly higher frequency than did diploid parthenotes or IVF embryos. However, diploid parthenotes exhibited rates of preimplantation development and apoptosis similar to those of IVF embryos, indicating that parthenogenetic activation itself does not initiate apoptosis during preimplantation development. These results suggest that haploidy can lead to an increased incidence of apoptosis. Moreover, the initiation of apoptosis during preimplantation development does not require the paternal genome.     

Efficient production of nuclear transferred rat embryos by modified methods of reconstruction

In this study we investigated spontaneous oocyte activation and developmental ability of rat embryos of the SD-OFA substrain. We also tried to improve the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique in the rat by optimizing methods for the production of reconstructed embryos. About 20% of oocytes extruded the second polar body after culture for 3 hr in vitro and 84% of oocytes were at the MII stage. MG132 blocked spontaneous activation but decreased efficiency of parthenogenetic activation. Pronuclear formation was more efficient in strontium-activated oocytes (66.1-80.9%) compared to roscovitine activation (24.1-54.5%). Survival rate after enucleation was significantly higher (89.4%) after slitting the zona pellucida and then pressing the oocyte with a holding pipette in medium without cytochalasin B (CB) compared to the conventional protocol using aspiration of the chromosomes after CB treatment (67.7%). Exposure of rat ova to UV light for 30 sec did not decrease their in vitro developmental capacity. Intracytoplasmic cumulus cell injection dramatically decreased survival rate of oocytes (42%). In contrast, 75.9% of oocytes could be successfully electrofused. Development to the 2-cell stage was reduced after SCNT (24.6% compared 94.6% in controls) and none from 244 reconstructed embryos developed in vitro beyond this stage. After overnight in vitro culture, 74.4% of the SCNT embryos survived and 56.1% formed pronuclei. The pregnancy rate of 33 recipients after the transfer of 695 of these cloned embryos was, however, very low (18.2%) and only six implantation sites could be detected (0.9%) without any live fetuses and offspring.     

Development of rabbit parthenogenetic oocytes and nuclear-transferred oocytes receiving cultured cumulus cells

The present study determined a suitable parthenogenetic activation procedure for rabbit oocytes and examined the developmental potential of enucleated oocytes receiving cultured cumulus cells. Unfertilized oocytes recovered from superovulated rabbits were activated with one or two sets of electrical pulses, with or without subsequent administration of 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP). The proportion of oocytes treated with one or two sets of electrical pulses and 6-DMAP that cleaved (87% and 98%, respectively) and developed into blastocysts (77% and 85%, respectively) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those activated with electrical pulses alone (30% and 42% for cleavage, 7% and 17% for blastocysts). Cumulus cells separated from ovulated oocytes obtained from mature rabbits were cultured for three to five passages and then induced to quiescence by serum starvation before nuclear transfer. The enucleated oocytes receiving cumulus cells were activated with electrical pulses followed by the addition of 6-DMAP, and cultured in vitro for 5 to 6 d or transferred to pseudopregnant recipient females 1 d after activation. Of 186 nuclear-transferred oocytes, 123 (66%) cleaved and 42 (23%) developed into blastocysts. After transfer of 174 nuclear-transferred oocytes to 8 recipient females, a total of 3 implantation sites were observed in 3 recipient females but no fetuses were obtained.     

Parthenogenetic development of activated in vitro matured bovine oocytes

Bovine oocytes matured in vitro for 26 hours were electrically stimulated 1) by a single pulse (Treatment A); 2) by 3 pulses 30 minutes apart (Treatment B); 3) by a single pulse followed by 5 minutes of incubation in the stimulation medium (Treatment C); or 4) by a single pulse at 27 hours of maturation (Treatment D). The oocytes were then cultured for up to 8 days to assess parthenogenetic activation and development. Each electrical stimulation consisted of a 60-mus square wave pulse of 2.5 or 3.6 kV/cm. Treatment A was less effective than the other treatments (P<0.05), activating 47 or 59% of oocytes at 2.5 or 3.6 kV/cm, respectively. However, there were no differences due to voltage nor among the other treatments, which activated 64 to 78% of the oocytes. The cleavage rate, 28 to 38%, was not affected by the activation treatment, but development to the 8-cell stage or beyond was greater after activation with the higher voltage. While the numbers of morulae or blastocysts resulting from any given treatment were too small to support meaningful statistical comparison, the results indicate that bovine parthenogenotes produced in vitro are capable of development to the blastocyst stage.     

Development of pronuclei in pig oocytes activated by a single electric pulse.

