Early Development of Bovine Embryos

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of co-culture with bovine oviductal epithelial tissue (BOET), serum (FCS) supplement, oxygen concentration in the gas phase, water quality for medium preparation, culture media and glucose supplement on the development of in vitro matured and fertilized bovine oocytes. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) Serum supplement is not essential for co-culture of bovine embryos with BOET. 2) BOET may serve to reduce oxygen concentration in the medium. Low oxygen concentration (5 %) enhances blastocyst development without somatic cell support. 3) The purity of water is an important factor of successful culture of bovine embryos. Highly purified (Milli-Q) water must be used for preparing protein- free medium. 4) Blastocyst development in m-SOF (47 %) is superior to that in m-TCM199 (31 %) in protein-free culture without somatic cell support. 5) High glucose concentration in culture and insemination medium (5.6 mM or 13.9 mM) subsequently suppresses embryonic development. It follows from the above that bovine early embryos can develop to the blastocyst stage without somatic cell support at low oxygen concentration (5 %) in a protein-free medium with low glucose prepared with highly purified water. © 1995, THE SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT. All rights reserved.