| Abstract: | The survival and development of cow eggs in the rabbit oviduct after storage at room temperature and after cooling and storage at 0-7-5 degrees C was examined. In PBS medium at room temperature 88% of Day-5 and 85% of Day-3 eggs showed normal development, but in TCM 199, 71% of Day-5 and only 49% of Day-3 eggs showed normal development. Duration of storage (1 1/2-2 hr or 6 1/2-7 1/2 hr) and cleavage stage before storage had no appreciable effect on development. Some retardation of development occurred in Day-3 eggs after 96 hr in the rabbit oviduct when compared to Day-5 eggs after 48 hr. Cooling of Day-5 and Day-6 eggs to 0-7-5 degrees C resulted in degeneration of a large proportion of eggs. Of the factors examined, storage medium (PBS or PBS+20%FCS), storage time (2 min, 24 hr) and storage temperature (0, 2, 5 or 7-5 degrees C) had little effect, but slower cooling rates tended to improve survival of eggs although the differences were not significant. More morulae (greater than 32 cells) than 8-to 24-celled eggs developed normally. |
