The effect of resveratrol on the developmental competence of porcine oocytes vitrified at germinal vesicle stage

We tested the effects of resveratrol both as a pre‐treatment and as a recovery treatment after warming during in vitro maturation (IVM) on the viability and developmental competence of porcine oocytes vitrified at the germinal vesicle stage. Pre‐treatment before vitrification of oocytes for 3 hr with 2 μM resveratrol did not affect survival, oocyte maturation and embryo developmental competence to the blastocyst stage after parthenogenetic activation. However, supplementation of the medium with resveratrol during subsequent IVM after vitrification and warming significantly improved the ability of surviving oocytes to develop to the blastocyst stage, and this effect was observed only on vitrified, but not on non‐vitrified oocytes. The intracellular levels of glutathione and hydrogen peroxide in oocytes were not affected by vitrification and resveratrol treatment. Also, there was no significant difference in the occurrence of apoptosis measured by annexin V binding between vitrified and non‐vitrified oocytes, regardless of the resveratrol treatment. In conclusion, resveratrol did not prevent the cellular damages in immature porcine oocytes during vitrification; however, when added to the IVM medium, it specifically improved the developmental competence of vitrified oocytes. Further research will be necessary to clarify the mechanisms of action of resveratrol on the recovery of vitrified oocytes from vitrification‐related damages.     

Effects of polyethylene glycol and a synthetic ice blocker during vitrification of immature porcine oocytes on survival and subsequent embryo development

We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Supercool X‐1000 (SC) as supplements during the vitrification of immature cumulus‐enclosed porcine oocytes in a solution based on 17.5% ethylene glycol + 17.5% propylene glycol. After warming, the oocytes were subjected to in vitro maturation, fertilization and embryo culture. In Experiment 1, equilibration and vitrification solutions were supplemented with or without 2% (w/v) PEG (PEG+ and PEG‐, respectively). The survival rate, cleavage and blastocyst development were similar between PEG+ and PEG‐ groups; however, all values were lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. In Experiment 2, vitrification solution was supplemented with or without 1% (v/v) SC (SC+ and SC‐, respectively). The percentages of survival and blastocyst development were similar between SC+ and SC‐ groups but lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. The percentage of cleavage in the SC‐ group was significantly lower than the control and the SC+ groups, which were in turn similar to one another. In both experiments, the cell numbers in blastocysts were not significantly different among the non‐vitrified and vitrified groups. In conclusion, PEG did not improve oocyte survival and embryo development, whereas SC improved the ability of surviving oocytes to cleave but not to develop into blastocysts.     

Cryopreservation of immature buffalo oocytes: Effects of cytochalasin B pretreatment on the efficiency of cryotop and solid surface vitrification methods

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of the solid surface (SSV), cryotop (CT) vitrification methods and cytochalasin B (CB) pretreatment for cryopreservation of immature buffalo oocytes. Cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were placed for 1 min in TCM199 containing 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), 10% ethylene glycol (EG), and 20% fetal bovine serum, and then transferred for 30 s to base medium containing 20% DMSO, 20% EG and 0.5 mol/L sucrose. CB pretreated ((+)CB) or non‐pretreated ((?)CB) COCs were vitrified either by SSV or CT. Surviving vitrified COCs were selected for in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). The rate of viable oocytes after vitrification in CT groups (82%) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that in a fresh control group (100%), but significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in SSV groups (71–72%). Among vitrified groups, the highest maturation rate was obtained in the CT (?)CB group (32%). After IVF, the cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were similar among vitrified groups but significantly lower than those of the control group. In conclusion, a higher survival rate of oocytes after vitrification and IVM was obtained in the CT group compared with that in the SSV group, indicating the superiority of the CT method. Pretreatment with CB did not increase the viability, maturation or embryo development of vitrified oocytes.     

