scholarly journals Bovine conceptus of Bos indicus produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer and parthenogenesis present morphological variations since the blastocyst stage

2015 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1483-1491
Author(s):  
F.D. Oliveira ◽  
J.R. Sangalli ◽  
F.V. Meirelles ◽  
F. Perecin ◽  
P.P.C. Silva Filho ◽  
...  

In cattle, embryo development is characterized by the appearance of two distinct cell layers, the trophectoderm and the inner cell mass. The latter will undergo differentiation to form the embryonic disc consisting of the epiblast and hypoblast. The aim of this study was to ultrastructurally characterize the bovine embryo from different in vitro production techniques, with emphasis on trophectoderm and inner cell mass cells. Bovine embryos on day 7 (conception = D1) of pregnancy, derived via in vitro production techniques, were fixed for light and transmission electron microscopy processing. Results suggested that embryos produced by nuclear transfer of somatic cells and parthenogenesis showed significant changes in macroscopic and microscopic structure. Size was reduced, and the inner cell mass had no defined shape. Furthermore, organelles responsible for the absorption processes, communication, growth, and cellular metabolism were fewer and had changes in shape, when compared to results in embryos produced by in vitrofertilization. We concluded that embryos produced by parthenogenesis and SCNT exhibit morphological differences when compared with IVF embryos, such as undeveloped blastocoel, poorly defined distribution of ICM, and morphological differences in organelles.

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 723-731
Author(s):  
N.V. Sollecito ◽  
E.C.M. Pereira ◽  
J.G.V. Grázia ◽  
B.P. Neves ◽  
B.V.R. Couto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the supplementation of embryo culture medium with antioxidant obtained from oily extract of Lippia origanoides on in vitro blastocyst development and quality. Oocytes collected from slaughterhouse ovaries were matured and fertilized in vitro following standard laboratory procedures. Zygotes were cultured in SOF medium supplemented according to the following treatments: T1 embryo culture medium without antioxidant supplementation; T2)50μM/mL Cysteamine; T3)2.5μg/mL; T4)5.0μg/mL and T5)10.0μg/mL of antioxidant obtained from oily extract of Lippia origanoides. On the seventh day of culture, the blastocysts were fixed and evaluated for apoptosis rates, number of total cell and inner cell mass cells by means of the TUNEL Test. The use of antioxidants during cultivation did not increase (P> 0.05) the final blastocyst production rate. The treatments T2, T3, T4 and T5 had the lowest (P< 0.05) apoptotic indexes (4.5±1.1%, 8.4±2.5%, 3.4±1.1% and 5.5±0.9%, respectively) when compared to T1 treatment (10.0±1.4%). The number of inner cell mass did not differ (P> 0.05) among embryos from different treatments. The addition of antioxidant obtained from oily extract of Lippia origanoides reduces the apoptosis rate and improves the quality without increasing the total in vitro production of bovine embryos.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
M. S. Ortega ◽  
P. J. Hansen

