Developmental stage of the oocyte during antral follicle growth and cumulus investment determines in vitro embryo development of sow oocytes

Decreased oocyte quality is a major determinant of age-associated fertility decline. Similarly, individuals affected by early ovarian aging carry low-quality oocytes. Using an established bovine model of early ovarian aging, we investigated key features of ‘quality’ oocyte maturation, associated with the onset of egg aneuploidy and reproductive aging, such as histone modifications, mitochondria distribution and activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and gap junction functionality. Bovine ovaries were classified according to the antral follicle count (AFC), and the retrieved oocytes were processed immediately or matured in vitro. We observed alterations in several cellular processes, suggesting a multifactorial etiology of the reduced oocyte quality. Furthermore, we performed a rescue experiment for one of the parameters considered. By adding cysteamine to the maturation medium, we experimentally increased the free radical scavenger ability of the ‘low competence’ oocytes and obtained a higher embryo development. Our findings show that adopting culture conditions that counteract the free radicals has a positive impact on the quality of ‘compromised’ oocytes. Specifically, cysteamine treatment seems to be a promising option for treating aging-related deficiencies in embryo development.

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Follicular size and stage and gonadotropin concentration affect alginate-encapsulated in vitro growth and survival of pre- and early antral dog follicles

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rd15004 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 262 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jennifer Nagashima ◽

David E. Wildt ◽

Alexander J. Travis ◽

Nucharin Songsasen

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stage ◽

Cell Activity ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

In Vitro Growth ◽

Follicle Growth ◽

Growth And Survival ◽

Alginate Encapsulation ◽

Follicular Size ◽

Over Time

Understanding stage-specific requirements of mammalian folliculogenesis is limited in the domestic dog. The present study examined the effects of two potential regulators of dog follicle growth and survival in vitro, namely the original stage of the follicle (i.e. preantral (≤230 µm diameter) vs early antral (diameter from >230 to ≤330 µm) and FSH and/or LH concentrations. After isolation and alginate encapsulation, follicles were cultured in 0, 1, 10 or 100 µg mL–1 FSH and 0, 1 or 10 ng mL–1 LH for 20 days. Regardless of stage, FSH promoted growth, but LH did the same only in the absence of FSH. Production of 17β-oestradiol and progesterone was detectable, indicating theca cell activity. The greatest growth occurred in preantral (mean (± s.d.) 61.4 ± 25.9%) versus antral (42.6 ± 20.3%) follicles, but neither developmental stage nor gonadotropin affected survival. Antrum detection was minimal due, in part, to antral collapse, and oocytes exhibited an increasingly pale appearance and chromatin degeneration over time. The results demonstrate that pre- and early antral stage dog follicles encapsulated in alginate grow significantly in vitro. However, because FSH and LH alone or in combination fail to promote antrum development, the next step is identifying factors that enhance antral expansion.

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Effects of in vitro exposure to dibutyl phthalate, mono-butyl phthalate, and acetyl tributyl citrate on ovarian antral follicle growth and viability†

Biology of Reproduction ◽

10.1095/biolreprod.116.144691 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 96 (5) ◽

pp. 1105-1117 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Lindsay M. Rasmussen ◽

Nivedita Sen ◽

Jahaira C. Vera ◽

Xiaosong Liu ◽

Zelieann R. Craig

Keyword(s):

Dibutyl Phthalate ◽

Antral Follicle ◽

Follicle Growth ◽

In Vitro Exposure ◽

Acetyl Tributyl Citrate ◽

Butyl Phthalate

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C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Stimulates Ovarian Follicle Development

Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1210/me.2012-1027 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 26 (7) ◽

pp. 1158-1166 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Yorino Sato ◽

Yuan Cheng ◽

Kazuhiro Kawamura ◽

Seido Takae ◽

Aaron J.W. Hsueh

Keyword(s):

Natriuretic Peptide ◽

Granulosa Cells ◽

Ovulation Induction ◽

Ovarian Follicle ◽

Antral Follicle ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Follicle Growth ◽