小鼠未成熟卵母细胞OPS法冷冻保存技术的研究

试验用OPS法对小鼠未成熟卵母细胞进行玻璃化冷冻保存研究,并对解冻后小鼠未成熟卵母细胞的成熟情况进行观察。结果表明:小鼠未成熟卵母细胞在10%EG、10%DMSO前处理后,在EFS30、EFS40、EDFS30和EDFS40中平衡15～45s进行冷冻保存,使卵母细胞解冻后的形态正常率最高达92.4%,与对照组无显著差异(P>0.05),成熟率达40.5%。     

Survivability and developmental competences of domestic cat (Felis catus) oocytes after Cryotech method vitrification

The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of the Cryotech technique for the vitrification of domestic cat (Felis catus) oocytes, as a model for other feline species threatened with extinction. This technique, in which oocytes are stored in a minimal volume of medium, is already widely used in human assisted reproductive technology. In the first part of this study, a viability test (EtBr/FDA) was used to evaluate the toxicity of the vitrification media (solutions). After IVM, oocytes were placed in vitrification and warming solutions according to the manufacturer's procedure, with or without exposure to liquid nitrogen. The solutions and the vitrification procedure each caused a reduction in oocyte viability, with survival rates of 71.4% in oocytes exposed to the Cryotech media (without cooling in liquid nitrogen), and 62% in oocytes that were vitrified. In the second part of the experiment, parthenogenetic activation was used to evaluate the developmental potential of oocytes previously vitrified using the Cryotech method. After warming, the oocytes were activated using a combination of 0.7 µM ionomycin in TCM 199 medium (5 min) followed by 2 mM 6-DMAP in TCM 199 supplemented with 10% FBS (3 hr), then cultured and evaluated every 24 hr for parthenogenetic cleavage. In the experimental group, 23/50 (46%) cleaved embryos were obtained. Domestic cat oocytes, vitrified by the Cryotech method, are characterized by high survival rates. However, it is necessary to improve the technique to increase the developmental competence of embryos obtained from vitrified oocytes.     

Vitrification procedure decreases inositol 1,4,5‐trisphophate receptor expression,resulting in low fertility of pig oocytes

Although cryopreservation of mammalian oocytes is an important technology, it is well known that unfertilized oocytes, especially in pigs, are highly sensitive to low temperature and that cryopreserved oocytes show low fertility and developmental ability. The aim of the present study was to clarify why porcine in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes at the metaphase II (MII) stage showed low fertility and developmental ability after vitrification. In vitro matured cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were vitrified with Cryotop and then evaluated for fertility through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although sperm‐penetrated oocytes were observed to some extent (30–40%), the rate of pronuclear formation was low (9%) and none of them progressed to the two‐cell stage. The results suggest that activation ability of cryopreserved oocytes was decreased by vitrification. We examined the localization and expression level of the type 1 inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R1), the channel responsible for Ca²⁺ release during IVF in porcine oocytes. Localization of IP₃R1 close to the plasma membrane and total expression level of IP₃R1 protein were both decreased by vitrification. In conclusion, our present study indicates that vitrified‐warmed porcine COCs showed a high survival rate but low fertility after IVF. This low fertility seems to be due to the decrease in IP₃R1 by the vitrification procedure.     

小鼠的胚胎冷冻保存研究

随着生物工程技术的进步，出现了许多生物工程小鼠品系，促使小鼠胚胎冷冻保存技术得到了广泛的应用，采用胚胎冷冻的方法来长期的保存这些品系，可以节省大量的人力和物力，目前，在小鼠胚胎冷冻方面的研究主要是围绕提高存活率和简化操作过程，本文综述了在小鼠胚胎冷冻保存方面的国内外研究进展。     

小尾寒羊羔羊超数排卵及卵母细胞玻璃化冷冻保存效果研究

以我国地方品种小尾寒羊作为供体,对不同年龄羔羊(6～8周龄和12～14周龄)超数排卵效果以及卵母细胞冷冻保存对体外受精、体外胚胎发育、胚胎移植产羔的影响进行研究。结果表明:6～8周龄组羔羊只均超排处理获卵数和可用卵数(60.8枚和58.2枚)显著高于12～14周龄组(27.3枚和26.0枚)(P<0.05);经玻璃化冷冻—解冻后的卵母细胞体外受精,冷冻组的卵裂率和桑椹胚发育率(67.8%和35.6%)均显著降低于对照组(79.2%和53.8E)(P<0.05);玻璃化冷冻保存体外生产的胚胎,经移植后成功产下4只健康羔羊(4/52)。     

