细胞松弛素B对猪孤雌胚胎和体外克隆胚胎发育能力的影响

为探讨细胞松弛素B(cytochalasin B,CB)对猪孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎发育能力的影响,本研究通过在猪体外胚胎培养基中添加不同浓度CB以及不同孵育时间的处理,筛选出CB对猪早期胚胎发育的最适浓度和最佳孵育时间,同时通过Hoechst33342染色检测猪体外囊胚孵化期的细胞数差异,进一步研究CB对孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎发育的影响。结果显示,培养基中添加CB浓度为7.5μg/mL时孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎的卵裂率分别为85.00%和90.23%,囊胚率为35.68%和42.58%,均显著高于其他各组(P0.05);采用7.5μg/mL CB处理电激活后的孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎,孤雌胚胎孵育4 h组的卵裂率(83.80%)和囊胚率最高(35.39%),与其他各组差异显著(P0.05),而克隆胚胎孵育6 h组的卵裂率(83.98%)和囊胚率最高(55.62%),与其他各组差异显著(P0.05)。此外,Hoechst33342染色结果显示,未添加CB处理的孤雌胚胎在囊胚孵化期的细胞平均数为28个,CB处理组的孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎细胞平均数分别为36和52个,处理组和未处理组细胞数差异显著(P0.05)。结果表明,猪体外孤雌胚胎用7.5μg/mL CB处理4 h可获得较高的卵裂率和囊胚率;体外克隆胚胎用7.5μg/mL CB处理6 h卵裂率及囊胚率最高,且囊胚期内细胞团细胞总数最多。CB处理有利于体外胚胎早期发育,提高克隆胚胎移植受孕率。     

手工克隆生产猪胚胎关键技术的改进研究

手工克隆(handmade cloning, HMC)是在传统克隆技术的基础上发展出的一种体细胞核移植技术,作为纯手工操作技术,每一步骤的操作细节都影响着HMC的效率及重构胚胎发育能力。本试验针对HMC生产克隆猪胚胎的3个关键步骤:透明带消化、手工切割去核与无透明带重构胚的体外培养展开研究。结果显示,猪卵母细胞透明带以3.3 mg/mL链酶蛋白酶适度消化(10～15 s),在切割去核时卵母细胞死亡率显著低于透明带的过度(高于15 s)消化,死亡率分别为(3.22±1.08)%和(31.45±2.10)%;当透明带消化时间不足(少于10 s),不能被切割去核的猪卵母细胞显著升高,不可切割率分别为(18.25±4.22)%和(0.57±0.40)%。另外,"铡刀式"操作更适用于手工切割去核,其操作要点对成功获得无核半卵及其胞质含量非常重要。HMC无透明带重构胚体外培养时,孔深约250μm、孔径约300μm的微孔技术(well of wells, WOWs)有利于克隆胚胎发育。本研究优化了HMC操作的关键步骤,为提高生产克隆猪胚胎效率奠定了基础。     

IGF-I对奶牛体外胚胎发育、ROS水平和IGF通路相关基因表达的影响

为了研究胰岛素样生长因子1(IGF-Ⅰ)对奶牛卵母细胞体外成熟和植入前胚胎发育的影响,在卵母细胞体外成熟(IVM)和胚胎体外培养(IVC)期间添加不同浓度(0、20、40、60、80 ng/m L)的IGF-Ⅰ。结果表明:与对照组相比,IVM培养液中添加60、80 ng/m L IGF-Ⅰ显著提高了卵母细胞的成熟率(75.8%、76.2%vs.62.1%);IVM和IVC培养液中添加60、80 ng/mL IGF-Ⅰ显著提高了卵裂率(59.2%、61.5%vs.40.2%)和囊胚率(28.1%、27.6%vs.18.3%)并显著降低了囊胚内ROS水平(55.2、57.1 vs.79.8)。与对照组相比,IVM和IVC培养液中添加40 ng/mL IGF-Ⅰ提高了囊胚IGFBP2基因的表达;IVM和IVC培养液中添加IGF-Ⅰ没有改变IGFBP3基因表达;IVM和IVC培养液中添加60、80 ng/mL IGF-Ⅰ提高了囊胚IGFBP6基因表达(0.36、0.39 vs.0.23)。结果提示,在IVM和IVC培养液中添加适量浓度的IGF-Ⅰ可降低胚胎内ROS水平,增加胚胎细胞内IGFBP6基因表达,提高胚胎的早期发育能力。     

