不同激活条件及半胱氨酸处理对猪ICSI胚胎发育影响研究

本试验探讨了不同辅助激活方法(Calciumionophore A23187激活、Calciumionophore A23187+6-DMAP联合激活和电激活)、不同精子预处理方法(液氮冻融处理和0.1%Triton X-100处理)和在添加半胱氨酸的胚胎培养液中培养不同时间(0 h、4 h、12 h和168 h)对猪卵母细胞内单精子注射(ICSI)胚胎体外发育的影响。结果显示:与无辅助激活相比,A23187+6-DMAP联合激活和电激活均能显著提高ICSI卵母细胞的激活率、卵裂率和囊胚率(P0.05),A23187+6-DMAP联合激活能显著提高ICSI卵母细胞的受精率(P0.05)。液氮冻融精子组ICSI卵母细胞的雄原核形成率显著高于活精子组(P0.05)。在添加半胱氨酸的胚胎培养液中培养4 h的ICSI卵母细胞受精率、雄原核形成率和囊胚率显著高于0 h组(P0.05)。以上结果表明,猪卵母细胞在ICSI后需要辅助激活来启动胚胎顺利发育,A23187+6-DMAP激活效果较好。液氮冻融精子可以促进ICSI后雄原核的形成。半胱氨酸处理4 h对猪ICSI卵母细胞受精和发育均有促进作用。     

不同浓度离子霉素对猪体外成熟卵母细胞孤雌发育的影响

试验探讨了不同浓度的离子霉素结合6-二甲氨基嘌呤激活猪体外成熟卵母细胞后对其孤雌发育的影响。体外成熟卵母细胞分别用10、15、20、25mol/L的离子霉素处理40min,再用2mmol/L的6-DMAP处理8h,各组的卵裂率分别是:(13.11±6.75)%,(22.31±14.18)%,(26.93±24.53)%和(26.72±19.75)%,囊胚率分别是2.26±1.03)%,(2.39±2.41)%,(3.32±3.95)%和(11.76±10.76)%,各组之间差异不显著(P>0.05)。结果表明:用10～25mol/L离子霉素和6-DMAP联合激活猪体外成熟卵母细胞,对其孤雌发育能力有一定影响,但效果不显著;猪卵母细胞采用离子霉素激活的最佳方案是用25mol/L处理40min,再用浓度为2mmol/L的6-DMAP处理8h。     

影响山羊胞质内单精子注射(ICSI)效果的因素研究

从鲜精与冻精、激活方法以及气相条件3个方面,开展影响山羊卵母细胞质内单精子注射（ICSI）效果的因素研究。结果发现：冻精受精率显著高于鲜精（52.21%VS 26.44%,P〈0.05）;与离子霉素5 min＋6-DMAP 3 h联合激活相比,离子霉素单独处理15 min能相对安全、简捷地激活ICSI后的山羊卵母细胞;低氧（5%O2）气相条件下的囊胚率（19.59%）显著高于高氧（20%O2）气相条件下（7.81%）的囊胚率（P〈0.05）。     

兔·卵·母·细·胞·孤·雌·激·活·的·研·究

本研究探讨了兔卵母细胞孤雌激活的方法。兔卵母细胞经7%乙醇单独激活处理5min的卵裂率(13.0%),显著低于乙醇处理后在2mmol/LDMAP继续处理3h(48.1%)和5μmol/L离子霉素处理后在DMAP继续处理3h的卵母细胞(92.2%);离子霉素+DMAP处理组的囊胚发育率(27.1%)亦显著(P<0.05)高于乙醇+DMAP处理组(15.4%)和乙醇单独处理组(0%)。当用离子霉素和DMAP激活处理时,注射hCG后18h卵母细胞的卵裂率(92.1%)和囊胚率(35.3%)最高2,4h后卵母细胞的卵裂率(19.0%)和囊胚发育率(4.2%)均显著(P<0.05)下降。卵母细胞经离子霉素激活处理后,在DMAP继续处理1、35、h的卵裂率差异显著(P<0.05);而囊胚发育率无显著(P>0.05)差异。离子霉素和DMAP处理后再电激1次对卵母细胞的卵裂率(83.3%、80.0%)和囊胚率(30.0%、27.0%)无显著(P>0.05)影响。以上研究表明:离子霉素+DMAP是兔卵母细胞最有效的激活方法,注射hCG后18h的卵母细胞可取得较好的激活效果。     

