In vitro culture of bovine nuclear transfer embryos in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFM)

1992 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
K.J. McLaughlin ◽  
D.M. McLean ◽  
P.A. Lewis ◽  
L. Hicks ◽  
G. Stevens ◽  
...  
1990 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 633 ◽  
Author(s):  
SK Walker ◽  
TM Heard ◽  
PJ Verma ◽  
GE Rogers ◽  
CS Bawden ◽  
...  

Microinjected sheep zygotes were cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFM) for either 1 or 3 days and their subsequent developmental capacity was compared with that of microinjected zygotes cultured in vivo. Two experiments were carried out, using zygotes microinjected with one of three gene constructs containing the CysE and CysM genes from Salmonella typhimurium. In Experiment 1, microinjected zygotes were allocated to one of three treatments: (1) immediate transfer to recipient ewes (in vivo culture) followed by recollection 1 or 3 days later and subsequent transfer of viable embryos to other recipient ewes, (2) culture in SOFM (in vitro culture) for either 1 or 3 days before transfer to recipient ewes, and (3) immediate transfer to recipient ewes without subsequent interference. Recipient ewes were slaughtered on Day 14 of pregnancy and the number of elongated conceptuses determined. Although fewer zygotes failed to divide during in vitro culture than during in vivo culture, there were, overall, no significant differences between treatments in the percentage of zygotes that developed into elongated conceptuses (32.6-50.0%). In Experiment 2, microinjected zygotes were transferred immediately to recipient ewes or cultured in vitro for either 1 or 3 days before transfer. The number of fetuses per ewe on Day 50 of pregnancy and the number of lambs delivered per ewe were recorded. Neither the percentage of recipient ewes that became pregnant (overall 114/166, 68.7%) nor the percentage of zygotes that developed into lambs (overall 186/803, 23.2%) was significantly influenced by the culture treatment or by the gene construct microinjected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1998 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. G. Jung ◽  
T. Sakata ◽  
E. S. Lee ◽  
Y. Fukui

The uptake and synthesis of 19 amino acids by fresh or frozen–thawed bovine blastocysts produced by parthenogenesis (PT) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) were compared in the present study. Fresh blastocysts, 180 h after IVF or PT activation, and frozen–thawed blastocysts, 168 h old and cultured for 12 h post-thawing, were cultured in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFM) containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with both essential and non-essential amino acids (EAA and NEAA, respectively) (Medium 1: M1) or SOFM containing PVA with only EAA (Medium 2: M2). In Experiment 1, when fresh or frozen–thawed PT blastocysts were cultured in M1, the uptake of glutamate (in fresh only), aspartate and arginine, and the synthesis of glutamine and alanine were significantly enhanced. In the culture with M2, serine, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, arginine and alanine were significantly taken up. It was found that the glutamine concentrations was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the culture medium drops containing embryos than in the drops without embryos. In Experiment 2, when PT blastocysts were cultured in M1, the uptake of aspartate and synthesis of alanine were greater (P < 0.01) than those by IVF blastocysts. When M2 was used, a significant (P < 0.01) production of serine, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine and alanine, and the uptake of arginine by PT blastocysts were observed. In Experiment 3, when IVF blastocysts were cultured in M1, fresh blastocysts depleted more aspartate and glutamate, and produced more glutamine and alanine than frozen–thawed blastocysts. When cultured in M2, frozen–thawed blastocysts depleted more threonine (P < 0.01) than fresh blastocysts. These results indicate that the uptake and synthesis of amino acids were different in fresh or frozen–thawed bovine blastocysts derived from PT or IVF. These differences in amino acid metabolism may be related to the viability of the blastocysts.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
M. J. Sansinena ◽  
D. Owiny ◽  
R. S. Denniston ◽  
D. Salamone ◽  
D. Barry

The riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticulares), one of South Africa's most threatened mammals, with an estimated population size under 250, was upgraded from endangered to critically endangered in 2002. The low number of riverine rabbits precludes any attempts of nuclear transfer (NT) using intraspecific oocytes; therefore, the overall aim of this study was to assess the ability of the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) oocyte to reprogram the somatic cell of the endangered riverine rabbit by interspecies NT. A preliminary study evaluated the effect of timing of enucleation after induction of ovulation (h post-hCG). A second study assessed the effects of two activation protocols. In addition, since the unique characteristics of the rabbit zona pellucida affect the speed of micromanipulation, different exposure periods to UV light at enucleation were evaluated. Adult domestic Californian rabbits were treated with eCG for 72 h, and ovulation was induced by hCG administration. Oocytes were collected by retrograde flushing at 12–14 h or 16–18 h post-hCG administration and stripped of cumulus investments with 0.5% hyaluronidase in Ca-Mg-free PBS. Metaphase-II oocytes were selected by visualizing the first polar body. Oocytes were stained with 2 mg mL–1 Hoechst 33342 for 5 min, and metaphase plates were removed with a 25–30 μm (O.D.) borosilicate beveled, spiked pipette after exposure to <5 or 30–40 s of UV light. Adult adipose-derived riverine rabbit fibroblasts grown to confluency in DMEM with 10% FCS were used as donor cells and fused with 2 consecutive DC pulses (3.2 kV cm–1, 45 μs). After reconstruction, couplets were randomly assigned for activation by either a second set of electrical pulses or incubation with ionomycin, followed by 1 h of incubation in 2 mm 6-DMAP. Embryos were co-cultured with a bovine oviductal cell monolayer in DMEM with 10% FCS and assessed for cleavage after 36 h of in vitro culture. There was a significant difference in the number of cleaved embryos from oocytes collected at 12–14 h post-hCG (n = 50) or 16–18 h post-hCG (n = 51) administration (57% v. 0% cleaved; P < 0.05). No significant difference was detected in embryos developing after electrofusion v. ionomycin activation treatments. However, a significantly greater number (P < 0.05) of embryos cleaved from oocytes exposed to <5 s UV than from oocytes exposed to 30–40 s UV (Table 1). A total of 20 embryos (4-cell to 16-cell stages) were surgically transferred to the oviducts of 4 adult New Zealand white synchronized recipients after 48 h of in vitro culture. Two recipients (<5 s UV exposure treatment group) were diagnosed pregnant by abdominal palpation at 15 days post-transfer; pregnancies were subsequently lost by Day 30, with placental tissues recovered. This preliminary study indicates the domestic rabbit oocyte is capable of reprogramming riverine rabbit donor cells. In addition, the time of oocyte collection after ovulation induction and the UV exposure period during enucleation have an effect on the efficiency of interspecies NT and embryo development in this species. Table 1. Effect of UV exposure during enucleation on the in vitro development of interspecies nuclear transfer riverine rabbit embryos


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Y. Liu ◽  
A. Lucas-Hahn ◽  
B. Petersen ◽  
R. Li ◽  
P. Hassel ◽  
...  

Two nuclear transfer (NT) techniques are routinely used to produce cloned animals, traditional cloning (TC) and handmade cloning (HMC). The TC embryos keep their zona and can be transferred at early stages, whereas HMC embryos are zona-free and must be cultured to the morula/blastocyst stage before transfer. Some studies have shown that in vitro culture reduces embryo development and quality, but it is not known whether embryos produced by TC or HMC differ because of the NT method or the in vitro culture. Therefore, we investigated the developmental competence and histone acetylation (H3K18ac) of porcine NT embryos produced by TC and HMC with (Day 5 and 6) or without (Day 0) in vitro culture. Nuclear transfer experiments were performed on same day (Day 0), using same batch of porcine oocytes and donor cells and same in vitro culture conditions. Cloning procedures were previously described (TC : Cloning Stem Cells 10 : 355; HMC : Zygote 20 : 61). Parthenogenetically activated embryos (PA) were used as control of activation and culture conditions. Embryos from all groups were collected for immunostaining of H3K18ac on Days 0, 5, and 6. The normalized H3K18ac level was calculated as previously described (Epigenetics 6 : 177). Cell numbers per blastocyst in each group were counted on Days 5 and 6. The cleavage rate (Day 2) and blastocyst rates (Days 5 and 6) between groups were analysed by Chi-squared test, whereas cell number per blastocysts and H3K18ac level between groups and days were analysed by ANOVA (SAS version 9.2; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Cleavage rate of HMC embryos was lower than that of TC embryos, but blastocyst rate and cell number per blastocyst were higher in the HMC group compared with TC (Table 1). Differences of H3K18ac level between HMC, TC, and PA groups were only observed on Day 6 but not on Day 0 or Day 5. Within HMC and TC groups, there was no difference in H3K18ac level between Day 0 and Day 5, but the level was lower on Day 6 compared with Day 5 in the HMC group, whereas the TC group displayed the opposite pattern. In conclusion, NT embryos produced by HMC show higher blastocyst rate and cell number per blastocyst compared with TC embryos. Both in vitro culture and the NT method result in differences of the normalized H3K18ac levels. Further study is needed to investigate putative differences between NT embryos produced by HMC and TC compared to in vivo embryos also after transfer to recipients. Table 1.Cleavage and blastocyst rate, cell numbers, and normalized H3K18ac level for handmade cloning (HMC), traditional cloning (TC), and parthenogenetically activated (PA) embryos1