Aroclor 1254对小鼠胚胎植入的影响

探讨了Aroclor 1254对小鼠胚胎植入的影响。将用无水乙醇溶解的Aroclor 1254母液分别按比例添加到CZB胚胎培养液中,组成0.25、1.25、6.25μg/mL 3个浓度的Aroclor 1254毒性试验溶液,溶剂对照组试验溶液为含无水乙醇(无水乙醇与毒性试验组浓度相同)的CZB胚胎培养液,空白对照组为CZB胚胎培养液。在小鼠配种后第4天上午(dpc 4.5),手术法分别暴露双侧子宫角,分别注入上述试验溶液5μL于子宫角内。于小鼠配种后第8天上午(dpc 8.5),尾静脉注射5 g/L台盼蓝溶液,检测试验小鼠胚胎植入位点。结果表明,溶剂对照组与空白对照组的平均植入位点没有统计学差异;质量浓度为0.25μg/mL和1.25μg/mL Aroclor 1254组的平均植入位点(6.27±1.41和5.83±1.09)与溶剂对照组(6.26±1.63)差异不显著;质量浓度为6.25μg/mL Aroclor 1254组的平均植入位点数(5.07±1.64)极显著低于溶剂对照组(6.26±1.63)(P<0.01),显著低于1.25μg/mL Aroclor 1254组(5.83±1.09)(P<0....     

小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活及孤雌胚体外培养研究

本研究比较了几种化学激活剂对小鼠卵母细胞孤雌激活的影响以及激活后在不同培养培养液中的发育情况,并探讨了一种有效地孤雌激活和体外培养方法。分析结果表明:乙醇 6-DMAP(2.5mmol/L,4h)和SrCl2 6-DMAP(2.5mmol/L,4h)组的卵裂率和囊胚率都显著高于其他各组,说明他们能够较好的激活小鼠卵母细胞,而且,乙醇组合优于SrCl2组合,单个化学激活剂不能完全激活小鼠卵母细胞;激活的昆白小鼠MⅡ卵母细胞在含15?S的CZB培养液中可较好地克服2-cell阻滞并形成桑囊胚,在培养48h添加1.1mg/mL葡萄糖对胚胎的继续发育有利。     

不同化学激活剂对小鼠卵母细胞的激活效果

为探讨不同激活剂的卵母细胞孤雌激活效果及激活胚体外发育情况,用乙醇、CaA23187、SrCl2、6-DMAP及CB分别对小鼠卵母细胞进行了激活处理.结果显示,70 mL/L乙醇刺激小鼠卵母细胞时,以激活5～7 min的激活效果及孤雌胚发育较好,桑囊胚发育率可达29.11%;用SrCl2激活小鼠卵母细胞时,6～10 mmol/L为最佳处理浓度,3～6 h为最佳激活时间,桑囊胚发育率可达16.67%;以70 mL/L乙醇激活5 min,再用2 mmol/L 6-DMAP＋5 μg/mL CB激活3 h效果最佳,桑囊胚发育率高达35.77%.研究证实,小鼠卵母细胞经乙醇、6-DMAP和CB等复合激活后能较好地发育.     

Ghrelin对水牛体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎体外发育的影响

本研究的目的是探讨Ghrelin对水牛体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎体外发育的影响.体外成熟的水牛卵母细胞经体外受精或离子霉素孤雌激活后.分别在舍0,0.5,5,50和500 μg/L Ghrelin的培养液中进行体外培养,观察各组胚胎的卵裂率和囊胚率.结果显示,在培养液中添加不同浓度的Ghrelin对体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎的卵裂率均无显著影响(P>0.05),但添加500 μg/L的Ghrelin显著提高体外受精胚胎的囊胚发育率(33.5% vs 13.7%,P<0.05),50 μg/L或500 μg/L的Ghrelin均显著提高孤雌激活胚胎的囊胚发育率(32.4%和34.6% vs 14.5%,P<0.05).结果表明,培养液中添加Ghrelin对胚胎的早期卵裂没有影响,但可促进水牛体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎囊胚的形成.     

水牛徒手克隆胚胎培养及冷冻条件的优化

本试验利用微滴、微穴和平板培养系统对徒手克隆(hand-made clone,HMC)重组胚进行体外培养;采用了40% EG(ethylene glycol,EG)、25% EG＋25% DMSO(dimethylsulphoxide,DMSO) 和20% EG＋20% DMSO＋0.5 mol/L蔗糖作为玻璃化冷冻液对HMC囊胚进行了超低温冷冻;并且比较了HMC与传统核移植的胚胎生产效率及囊胚冷冻存活率。结果表明,微穴系统的卵裂率要显著高于平板系统(P<0.05),极显著高于微滴系统(P<0.01);且微穴系统的囊胚率(40.0%)极显著高于平板(19.8%)和微滴系统(8.3%)(P<0.01)。采用20% EG＋20% DMSO＋0.5 mol/L蔗糖作为冷冻保护剂时HMC囊胚存活率极显著高于40% EG(P<0.01);HMC重组胚的融合率和囊胚率均高于传统核移植法(P<0.05;P<0.01),而HMC囊胚的冷冻存活率与传统核移植生产的囊胚没有显著差异。以上结果说明水牛HMC可以替代传统核移植法生产克隆胚胎,微穴体系最适合水牛HMC胚胎的体外培养,且采用20% EG＋20% DMSO＋0.5 mol/L蔗糖对HMC囊胚进行玻璃化冷冻可以取得良好的冷冻效果。     