小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活试验

应用两种激活方法(乙醇和离子霉素 6-DMAP)激活和三种培养液(CZB，KSOM，M199)对90只小鼠卵母细胞进行了孤雌激活研究。结果显示，离子霉素结合6-DMAP的激活效果高于乙醇；三种培养液中，以CZB激活效果较为理想。在随后的卵母细胞发育率方面，CZB、KSOM和M199三者之间的差异极为明显，以CZB最高，KSOM次之，M199的发育率最低。     

6-DMAP对延边黄牛末期卵母细胞核移植的影响

为探讨6-二甲基氨基嘌呤（6-DMAP）在延边黄牛末期去核的体细胞克隆中的作用,本试验主要研究了单独使用离子霉素处理与离子霉素联合添加6-DMAP处理对体外成熟的老化延边黄牛卵母细胞的激活率的不同影响;以及不同时期添加6-DMAP对重构胚后期发育能力的影响。试验结果显示,体外成熟的老化卵母细胞,使用离子霉素单独处理后91%被激活,而在离子霉素联合添加6-DMAP处理后却没有细胞被激活,也就是没有第二极体的排出。另外,融合后使用6-DMAP处理,所得重构胚的囊胚发育率最低,而激活后的卵母细胞立即用6-DMAP处理,所得重构胚的发育能力与无6-DMAP处理的相近。综上所述,离子霉素联合添加6-DMAP可抑制老化的延边黄牛卵母细胞的激活,阻止第二极体的排出,但对重构胚的后期发育没有影响。而融合使用添加6-DMAP的培养液,抑制了重构胚的后期发育。     

玻璃化冷冻牛卵母细胞单精子注射后体外发育能力的研究

实验研究了不同成熟培养时间的牛卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻及胞质内单精子注射(ICSI)后的受精效果。结果表明:成熟后的新鲜牛卵母细胞按照ICSI注射方法穿刺而不注射精子组与未经穿刺的对照组相比,孤雌激活后的卵裂率、囊胚发育率及囊胚细胞数无显著差异(P>0.05);成熟培养16h(MⅠ)和23h(MⅡ)卵母细胞冷冻解冻后形态正常率均显著低于新鲜对照组(76.66%、87.33%vs100.0%)(P<0.05),冷冻解冻后二者分别成熟培养至24h,ICSI后胚胎的囊胚发育率(5.29%、14.41%)显著低于新鲜对照组(24.40%)(P<0.05);成熟培养23h与成熟培养16h的卵母细胞冷冻解冻后形态正常率及ICSI后囊胚发育率(14.41%vs5.29%)均有显著性差异(P<0.05)。实验证明,ICSI操作不会影响卵母细胞发育潜力;玻璃化冷冻影响卵母细胞解冻后形态正常率以及ICSI后胚胎的发育能力;成熟培养23h比16h的卵母细胞冷冻保存后经ICSI的胚胎发育潜力高。     

不同化学激活方法和电激活参数对猪体外成熟卵母细胞早期孤雌发育的影响

利用屠宰场猪卵巢卵母细胞,在体外成熟培养44～48 h后,对核成熟卵母细胞进行激活.试验1为不同化学激活方法10% 乙醇 10 mg/L 放线菌酮组、2.5 mmol/L 氯化锶 10 mg/L放线菌酮组、5 μmol/L离子霉素 2.5 mmol/L 6-二甲氨基嘌呤(6-DMAP)组、200 μmol/L 硫柳汞 8 mmol/L二硫苏糖醇组和对照组(不用任何激活剂).试验2为用不同电场强度和脉冲时程进行电激活之后放入胚胎培养液中进行体外培养7 d.结果显示,(1)4种不同化学激活方法处理卵子的1原核形成率、2原核形成率和原核形成率都显著比对照组高(P＜0.05),其中离子霉素 6-DMAP组的2原核形成率和总原核形成率最高,分别为(23.1±3.5)%和(65.2±3.5)%,显著高于其他处理组(P＜0.05);(2)4种不同化学激活方法处理组的囊胚率都比对照组高(P＜0.01),其中离子霉素 6-DMAP组的卵裂率及囊胚率最高,分别为(46.6±18.5)% 和(5.6±4.2)%;(3)本试验所用的4种不同化学激活方法对猪4-细胞孤雌胚SDS-PAGE电泳的蛋白质表达图谱没有显著影响;(4)电场强度为1.7 kV/cm、脉冲时程为50、70 μs时猪体外成熟卵母细胞激活效果最好,卵裂率、囊胚率、囊胚细胞数分别为(77.4±9.7)%、(12.4±3.7)%、(17.6±5.9)%和(75.1±10.6)%、(12.3±2.6)%、(19.1±8.1).以上结果说明本试验所用的4种化学激活方法均能有效激活猪体外成熟卵母细胞,其中离子霉素 6-DMAP的激活效果最理想;在本实验室条件下,采用1.7 kV/cm的电场强度、50～70 μs的脉冲时程均能有效地激活猪体外成熟卵母细胞;本试验所用的4种不同化学激活方法对猪4-细胞孤雌胚SDS-PAGE电泳的蛋白质表达图谱没有显著影响.     