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in WBP1 has been previously associated with embryonic development to the blastocyst stage. WBP1 interacts with WW domain containing proteins including YAP1 from the hippo signalling pathway that is involved in trophectoderm (TE) formation. Here we tested whether reduction in mRNA abundance for WBP1 would reduce development to the blastocyst stage and formation of cells in the inner cell mass (ICM) and TE. Knockdown was performed using a GapmeR LNATM antisense oligonucleotide designed to target WBP1. A scrambled version of the same sequence was used as a control. Embryos were produced in vitro from slaughterhouse oocytes and bulls from Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds. At 20 to 22 h after insemination (hpi), embryos were treated with 5 µM anti-WBP1 GapmeR (KD), 5 µM scrambled GapmeR (SC), or vehicle (CTL). At 72 to 75 hpi (the time of maximal WBP1 expression), groups of 18 to 20 embryos were collected from each treatment to evaluate WBP1 expression. Other cultured embryos (minimum of 50/treatment for each replicate) were cultured until Day 8 after insemination. Cleavage was assessed at Day 3 and blastocyst formation at Day 7 and 8. Embryos were collected at Day 8 to determine ICM and TE cell number by determining nuclear immunoreactive CDX2. All experiments were replicated 5 times. Fold change was calculated relative to the CTL group. Data were analysed by analysis of variance for gene expression and cell number, and through logistic regression for embryonic development. WBP1 expression was reduced (P = 0.04) in KD embryos compared to CTL (least squares means ± SEM: 1 ± 0.19 v. 0.64 ± 0.19 fold change) or SC (1.05 ± 0.19). There was no difference in expression between CTL and SC. Percent of embryos that cleaved was not affected by treatment (P > 0.05); however, percent of inseminated oocytes that became blastocysts tended to be lower in KD compared to CTL and SC at Day 7 (P = 0.09) [10.8 ± 2.8, 20 ± 3.0, and 16.3 ± 3.1% for KD, CTL, and SC, respectively] and 8 after insemination (P = 0.06) [13.7 ± 3.3, 24.2 ± 3.3, and 22.9 ± 3.6%]. Knockdown of WBP1 caused a reduction in number of total (P = 0.0004) and TE (P < 0.0001) cells with no effect on ICM cell number (P = 0.83). Total cell numbers for KD, SC, and CTL were 124.2 ± 6.4, 157.75 ± 7.4, and 124.28 ± 6.4 and numbers of TE cells were 59.7 ± 3.8, 90.0 ± 4.47, and 90.0 ± 4.4. Results show that reduction in mRNA for WBP1 decreases TE formation and tends to reduce competence of embryos to become blastocysts. This study was supported by USDA AFRI 2013–68004–20365.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Martínez-Rodero ◽  
Tania García-Martínez ◽  
Erika Alina Ordóñez-León ◽  
Meritxell Vendrell-Flotats ◽  
Carlos Olegario-Hidalgo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background VitTrans is a device that enables the vitrification and warming/dilution of in vitro produced bovine embryos followed by their direct transfer to recipient females in field conditions. This study sought to improve the VitTrans method by comparing two equilibration times: short (SE: 3 min) and long (LE: 12 min). Outcome measures recorded in vitrified D7 and D8 expanded blastocysts were survival and hatching rates, differential cell counts, apoptosis rate and gene expression. Results While survival rates at 3 h and 24 h post-warming were reduced (P < 0.05) after vitrification, hatching rates of D7 embryos vitrified after SE were similar to those obtained in fresh non-vitrified blastocysts. Hatching rates of vitrified D8 blastocysts were lower (P < 0.05) than of fresh controls, regardless of treatment. Total cell counts, and inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell numbers were similar in hatched blastocysts derived from D7 blastocysts vitrified after SE and fresh blastocysts, while vitrified D8 blastocysts yielded lower values, regardless of treatment. The rate of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in both treatment groups when compared to fresh controls, although apoptosis rates were lower using the SE than LE protocol. No differences emerged in expression of the genes BAX, AQP3, CX43 and IFNτ between blastocysts vitrified after SE or LE, whereas a significantly higher abundance of BCL2L1 and SOD1 transcripts was observed in blastocysts vitrified after SE compared to LE. Conclusions The VitTrans device combined with a shorter exposure to the equilibration medium improves vitrification/warming outcomes facilitating the direct transfer of vitrified embryos under field conditions.


Reproduction ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Smith ◽  
Debbie Berg ◽  
Sue Beaumont ◽  
Neil T Standley ◽  
David N Wells ◽  
...  

During somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT), the transcriptional status of the donor cell has to be reprogrammed to reflect that of an embryo. We analysed the accuracy of this process by comparing transcript levels of four developmentally important genes (Oct4,Otx2,Ifitm3,GATA6), a gene involved in epigenetic regulation (Dnmt3a) and three housekeeping genes (β-actin, β-tubulinandGAPDH) in 21 NT blastocysts with that in genetically half-identicalin vitroproduced (IVP,n=19) andin vivo(n=15) bovine embryos. We have optimised an RNA-isolation and SYBR-green-based real-time RT-PCR procedure allowing the reproducible absolute quantification of multiple genes from a single blastocyst. Our data indicated that transcript levels did not differ significantly between stage and grade-matched zona-free NT and IVP embryos except for Ifitm3/Fragilis, which was expressed at twofold higher levels in NT blastocysts.Ifitm3expression is confined to the inner cell mass at day 7 blastocysts and to the epiblast in day 14 embryos. No ectopic expression in the trophectoderm was seen in NT embryos. Gene expression in NTand IVP embryos increased between two- and threefold for all eight genes from early to late blastocyst stages. This increase exceeded the increase in cell number over this time period indicating an increase in transcript number per cell. Embryo quality (morphological grading) was correlated to cell number for NT and IVP embryos with grade 3 blastocysts containing 30% fewer cells. However, only NT embryos displayed a significant reduction in gene expression (50%) with loss of quality. Variability in gene expression levels was not significantly different in NT, IVP orin vivoembryos but differed among genes, suggesting that the stringency of regulation is intrinsic to a gene and not affected by culture or nuclear transfer.Oct4levels exhibited the lowest variability. Analysing the total variability of all eight genes for individual embryos revealed thatin vivoembryos resembled each other much more than did NT and IVP blastocysts. Furthermore,in vivoembryos, consisting of 1.5-fold more cells, generally contained two- to fourfold more transcripts for the eight genes than did their cultured counterparts. Thus, culture conditions (in vivoversusin vitro) have greater effects on gene expression than does nuclear transfer when minimising genetic heterogeneity.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
S. Wohlres-Viana ◽  
M. M. Pereira ◽  
A. P. Oliveira ◽  
J. H. M. Viana ◽  
M. A. Machado ◽  
...  