Pig oocytes were matured in vitro in a modified M-199 medium for 44 h, subjected to electrical stimulation and scored for activation 6 h later. Sham pulsed oocytes, exposed to electroporation medium and an a.c. field, did not develop the female pronucleus any more frequently than occurs spontaneously (8.3% within 50 h of culture). However, a single d.c. pulse proved extremely efficient in activating pig oocytes. Pulses of 0.75-1.65 kV cm-1 lasting 30 or 100 microseconds activated at least 90% of matured oocytes. The developmental pathway taken by the activated oocytes depended on the parameters of the pulse. The lowest effective stimulation (0.45 and 0.60 kV cm-1 for 30 microseconds) frequently produced oocytes that remained in pre-pronuclear stages of activation (29.4 and 42.3%, respectively). Extrusion of the second polar body and creation of one pronucleus was the most frequent type of activation (in up to 88.2% among the activated oocytes). The strongest stimulations used (1.05-1.65 kV cm-1 for 100 microseconds) often yielded oocytes that failed to extrude the second polar body and formed two or more pronuclei (up to 56.3%). Under optimal stimulation (0.75 kV cm-1), the activated oocytes proceed synchronously to interphase of the first mitotic division. Anaphase II is reached within 30 min and telophase Ii at 1 h after application of the pulse. The second polar body is extruded about 2 h after activation. Well-defined swelling pronuclei were found in oocytes 5-6 h after activation. The relationship between the stage of oocyte maturation and susceptibility to activation was investigated. The period of culture in which the oocytes develop the activation competence (32-36 h of culture) overlapped with the period in which the oocytes complete meiosis (28-38 h). This suggests that ageing in meiotic arrest is not essential for pig oocytes to become activated by electric pulses. Activation of pig oocytes was accompanied by release of cortical granules. In sections of control (metaphase II) oocytes, an average of 7.3 intact cortical granules per 10 microns of overlying cytoplasmic membrane was found. This number dropped to 1.5 in 10 microns within 30 min after the pulse.     

Mouse oocytes gradually develop the capacity for activation during the metaphase II arrest

Metaphase II (M II) mouse oocytes were subjected to a parthenogenetic stimulus (8% ethanol) or fertilized in vitro at various times following the extrusion of the first polar body. The oocytes progressively develop the ability for full activation. Their responsiveness to activation stimuli not only increases, but also changes qualitatively with time. Newly arrested oocytes do not respond at all; then, when the ability to undergo meiotic anaphase II first develops, the response is defective: following extrusion of the second polar body (II PB), the oocyte does not enter interphase but arrests again at metaphase (M III-arrest). Finally, oocytes gain the ability for full activation including the entry to interphase. Depending on the type of activating stimulus, oocytes exhibit the capacity for full activation at different ages. The oocyte arrest in M III is similar to M II and can be released by subsequent activation. Such oocytes undergo anaphase III, extrude a third polar body (III PB), and form an aneuploid female pronuclei.     

Improved parthenogenetic development of vitrified-warmed bovine oocytes activated with 9% ethanol plus 6-DMAP

The objective was to compare various activation protocols on developmental potential of vitrified bovine oocytes. Bovine oocytes matured in vitro for 23 h were vitrified with EDFSF30 in open pulled straws. After warming, they were cultured in vitro for 1 h, followed by parthenogenetic activation. Vitrified-warmed oocytes had a morphologically normal rate similar to that of controls (nonvitrified oocytes cultured in vitro for 24 h; 98.6% vs. 100%, P > 0.05). When vitrified-warmed oocytes were first activated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and then incubated in 6-dimethylaminopurin (6-DMAP) for 4 h, cleavage and blastocyst rates were 41.2% and 23.2%, respectively, which were lower than those of controls (77.5% and 42.0%, P < 0.05). Subsequently, we varied the ethanol concentration to increase the effectiveness of parthenogenetic activation. When either 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, or 11% ethanol alone (for 5 min) or in combination with 6-DMAP (4 h) was used to activate vitrified-warmed oocytes, cleavage rates ranged from 22.3% to 61.1% and blastocyst rates ranged from 1.1% to 30.6%. These rates were optimized when oocytes were treated with 9% ethanol plus 6-DMAP; this was verified in experiments evaluating other activation protocols with 9% ethanol, calcium ionophore A23187, or ionomycin alone, or in combination with DMAP or cycloheximide (CHX). In conclusion, the oocyte activation protocol affected developmental capacity of vitrified bovine oocytes; 9% ethanol (5 min) followed by 6-DMAP (4 h) promoted optimal parthenogenetic activation.