The effect of macromolecule and growth factor combinations on in vitro development of bovine embryos

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of diferent macromolecule sources added to synthetic oviduct fuid (SOF) culture medium supplemented with growth factors on the development of bovine embryos and blastocyst morphology. Zygotes were distributed into 5 treatment groups. Cleavage, morula, and blastocyst rates were evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) cells were determined by diferential staining method. It was found that bovine serum albumin (BSA), either alone or in combination with growth factors, as compared to the control or polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) resulted in higher embryo yield and faster development during early bovine embryo culture. The quality of bovine embryos, based on the number of blastocyst cells and the ratio of ICM to total blastomeres, was afected by the sources of macromolecules and their combinations with growth factors. Growth factors supplemented to SOFaa media with BSA and PVA signifcantly increased the number of ICM cells and the ratio of ICM cells to total number of cells. In conclusion, replacing BSA with PVA depressed the blastocyst rate and cell numbers, and the number of blastomeres and ICM and TE cell numbers were afected by both the type of macromolecule and the growth factor supplements.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of diferent macromolecule sources added to synthetic oviduct fuid (SOF) culture medium supplemented with growth factors on the development of bovine embryos and blastocyst morphology. Zygotes were distributed into 5 treatment groups. Cleavage, morula, and blastocyst rates were evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) cells were determined by diferential staining method. It was found that bovine serum albumin (BSA), either alone or in combination with growth factors, as compared to the control or polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) resulted in higher embryo yield and faster development during early bovine embryo culture. The quality of bovine embryos, based on the number of blastocyst cells and the ratio of ICM to total blastomeres, was afected by the sources of macromolecules and their combinations with growth factors. Growth factors supplemented to SOFaa media with BSA and PVA signifcantly increased the number of ICM cells and the ratio of ICM cells to total number of cells. In conclusion, replacing BSA with PVA depressed the blastocyst rate and cell numbers, and the number of blastomeres and ICM and TE cell numbers were afected by both the type of macromolecule and the growth factor supplements.