2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
L. O'Hara ◽  
N. Forde ◽  
D. Rizos ◽  
V. Maillo ◽  
A. D. Ealy ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short term progesterone (P4) supplementation on circulating P4 concentrations, corpus luteum (CL) size, and conceptus development in cattle. The oestrous cycles of crossbred beef heifers were synchronised using a 7-day PRID® Delta (1.55 g P4) treatment with administration of a PGF2α analog (Enzaprost®) the day before PRID® Delta removal. Only those recorded in standing oestrus (Day 0) were used. In Experiment 1, heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups: (1) control: no treatment, (2) placebo: insertion of a blank device (no P4) from Day 3 to 7, (3) insertion of a PRID® Delta from Day 3 to 7, (4) insertion of a PRID® Delta from Day 3 to 5, or (v5) insertion of a PRID® Delta from Day 5 to 7. In vitro produced blastocysts were transferred to each heifer on Day 7 (10 blastocysts per heifer) and conceptuses were recovered at slaughter on Day 14. In Experiment 2 heifers were artificially inseminated at oestrus and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups (1) placebo, (2) PRID® Delta from Day 3 to 5, or (3) PRID® Delta from Day 3 to 7. All heifers were slaughtered on Day 16, and recovered conceptuses were incubated in synthetic oviduct fluid medium for 24 h; spent media and uterine flushes were analysed for interferon-tau (IFNT). In both experiments, daily blood samples were taken to measure serum P4 concentration. Data were analysed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Insertion of a PRID® Delta resulted in an increase (P < 0.05) in serum P4, which declined following removal. In Experiment 1, serum P4 concentration was significantly lower from Day 9 to 14 (P < 0.05) and Day 14 CL weight was lower in the PRID® Delta Day 3 to 7 group than the placebo or control groups. P4 supplementation from Day 3 to 5 (17.0 ± 1.4 mm) or Day 3 to 7 (11.3 ± 2.3 mm) increased conceptus length compared to the placebo (2.1 ± 1.8 mm). In Experiment 2, serum P4 was significantly lower in the two supplemented groups following PRID® Delta removal compared with the placebo (P < 0.05) and was associated with a lower CL weight in the Day 3 to 7 group. Supplementation from Day 3 to 5 (94.0 ± 18.8 mm) or Day 3 to 7 (143.6 ± 20.6 mm) increased conceptus length on Day 16 compared to the placebo (50.3 ± 17.4 mm). Conceptus length was strongly correlated with the concentration of IFNT in the uterine flush (r = 0.58; P = 0.011) and spent culture medium (r = 0.68; P < 0.002). These findings highlight the somewhat paradoxical effects of P4 supplementation when given in the early metoestrus period in terms of its positive effect on conceptus development and its potentially negative effects on CL lifespan. Supported by CEVA Sante Animale and Science Foundation Ireland (07/SRC/B1156).


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
L. T. K. Do ◽  
Y. Sato ◽  
M. Taniguchi ◽  
T. Otoi

The developmental ability of interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) embryos decreases as the taxonomic distance between the donor and recipient species increases. Treatment of cat iSCNT embryos using bovine oocytes with 50 nM of trichostatin A (TSA) improves in vitro embryonic development (Wittayarat et al. 2013 Cell. Reprogram. 15, 301–308). This study investigated whether the TSA treatment effects differ between the development of cat iSCNT embryos reconstructed with porcine and bovine oocytes. Porcine and bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes were in vitro matured for 44 h and 24 h, respectively. After cumulus cell removal, enucleation was performed by aspiration of the metaphase II plate and the first polar body using a piezo-driven pipette. A cat fibroblast cell was then injected into cytoplasm of successfully enucleated oocyte. Reconstructed cybrids were electrically activated by a single 1.5 kV cm–1 pulse for 100 µs (pig-cat embryos), or a 2.3 kV cm–1 pulse for 30 µs (cow-cat embryos). Pig-cat and cow-cat embryos were cultured in porcine zygote medium (PZM)-5 and modified synthetic oviducal fluid medium (mSOF), respectively. After electrical activation, pig-cat and cow-cat embryos were cultured in medium supplemented with 5 µg mL–1 cytochalasin B + 50 nM TSA (TSA group) or without TSA (control group), and the cow-cat embryo medium was also supplemented with 10 µg mL–1 cycloheximide. After 2 h, TSA-treated pig-cat and cow-cat embryos were incubated in medium supplemented with TSA for 22 h, followed by 48 h incubation without TSA. Pig-cat and cow-cat control embryos were cultured in medium without TSA for 70 h after activation. Then, all pig-cat and cow-cat embryos were cultured in porcine blastocyst medium (PBM) or mSOF medium supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum, respectively, for 5 additional days. Four to seven replicates were performed for each experiment. Data were analysed using Student's t-test. For pig-cat embryos, no difference was observed in cleavage rates between both groups, but development to the blastocyst stage was higher in the pig control group (n = 147, 8.0%) than that of pig TSA group (n = 131, 0.7%; P < 0.05). In contrast, development to the blastocyst stage in cow-cat embryos was not observed in the cow control group (n = 125, 0%), but it was observed in cow TSA group (n = 136, 3.7%). These results indicate that TSA treatment effects are species-specific, but those effects remain to be clarified.


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