不同激活方法对猪体外成熟卵母细胞孤雌发育的影响

通过系统探讨不同孤雌激活方法对猪卵母细胞体外激活后发育效果的影响,比较了乙醇（Ethanol,EH）、离子霉素（Ionomycin,Ion：5μmol/L）、氯化锶（Strontium chloride hexahydrate,Sr^2＋：10 mmol/L）、6-二甲氨基嘌呤（6-dimethylaminopurine,6-DMAP：2 mmol/L）和放线菌酮（cycloheximide,CHX：10 mg/L）对猪卵母细胞激活发育的效果。结果表明：（1）9%EH激活处理10 min效果好于15 min;（2）使用9%EH激活处理10 min,再结合CHX、6-DMAP、Sr^2＋、CHX＋Sr^2＋、Sr^2＋＋6-DMAP、CHX＋6-DMAP或CHX＋6-DMAP＋Sr^2＋组处理3～4 h,以EH＋6-DMAP组效果最好,分裂率及囊胚率分别达到82.86%和22.86%;（3）在使用化学激活（Ion＋6-DMAP组和9%乙醇10 min＋6-DMAP组）和电激活（50 V/mm,50μs,2t）的方法中,Ion法激活猪卵母细胞效果较好,囊胚率达到37.50%;（4）卵母细胞包被的卵丘细胞层数不同对卵母细胞成熟激活有显著的影响,卵丘细胞层数4～6层和多于6层的卵丘-卵母细胞复合体孤雌激活的分裂率和囊胚率分别为（68.99%,32.56%）和（75.36%,37.68%）,2组之间差异不显著（P〉0.05）;但其显著高于其他组（P〈0.05）,这2组细胞在猪孤雌激活发育研究中是最佳的实验研究材料。     

在成熟过程中添加牛血清和猪卵泡液对猪卵母细胞核成熟及体外受精后早期胚胎发育的影响

研究目的在于探讨在成熟过程中添加牛血清和猪卵泡液对猪卵母细胞核成熟、卵丘细胞扩散及体外受精后早期胚胎发育的影响。卵母细胞·卵丘细胞复合体在含FSH和LH的以下处理组的成熟液中成熟培养 2 3～ 2 4h :(1)对照组-改良TCM - 199+0 .1%PVA ;(2 )试验组 1-改良TCM - 199+10 %新生牛血清 ;(3)试验组 2 -改良TCM - 199+10 %猪卵泡液 ,再移至无FSH和LH的不同处理组的成熟液中成熟培养 2 3～ 34h。试验 1中 ,卵母细胞在 4 6～ 4 8h成熟培养后 ,观察卵丘细胞扩散情况 ,并对卵母细胞进行固定和染色 ,鉴定卵母细胞减数分裂情况 :试验 2中 ,对在不同处理组的成熟液中成熟培养 4 6～ 4 8h的卵母细胞进行体外受精 ,再培养 8d。受精后第 2天检查分裂率、第 6天检查桑椹胚 /囊胚率、第 8天检查囊胚率。 4 6～ 4 8h成熟培养后试验组 1和试验组 2的大部分卵母细胞 -卵丘细胞复合体的卵丘细胞完全扩散 ,而对照组的卵丘细胞只有 5 0 %扩散。试验组 1和试验组 2的卵母细胞核成熟率分别为 39.9% (77/ 193)和 4 4 .3% (93/ 2 10 ) ,与对照组的卵母细胞核成熟率 4 8.1% (99/ 2 0 6 )相比没有显著差异 (P <0 .0 5 )。卵母细胞分裂率试验组 1(5 0 .0± 1.8) %和试验组 2 (49.9± 2 .6 ) %与对照组的卵母细胞分裂率 (49.0± 2     

