Oocyte quality and embryo production in cattle

Abstract

New evidence indicates that bovine oocytes are not always in synchrony with their surrounding follicles. During rapid follicular growth, the oocytes do not acquire a full developmental competence. The plateau phase at the end of the growth phase resulting in dominance or atresia seems important for oocytes to accumulate the information required to become viable embryos. The ovarian follicle has a behavior similar to a fruit where the seed must await the ripening of the envelope to achieve its full potential. This knowledge can now be applied to harvest oocytes of higher quality through transvaginal aspiration in cows.