甘氨酸对水貂GV期卵母细胞冷冻保存效率的影响

试验旨在探究玻璃化冷冻及培养过程中添加甘氨酸（glycine，Gly）对水貂GV期卵母细胞冷冻解冻后存活率、核发育、线粒体和皮质颗粒分布的影响。试验分为3组：对照组（没有进行冷冻处理）、冷冻组和Gly添加处理组（1 mmol/L Gly）。对玻璃化冷冻解冻后的水貂GV期卵母细胞分别进行平衡恢复3 h和体外成熟培养，采用免疫荧光标记法检测各组GV期卵母细胞线粒体分布的差异及MⅡ期皮质颗粒分布的变化。结果显示，Gly添加处理组卵母细胞在解冻后3 h的存活率与冷冻组相比差异不显著（P>0.05），但显著低于对照组（P<0.05）；Gly添加处理组卵母细胞的减数分裂恢复率显著高于冷冻组（P<0.05），但与对照组相比差异不显著（P>0.05）。免疫荧光结果显示，Gly添加处理组的GV期卵母细胞线粒体正常分布率显著高于冷冻组（P<0.05），但Gly添加处理组和冷冻组的GV期卵母细胞线粒体正常分布率均显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。皮质颗粒分布结果显示，水貂GV期卵母细胞在冷冻后体外成熟培养至MⅡ期时，Gly添加处理组皮质颗粒的正常皮质区分布比例显著高于冷冻组（P<0.05），但Gly添加处理组与冷冻组的正常皮质区分布比例均显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。结果表明，添加Gly可以提高冻融后水貂卵母细胞的减数分裂恢复率，降低冷冻对其线粒体及皮质颗粒的损失。     

牛胚胎冷冻保存的研究进展

目前,牛的胚胎冷冻保存巳成为一种较成熟的常规技术,广泛应用于牛的繁殖科研与生产。本文回顾了牛胚冷冻保存技术的发展概况,对牛胚胎的常规冷冻技术、直接冷冻法及玻璃化冷冻技术的进展作了简要论述。     

猪胚胎冷冻保存研究进展

胚胎冷冻保存技术在大多数哺乳动物上已获得成功,牛胚胎冷冻已经进入商业化应用阶段。猪胚胎由于其特殊的低温生物学特性,冷冻保存研究进展缓慢。本文综述了猪胚胎在冷冻过程中的细胞生物学变化,以及近几年猪胚胎冷冻保存研究所取得的显著进展。     

Sucrose assists selection of high‐quality oocytes in pigs

We investigated whether high‐quality in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes can be distinguished from poor ones based on the morphological changes after treatment with hyperosmotic medium containing 0.2 mol/L sucrose in pigs. We hypothesize that IVM oocytes maintaining round shape have higher quality than mis‐shapened oocytes following dehydration. Oocyte quality was verified by determining embryonic developmental competence using in vitro fertilization, nuclear transfer and parthenogenetic activation. In all cases, the round oocytes had greater (p < .05) developmental competence than that of mis‐shapened oocytes in terms of blastocyst rate and total cell number in blastocysts obtained after 6 days of in vitro culture. We also confirm that round aged oocytes are higher in quality than mis‐shapened aged oocytes. In an attempt to find out why high‐quality oocytes maintain a round shape whereas poorer oocytes become mis‐shapened following sucrose treatment, we examined the arrangement of actin microfilaments and microtubules. Abnormal organization of these cytoskeletal components was higher (p < .05) in mis‐shapened oocytes compared to round oocytes after 52 hr of IVM. In conclusion, sucrose treatment helps selection of high‐quality oocytes, including aged oocytes, in pigs. Abnormal cytoskeleton arrangements partly explain for low developmental competence of mis‐shapened oocytes.     