促黄体素对牛卵母细胞体外核成熟的影响

为了研究促黄体素(luteinizing hormone,LH)在牛卵母细胞成熟培养体系中的时间依从性,试验通过向牛卵母细胞体外成熟培养的不同时间段添加LH来观察其核成熟的情况。首先用无LH的基础成熟液I和添加LH的成熟液Ⅱ分别培养,在成熟的不同时间点(3、6、9h)用醋酸地衣红染色观察各自的生发泡破裂率。然后在体外成熟培养的不同时间段(0～3、0～6、0～9、0～24h)添加LH,24h后统计各自的第一极体率。结果表明,添加LH组在6h的生发泡破裂率显著低于对照1组(P0.05),24h添加LH组的第一极体率显著高于对照2组(P0.05)。因此,添加LH能延迟牛卵母细胞的核成熟,成熟培养中24h全程添加LH较不添加组能显著提高核成熟率。     

The effect of co-culture on the development of in vitro matured equine oocytes after intracytoplastic sperm injection

It is clear that, in the horse, there are many weak links in the process of in vitro embryo production; an optimal culture system for equine oocytes does not exist, and related data are conflicting. Therefore, the ability of 3 different culture systems to support embryonic development of ICSI horse oocytes was examined. Oocytes (n = 261) suitable for culture were collected from 55 ovaries and divided, according to cumulus morphology, into 2 categories: expanded cumulus and compacted cumulus. Oocytes with expanded and compacted cumulus were cultured for in vitro maturation in TCM 199 + 10% FCS + 0.1 iu/ml FSH/LH at 38.5 degrees C under 5% CO2 in air for 24 and 40 h, respectively. Oocytes (n = 149) reached metaphase II and were subjected to ICSI with frozen semen and then incubated in 3 different culture systems: A) TCM 199 + 10% FCS alone or B) on granulosa cell monolayer, C) SOF + MEM amino acids + 0.8% BSA. Cultural conditions were 39 degrees C and 5% CO2 in air for A and B, while a gas mixture (5% CO2, 5% O2, 90% N2) was used for C. The fertilisation rate was 32%. The cleavage rate in Group A was 74.4% (32/43); 18 embryos reached 2-6 cell stage, eight 8-16 cell, four 16-32 cell and two >32 cell. In Group B, the cleavage rate was 73.5% (36/49) with better results in embryonic development; 14 reached 2-6 cell stage, eighteen 8-16 cell, twelve 16-32 cell and five >32 cell. In Group C, the cleavage rate was significantly lower then in A and B; only 15 of 47 ICSI oocytes (39.1%) cleaved with maximum development to 2-6 cell stage. The remaining oocytes (68.1%) degenerated during culture. In conclusion, IVM horse oocytes can be fertilised in vitro with high efficiency with ICSI and co-culture systems showed to be superior in supporting in vitro embryo culture compared to simple ones. The identification of the factors beneficial to in vitro embryo development provided by the somatic cells could be important to optimise the embryo culture systems for equine embryos.     

培养介质、卵丘细胞和卵泡直径对猪卵母细胞体外成熟的影响

A类卵母细胞在mTCM 199、NCSU2 3和NCSU37体系中培养 4 4～ 5 2小时后 ,成熟率分别为 76 .1%、78.1%和 6 5 .2 %。前两者差异不显著 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,但显著高于后者 (P <0 .0 5 )。卵母细胞在添加eCG和hCG的NCSU2 3体系中的成熟率 (75 .6 % )明显高于添加FSH的LH和成熟率 (6 5 .2 % ) (P <0 .0 5 )。A、B、C三类卵母细胞在NCSU2 3的成熟率分别为 73.3%、6 0 .4 %和 11.0 % ,三者间差异显著 (P <0 .0 5 )。大 (ф >6mm)、中 (ф =3～ 6mm)和小 (ф <3mm)三种卵泡中的卵母细胞在NCSU2 3中培养后 ,成熟率分别为 5 6 .2 % ,78.1%和 5 1.9% ,中等卵泡中卵母胞的体外成熟率显著高于其他两组 (P <0 .0 5 )。     