The Zebu breeds (Bos indicus) are different from European breeds (Bos taurus) in some aspects of their reproductive physiology, including follicle recruitment, number of follicular waves, and oocyte ultrastructure. On the other hand, embryos produced in vivo and in vitro show morphological and developmental differences, which can be related to culture environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of breed (Gyr v. Holstein) within embryo production system (in vivo and in vitro), as well as effect of production systems within breeds on relative abundance of transcripts related to formation, survival, and subsequent development of blastocysts, such as those involved in water and small solutes transport (Aquaporins 3 and 11), blastocoel formation (Na+/K+-ATPase a1 and |52), and cellular stress response (Peroxiredoxin 1). For in vivo embryo production, donors were superstimulated with FSH and inseminated, and embryos were recovered 7 days after AI. For in vitro embryo production, oocytes recovered by ovum pickup were in vitro matured and fertilized and then cultured for 7 days in culture medium under 5% CO2 at 38.5°C. For each group, blastocysts (n = 15) distributed in 3 pools were used for RNA extraction (RNeasy MicroKit, Qiagen, Valencia, CA, USA), followed by RNA amplification (Messageamp II amplification kit, Ambion-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA) and reverse transcription (SuperScript III First-Stand Synthesis Supermix, Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). The cDNA were submitted to real-time PCR, using the H2a gene as endogenous control, and analyzed by REST© software. To evaluate breed effect within the production systems, 2 comparisons were performed: (1) in vivo: Gyr v. Holstein and (2) in vitro: Gyr v. Holstein, considering Holstein data as 1.00. To evaluate production system effect within breeds, 2 comparisons were performed: (1) Gyr: in vivo v. in vitro and (2) Holstein: in vivo v. in vitro, considering in vivo produced embryo data as 1.00. The results are shown as mean ± SEM. For in vivo comparison between breeds, Aquaporin 3 (1.66 ± 0.77), Na+/K+-ATPase a1 (1.61 ± 0.56), and Peroxiredoxin 1 (1.61 ± 0.66) were up-regulated (P < 0.05) in Gyr embryos when compared with Holstein embryos, whereas for in vitro comparison, no differences (P > 0.05) were found. For comparisons between production systems within breeds, only Peroxiredoxin 1 (0.31 ± 0.39) was down-regulated (P < 0.01) in in vitro produced Gyr embryos when compared with in vivo counterparts. No differences (P > 0.05) were found between production systems for the Holstein breed. In conclusion, these data suggest that there is a difference on gene expression between Bos taurus and Bos indicus blastocysts, but such difference between breeds can be attenuated by the in vitro production system, indicating an embryo adaptation to the in vitro culture conditions. The data also suggest that the in vitro production system can influence the amount of transcripts in Gyr embryos. Other genes should be evaluated for a better understanding of these differences. Financial support was provided by CNPq and FAPEMIG.


2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Y. U. Kim ◽  
D. P. Bhandari ◽  
M. S. Hossein ◽  
S. M. Park ◽  
E. Lee ◽  
...  