序贯培养法对猪孤雌激活胚胎发育能力的影响

经体外成熟、孤雌激活和培养获得猪胚胎,研究了不同培养体系、共培养体细胞和序贯培养对猪孤雌激活胚胎发育的影响。试验表明:孤雌激活卵母细胞在SOF 10?S培养体系中分裂效果最好,添加胎牛血清的NCSU-23和颗粒细胞对胚胎发育有促进作用,培养6d后发育到桑囊胚的比率增加(P<0.05)。在序贯培养的前3d,SOF培养基(不含葡萄糖)和颗粒细胞对胚胎的发育有促进作用,分裂率(P<0.05)和突破4细胞阻滞的数目显著增加,在培养的后3d,添加胎牛血清的NCSU-23和输卵管上皮细胞能支持较多胚胎发育到桑囊胚,桑囊胚的发育率为(59.5±3.2)%(P<0.05)。结果表明,SOF培养基和颗粒细胞 添加胎牛血清的NCSU-23和输卵管上皮细胞的序贯培养系统能较好的促进胚胎的发育。     

单宁酸对猪卵母细胞体外成熟及胚胎发育能力的影响

研究旨在探讨单宁酸对猪卵母细胞体外成熟质量及其胚胎发育能力的影响。在猪卵丘卵母细胞复合体（COCs）体外成熟培养液中添加不同浓度（0、1、10、100 μg/mL）单宁酸培养42 h后,检测COCs的扩散程度和卵丘细胞扩散指数,统计COCs的体外成熟率,检测成熟卵母细胞内谷胱甘肽（glutathione,GSH）、活性氧（reactive oxygen species,ROS）和生长分化因子9（growth differentiation factor 9,GDF9）的水平,并统计孤雌激活及体外受精胚胎48和168 h的卵裂率、囊胚率及囊胚总细胞数。结果显示,与对照组相比,10 μg/mL单宁酸组卵丘细胞扩散指数显著提高（P<0.05）,100 μg/mL单宁酸组显著降低（P<0.05）;1和10 μg/mL单宁酸组卵母细胞成熟率差异不显著（P>0.05）,100 μg/mL单宁酸组卵母细胞成熟率显著降低（P<0.05）;1和10 μg/mL单宁酸组GSH和GDF9水平显著提高（P<0.05）,ROS水平显著降低（P<0.05）。孤雌胚胎和体外受精胚胎发育能力结果显示,与对照组相比,各单宁酸组卵裂率差异不显著（P>0.05）,10 μg/mL单宁酸组孤雌胚胎囊胚率及体外受精胚胎囊胚率显著提高（P<0.05）,100 μg/mL单宁酸组孤雌胚胎囊胚细胞数及体外受精胚胎囊胚细胞数均显著低于其他各组（P<0.05）。以上结果表明,10 μg/mL单宁酸可通过提高卵丘细胞扩散能力及GSH和GDF9水平、降低卵母细胞内ROS水平,改善猪卵母细胞成熟质量,提高孤雌胚胎及体外受精胚胎的发育能力。     

Effect of L‐carnitine on maturation,cryo‐tolerance and embryo developmental competence of bovine oocytes

In this study, the effects of the addition of L‐carnitine in in vitro maturation (IVM) medium for bovine oocytes on their nuclear maturation and cryopreservation were investigated; they were matured in IVM medium supplemented with 0.0, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 mg/mL of L‐carnitine (control, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 groups, respectively) and some of them were vitrified by Cryotop. Moreover, the effects of L‐carnitine during in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) on the developmental potential and quality of IVF embryos were also examined. A significantly higher maturation rate of oocytes was obtained for 0.3 and 0.6 mg/mL groups compared with the control (P < 0.05). The blastocyst formation rate in the 0.6 group was significantly improved, whereas the rate in the 1.2 group was significantly decreased when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in embryo development between the control and the L‐carnitine group after oocyte vitrification. Supplementation of IVF and IVC media with L‐carnitine had no effect on development to the blastocyst stage of IVM oocytes treated with 0.6 mg/mL L‐carnitine. In conclusion, the supplementation of L‐carnitine during IVM of bovine oocytes improved their nuclear maturation and subsequent embryo development after IVF, but when they were vitrified the improving effects were neutralized.     