Secondary Stage

Abstract C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) encoded by the NPPC (Natriuretic Peptide Precursor C) gene expressed in ovarian granulosa cells inhibits oocyte maturation by activating the natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)B (NPRB) in cumulus cells. RT-PCR analyses indicated increased NPPC and NPRB expression during ovarian development and follicle growth, associated with increases in ovarian CNP peptides in mice. In cultured somatic cells from infantile ovaries and granulosa cells from prepubertal animals, treatment with CNP stimulated cGMP production. Also, treatment of cultured preantral follicles with CNP stimulated follicle growth whereas treatment of cultured ovarian explants from infantile mice with CNP, similar to FSH, increased ovarian weight gain that was associated with the development of primary and early secondary follicles to the late secondary stage. Of interest, treatment with FSH increased levels of NPPC, but not NPRB, transcripts in ovarian explants. In vivo studies further indicated that daily injections of infantile mice with CNP for 4 d promoted ovarian growth, allowing successful ovulation induction by gonadotropins. In prepubertal mice, CNP treatment alone also promoted early antral follicle growth to the preovulatory stage, leading to efficient ovulation induction by LH/human chorionic gonadotropin. Mature oocytes retrieved after CNP treatment could be fertilized in vitro and developed into blastocysts, allowing the delivery of viable offspring. Thus, CNP secreted by growing follicles is capable of stimulating preantral and antral follicle growth. In place of FSH, CNP treatment could provide an alternative therapy for female infertility.

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Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles—Toxicity and Effect of In Ovo Inoculation on Chicken Embryo Development, Broiler Performance and Bone Status

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11040932 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 932

Author(s):

Arkadiusz Matuszewski ◽

Monika Łukasiewicz ◽

Jan Niemiec ◽

Maciej Kamaszewski ◽

Sławomir Jaworski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calcium Carbonate ◽

Embryo Development ◽

Bone Quality ◽

Chicken Embryo ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Selection Procedure ◽

High Specificity ◽

Control Group ◽

In Ovo

The use of intensive selection procedure in modern broiler chicken lines has led to the development of several skeletal disorders in broiler chickens. Therefore, current research is focused on methods to improve the bone quality in birds. In ovo technology, using nanoparticles with a high specificity to bones, is a potential approach. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of in ovo inoculation (IOI) of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CCN) on chicken embryo development, health status, bone characteristics, and on broiler production results and bone quality. After assessing in vitro cell viability, the IOI procedure was performed with an injection of 500 μg/mL CCN. The control group was not inoculated with CCN. Hatchability, weight, and selected bone and serum parameters were measured in embryos. Part of hatchlings were reared under standard conditions until 42 days, and production results, meat quality, and bone quality of broilers were determined. CCN did not show cytotoxicity to cells and chicken embryo and positively influenced bone parameters of the embryos and of broilers later (calcification) without negatively affecting the production results. Thus, the IOI of CCN could modify the molecular responses at the stage of embryogenesis, resulting in better mineralization, and could provide a sustained effect, thereby improving bone quality in adult birds.

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Single cell RNA-seq reveals genes vital to in vitro fertilized embryos and parthenotes in pigs

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-93904-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zhi-Qiang Du ◽

Hao Liang ◽

Xiao-Man Liu ◽

Yun-Hua Liu ◽

Chonglong Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Embryo Development ◽

Gene Networks ◽

Regulatory Networks ◽

Rna Binding ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Early Embryo ◽

Specific Factor ◽

Early Embryos ◽

Genome Activation

AbstractSuccessful early embryo development requires the correct reprogramming and configuration of gene networks by the timely and faithful execution of zygotic genome activation (ZGA). However, the regulatory principle of molecular elements and circuits fundamental to embryo development remains largely obscure. Here, we profiled the transcriptomes of single zygotes and blastomeres, obtained from in vitro fertilized (IVF) or parthenogenetically activated (PA) porcine early embryos (1- to 8-cell), focusing on the gene expression dynamics and regulatory networks associated with maternal-to-zygote transition (MZT) (mainly maternal RNA clearance and ZGA). We found that minor and major ZGAs occur at 1-cell and 4-cell stages for both IVF and PA embryos, respectively. Maternal RNAs gradually decay from 1- to 8-cell embryos. Top abundantly expressed genes (CDV3, PCNA, CDR1, YWHAE, DNMT1, IGF2BP3, ARMC1, BTG4, UHRF2 and gametocyte-specific factor 1-like) in both IVF and PA early embryos identified are of vital roles for embryo development. Differentially expressed genes within IVF groups are different from that within PA groups, indicating bi-parental and maternal-only embryos have specific sets of mRNAs distinctly decayed and activated. Pathways enriched from DEGs showed that RNA associated pathways (RNA binding, processing, transport and degradation) could be important. Moreover, mitochondrial RNAs are found to be actively transcribed, showing dynamic expression patterns, and for DNA/H3K4 methylation and transcription factors as well. Taken together, our findings provide an important resource to investigate further the epigenetic and genome regulation of MZT events in early embryos of pigs.

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