转GFP基因核移植牛胚胎的研究

试验采用脂质体转染法与电穿孔法,以携带绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）-新霉抗性（neo-）双标记基因的pMSCV质粒转染胎牛耳成纤维细胞为供体与体外成熟的牛卵母细胞为受体构建克隆胚。研究了体外成熟培养液中添加EGF（表皮生长因子）对转基因胚的影响,不同转染方法构建供体细胞对重构胚发育的影响和在不同体外培养系统中的发育效果。结果显示,体外成熟培养液中添加EGF 30 ng/mL组的卵母细胞成熟率最高,但对后期转基因重构胚的囊胚发育率的影响,以添加EGF 20 ng/mL组的最高;以胎牛耳成纤维细胞为供体细胞,不同转染方法转染供体细胞构建重构胚,其囊胚发育率差异不显著（P>〖JP2〗0.05）;mSOFaa+颗粒细胞单层细胞共培养体系中的转基因囊胚发育率最好,该体系更适合体细胞核移植法生产转基因牛胚胎。     

猪分级卵母细胞体外成熟时间规律的研究

试验根据猪卵丘－卵母细胞复合体（COCs）的颗粒细胞层数,把COCs分成A、B、C和D级,A、B级用于体外分别培养24、32、38、44、48和54 h,C级用于体外分别培养24、32、38、44、48、54和60 h,观察它们不同时间排出极体数,然后将排出极体的卵母细胞孤雌激活。结果发现,A和B级COCs培养48 h时成熟率最高（83.2%和78.0%）,明显高于同级水平培养24、32和38 h的成熟率;不同级别COCs体外培养相同时间,A与B级成熟率差异不显著（P＞0.05）,但二者与C级的成熟率差异显著（P＜0.05）;体外培养48 h COCs卵裂率最高（81.7%）,与培养38 h前的卵裂率差异显著（P＜0.05）。结果表明,A、B级卵母细胞更适于体外培养,能获得高的成熟率和卵裂率,COCs周围颗粒细胞对卵母细胞的成熟有显著影响;COCs培养38 h之前,部分虽能看到极体,但激活后卵裂率极低,说明卵母细胞并未真正成熟,通常通过排出极体判断卵母细胞成熟是不够准确的,COCs体外培养44～48 h是成熟的最佳时期,能为体细胞核移植提供大量优质的MⅡ期卵母细胞。     

In vitro development of equine oocytes from preserved ovaries after intracytoplasmic sperm injection

In this study, we evaluated the meiotic competence of equine oocytes from ovaries preserved for one day. We also investigated fertilization, cleavage rate, developmental competence and freezability of equine embryos after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). After collection from ovaries, the oocytes were classified into two groups comprised of those having compact cumulus layers (Cp) or those having expanded cumulus layers (Ex). Oocytes with a first polar body were subjected to fertilization by ICSI using frozen-thawed stallion spermatozoa and were then cultured in CR1aa medium. The rates of metaphase II-stage oocytes, normal fertilization and cleavage were not significantly different between the two oocyte categories (38.5, 70.0 and 48.7% for CP and 43.5, 60.0 and 58.8% for Ex, respectively). However, the blastocyst development rate of Ex was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of Cp (25.5 vs. 7.7%). Three Cp-derived and 12 Ex-derived early blastocysts were cryopreserved using the slow cooling protocol, and all of them developed to hatching blastocysts after thawing. These results suggest that equine oocytes fertilized by ICSI can develop to the preimplantation stage in culture conditions similar to those used in the bovine. Furthermore, the Ex oocytes had higher developmental competence than the Cp oocytes, and the in vitro-produced blastocysts had high viability after freezing and thawing.     