Insulin promotes the uptake of glucose and amino acids, and is beneficial for maturation of oocytes in vitro. Transferrin is an iron-transport protein and selenium is an essential trace element. Insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS) together has been used in some in vitro maturation systems. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of ITS in defined and porcine folicular fluid (pFF)-supplemented IVM medium on the glutathione (GSH) concentration, and on developmental competence after somatic cell nuclear transfer. ITS liquid media supplement (I-3146) was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St Louis, MO, USA). Basic IVM medium was TCM-199 supplemented with 10 ng mL-1 epidermal growth factor, 4 IU mL-1 pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and hCG and either 1% PVA (defined medium) or 10% pFF. Ten �g mL-1 insulin, 5.5 �g mL-1 transferrin, and 5 �g mL-1 selenium was used for the entire 44-h culture period. The GSH content of a gruop of 10 to 20 oocytes was determined by the dithionitrobezoic acid-glutathione disulfide (DTNB-GSSG) reductase recycling assay. Fetal fibroblasts were used as somatic cell donors and reconstructed embryos were cultured in mNCSU-23 medium for 168 h. Cleavage and blastocyst formation was observed at 48 h and 168 h, respectively. The quality of blastocysts was assessed by differential staining of the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE) cells. Each experiment was replicated for 5 times. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and Tukey was used as a posthoc test. The level of GSH production significantly varied in different culture conditions. The highest GSH concentration was observed in the pFF + ITS group (8.2 picomol/oocyte). A total of 116, 125, 126, and 120 reconstructed oocytes were cultured, and 10.1, 15.3, 17.2, and 21.8% blastocysts were observed for PVA, PVA + ITS, pFF, and pFF + ITS groups, respectively (P &lt; 0.05). The numbers of inner cell mass, trophrectoderm cells, and total cells were significantly higher in the pFF + ITS group compared with the other groups. The average number of total cells in blastocysts was 31.9 � 1.8, 43.1 � 3.5, 46.7 � 4.9, and 52.3 � 6.7 for PVA, PVA + ITS, pFF, and pFF + ITS groups, respectively (P &lt; 0.05). ITS supplement improved the developmental competence in both the defined and the pFF supplemented groups. We recommend supplementing porcine IVM medium with 10 �g mL-1 insulin, 5.5 �g mL-1 transferrin, and 5 �g mL-1 selenium.


2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
I. M. Saadeldin ◽  
B. H. Kim ◽  
B. Roibas da Torre ◽  
O. J. Koo ◽  
G. Jang ◽  
...  

Nuclear transfer (NT) has been used to produce many cloned offspring using several types of cells, including embryonic cells. Even though inner cell mass cells have been used as donor karyoplast for producing cloned animals, there are few studies using trophoblast. In mice, clones were born by nuclear transfer of trophoblasts from the expanded blastocyst into enucleated oocytes as a trial to show the totipotency of both inner cell mass and trophectoderm cells isolated from blastocysts (Tsunoda and Kato 1998 J. Reprod. Fertil. 113, 181–184). However, bovine trophoblast cell (TC) lines have not been used in NT to date. The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether TC as donor cell can be reprogrammed in bovine enucleated oocyte and determine the relative abundance of interferon tau (IFNτ) expression in the resulting cloned preimplantational embryos. Hatched blastocysts produced by IVF were used to isolate TCs on mouse embryonic fibroblasts treated with mitomycin C as feeder cells. TCs and adult fibroblasts (AF, control group for NT) were microinjected to perivitelline space of in vitro mature enucleated oocytes and electrically fused. Reconstructed embryos were chemically activated and cultured in a 2-step chemically defined medium. Levels of IFNτ expression in IVF-, TC-, and AF-derived blastocysts were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). IVF produced embryos were used as reference to analyze the linear progressive expression of IFNτ through mid-, expanded, and hatching blastocysts. As a result, TCs expressing IFNτ were successfully isolated and cultured on feeder layers. It grew as cell sheets of cuboidal epithelium with high proliferation capacity as a single colony originated from a small clump of cells measured 0.5 cm within 7 days of culture. TCs were reprogrammed in the enucleated oocytes to blastocyst with similar efficiency to AF (14.5% and 15.6%, respectively; P ≤ 0.05). RT-qPCR studies showed that IFNτ expression was higher in TC-derived blastocysts than IVF- and AF-derived blastocysts. Both IVF- and TC-derived blastocysts, showed progressive increase of IFNτ expression through the advancement of blastocyst development when it was compared to AF-derived blastocysts. In conclusion, using TCs expressing IFNτ as donor cell for bovine NT could increase the developmental competence of cloned embryos as indicated by progressive linear increase in IFNτ expression. This study was supported by grants from IPET (#109023-05-1-CG000), NRF (#M10625030005-10N250300510), MKE (#2009-67-10033839, #2009-67-10033805), and BK21 program. Saadeldin I. M. is supported by Islamic Development Bank (IDB) merit scholarship, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.


2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Murakami ◽  
C.E. Ferguson ◽  
O. Perez ◽  
A. Boediono ◽  
D. Paccamonti ◽  
...  

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