分子标记与地方猪品种的遗传多样性研究

分子标记已成为目前家畜遗传多样性研究的主要工具。本文简要综述了多种分子标记(RFLPs，nat-DNA，RAPD，DNA指纹图谱，微卫星DNA，AFLP，SNPs)的检测方法及其在地方猪品种遗传变异和遗传关系检测分析中的应用，为类似研究提供参考材料。     

高浓度葡萄糖对猪卵母细胞体外成熟和早期胚胎发育的影响

试验旨在探究高浓度葡萄糖对猪卵母细胞体外成熟及早期胚胎发育能力的影响。取体外分离处于生发泡期的猪卵丘卵母细胞复合体(COCs),分为3个处理组。分别用含葡萄糖浓度为5.6 mmol/L(C组)、10 mmol/L(G-1组)、15 mmol/L(G-2组)的培养液,进行体外成熟(IVM)处理,42 h后观察,并统计卵丘细胞扩散情况和第一极体排出率;对体外成熟42 h后的卵母细胞孤雌激活,统计2-细胞、4-细胞和第7天囊胚发育。结果发现,G-1组和G-2组卵丘细胞扩散度显著低于C组(P<0.05);G-1组和G-2组的MII期卵母细胞死亡率和存活率与C组相比无显著差异(P>0.05),但G-1组极体率显著降低(P<0.05),G-2组极体率极显著低于C组(P<0.01)。孤雌激活后,与C组相比,G-1组和G-2组的2-细胞分裂率显著降低(P<0.05),4-细胞分裂率以及囊胚发育率均极显著降低(P<0.01),但G-1、G-2组囊胚细胞数量与C组相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。进一步线粒体染色发现,G-1组和G-2组的线粒体与C组相比分布不均。...     

Effect of vitrification at different meiotic stages on epigenetic characteristics of bovine oocytes and subsequently developing embryos

Vitrification by the Cryotop method is frequently used for bovine oocyte cryopreservation. Nevertheless, vitrified oocytes still have reduced developmental competency compared with fresh counterparts. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of vitrification either at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage or at the metaphase II (MII) stage on epigenetic characteristics of bovine oocytes and subsequently developing embryos. Our results demonstrated that vitrification of oocytes at each meiotic stage significantly reduced blastocyst development after in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, vitrification at the GV stage resulted in higher blastocyst development than did vitrification at the MII stage. Irrespective of the meiotic stage, oocyte vitrification did not affect 5-methylcytosine (5mC) immunostaining intensity in oocyte DNA. However, at both stages, it caused a similar reduction of 5mC levels in DNA of subsequently developing blastocysts. Oocyte vitrification had no effect on the intensity of H3K9me3 and acH3K9 immunostaining in oocytes and subsequent blastocysts. The results suggest that irrespective of meiotic stage, oocyte vitrification alters global methylation in resultant embryos although such alteration in the oocytes was not detected. Oocyte vitrification might not influence histone acetylation and methylation in oocytes and resultant embryos. Vitrification at the immature stage was more advantageous for blastocyst development than at the mature stage.     

Presence of chlorogenic acid during in vitro maturation protects porcine oocytes from the negative effects of heat stress

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is known to protect oocytes from oxidative stress. Here we investigated the effects of CGA on porcine oocyte maturation under heat stress and subsequent embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation. For in vitro maturation (IVM) at 41.0°C (hyperthermic condition), supplementation of the maturation medium with 50 μM CGA significantly improved the percentage of matured oocytes and reduced the rate of apoptosis relative to oocytes matured without CGA (p < .05). CGA treatment of oocytes during IVM under hyperthermia tended to increase (p < .1) percentage of blastocyst formation after parthenogenesis and significantly increased (p < .05) the total cell number per blastocyst relative to oocytes matured without CGA. For IVM at 38.5°C (isothermic condition), CGA significantly improved the rate of blastocyst development compared with oocytes matured without CGA (p < .05), but did not affect oocyte maturation, apoptosis rate or the number of cells per embryo. Omission of all antioxidants from the IVM medium significantly reduced the rate of oocyte maturation, but the rate was restored upon addition of CGA. These results demonstrate that CGA is a potent antioxidant that protects porcine oocytes from the negative effects of heat stress, thus reducing the frequency of apoptosis and improving the quality of embryos.