Time Course of In Vitro Maturation of Compact Cumulus Horse Oocytes after Roscovitine‐Induced Meiotic Inhibition: Effects on the Coordination Between Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Maturation

This study was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of a pre‐maturation step in improving the coordination between cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation of horse compact cumulus oocytes by the addition of roscovitine (ROSC). Oocytes were collected by scraping and pre‐cultured for 18 h in a maturation medium TCM199 supplemented with pyruvate, LH, FSH, insulin growth factor (IGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin, transferrin and selenium (IVM‐ROSC) or in a simple medium (M199‐ROSC). After pre‐maturation, oocytes from both the groups were in part denuded and fixed‐stained and in part in vitro matured to assess the kinetic of in vitro maturation (IVM). The nuclear progression and the cytoskeletal organization of microfilaments and cortical granules (CG) of treated and untreated oocytes were assessed by fluorescent probes. Oocytes immediately fixed after recovery and oocytes pre‐cultured in M199‐ROSC for 18 h did not show metaphase II (MII) plates, whereas in IVM‐ROSC group, 6/69 oocytes (8.7%) showed MII plates. After inhibition, during maturation kinetics at 11, 18 and 29 h, maturation rate of M199‐ROSC group progressively increased and at 29 h of IVM, reached the maturation rate of control group (13/66, 19.7% vs 31/125, 24.8%). No statistically significant differences in cytoplasmic maturation were found. The number of MII plates after 29 h of IVM, was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in IVM‐ROSC group (34/90) compared with M199‐ROSC (13/66) and control groups (31/125) as well as the number of oocytes with microfilaments and CG distributed in cortical region (25/34 vs 3/13 and 7/31 respectively). Our results showed that pre‐culturing in the presence of Roscovitine in a fully supplemented maturation medium containing gonadotropins and growth factors partially suppressed the meiotic maturation, but established a more suitable environment for improving cytoplasmic maturation of horse compact cumulus oocytes as defined by microfilaments and CG configuration.     

Effect of Preserving Condition of Porcine Ovaries on the Development of In Vitro Matured Oocytes

The effect of preservation condition of ovaries on the in vitro maturation of the porcine oocytes was studied. Cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were obtained from the ovaries preserved in Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution at various temperatures for different time intervals, and cultured in M199 maturation medium. Matured oocytes were obtained from the ovaries preserved in PBS for 8 h and electrically activated. The activated oocytes were then cultured in NCSU23 embryo culture medium for 16 h to observe activation or 144 h to observe embryo development. It was found that the preservation temperature affected the maturation of porcine oocytes greatly. The effect was described as a compromise of the suppressions of autolysis at physiological temperature and frostbite because of low temperature. A preservation temperature of approximately 25°C showed the maximum maturation rate for a preservation time of 8 h. Preservation temperature also affected the activation and embryo development of porcine oocytes greatly, following a trend similar to the effect of preservation temperature on the maturation. Based on maturation rate, activation rate and cleavage rate, a preservation temperature of approximately 25°C would be optimum for a preservation time of 8 h.     

Live foals produced from sperm-injected oocytes derived from pregnant mares

Recently, in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the horse has met with less than anticipated results. Various problems associated with equine IVF include: (1) the inability to collect large numbers of good quality oocytes, (2) the alteration of the zona pellucida associated with in vitro maturation of equine oocytes, and (3) the improper preparation of equine sperm cells for IVF of these oocytes. Therefore, this study was conducted to achieve fertilization via sperm injection of equine oocytes and to produce live offspring from this IVF procedure. Oocytes were collected by transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval procedures from early pregnant mares of mixed breeds (day 14 to day 70 of pregnancy) and were matured in vitro and subjected to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Injected oocytes were then cultured for 48 hours in either TCM-199 or P-1 medium (glucose and phosphate-free medium) supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum. Cleavage rates for embryos cultured in the two culture media were different (47% vs. 63% in TCM-199 and P-1, respectively). Also, four Grade 1 embryos were surgically transferred into the oviducts of four recipient mares (one embryo/mare) at 48 hours post-ICSI, with three pregnancies (75%) developing as ultrasonically demonstrated by the presence of an embryonic vesicle in the uterine body by day 16 post-ICSI. On June 23rd one live filly was born after 328 days of gestation and subsequently, a second healthy filly was born after 319 days of gestation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of live foals resulting from in vitro fertilization (via ICSI) of in vitro matured oocytes recovered from pregnant mares using an efficient, repeatable transvaginal ultrasound-guided procedure.