细胞松弛素B对水牛体细胞核移植效果的影响

以水牛耳皮成纤维细胞为供体细胞,采用电融合方法,探讨细胞松弛素B(CB)对水牛体细胞核移植效果的影响.体外成熟培养22～24 h的水牛卵母细胞去核后.将经0.1 mg/L Aphidicolin(APD)+0.5%FBS培养2～9 d的水牛耳皮成纤维细胞注射到卵周隙中再经电融合(100 V/mm,15μs,电脉冲3次)构建核移植重构胚.重构胚经化学激活后(5 μmol/L)离子霉素5 min,2 mmol/L 6-DMAP 3 h)培养,7～9 d评定其胚胎发育能力.结果显示,在含CB(3 mg/L)的融合液中进行电融合后,核移植的融合率、重组胚的存活率、卵裂率和囊胚率与对照组(不含CB)相比均无显著差异(P>0.05);核移植重组胚激活前用含CB(6 mg/L)的培养液培养1 h,其激活后的存活率(97.52%)和体外囊胚发育率(22.09%)均显著地高于未经CB处理的重组胚的存活率(93.87%)和囊胚率(13.25%,P<0.05);重组胚经离子霉素激活5 min后,在6-DMAP+CB中培养3 h的分裂率明显低于放在6-DMAP中培养3 h的分裂率(65.37% vs 78.92%,P<0.05),但囊胚发育率无显著差异(11.19% vs 10.96%,P>0.05).这表明水牛体细胞核移植电融合时,融合液中不添加CB,而核移植重组胚激活前经CB培养处理后,有利于胚胎的进一步发育,但激活后用CB培养处理会降低胚胎的发育率.     

山羊卵母细胞体外成熟培养液体积筛选

研究在一定卵丘-卵母细胞复合体(COCs)与培养液体积比例条件下,不同体积的培养液对山羊卵母细胞体外成熟的影响。按照COCs 1枚/4μL培养液的比例,采用5种不同体积的培养液,即50,100,250,500和1 000μL,对山羊卵母细胞进行体外成熟培养和孤雌激活。结果:100μL和250μL两组的卵母细胞体外成熟培养24 h后,其卵母细胞成熟率分别为78.10%和74.62%,差异不显著(P>0.05),但高于50μL组(P<0.05)、500μL组(P<0.05)和1 000μL组(P<0.01)组。100μL组孤雌激活胚胎的卵裂率(68.37%)、桑葚胚率(48.78%)和囊胚率(27.61%)都优于其他各组,其卵裂率和囊胚率与250μL组相比差异不显著(P>0.05)。结果表明采用COCs 1枚/4μL培养液的比例条件下培养卵母细胞,宜选用100～250μL范围内的培养液体积进行卵母细胞成熟培养,其卵母细胞体外成熟率可以达到78.10%左右。     

细胞松弛素B对猪孤雌胚胎和体外克隆胚胎发育能力的影响

为探讨细胞松弛素B（cytochalasin B,CB）对猪孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎发育能力的影响,本研究通过在猪体外胚胎培养基中添加不同浓度CB以及不同孵育时间的处理,筛选出CB对猪早期胚胎发育的最适浓度和最佳孵育时间,同时通过Hoechst33342染色检测猪体外囊胚孵化期的细胞数差异,进一步研究CB对孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎发育的影响。结果显示,培养基中添加CB浓度为7.5 μg/mL时孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎的卵裂率分别为85.00%和90.23%,囊胚率为35.68%和42.58%,均显著高于其他各组（P < 0.05）;采用7.5 μg/mL CB处理电激活后的孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎,孤雌胚胎孵育4 h组的卵裂率（83.80%）和囊胚率最高（35.39%）,与其他各组差异显著（P < 0.05）,而克隆胚胎孵育6 h组的卵裂率（83.98%）和囊胚率最高（55.62%）,与其他各组差异显著（P < 0.05）。此外,Hoechst33342染色结果显示,未添加CB处理的孤雌胚胎在囊胚孵化期的细胞平均数为28个,CB处理组的孤雌胚胎和克隆胚胎细胞平均数分别为36和52个,处理组和未处理组细胞数差异显著（P < 0.05）。结果表明,猪体外孤雌胚胎用7.5 μg/mL CB 处理4 h可获得较高的卵裂率和囊胚率;体外克隆胚胎用7.5 μg/mL CB 处理6 h卵裂率及囊胚率最高,且囊胚期内细胞团细胞总数最多。CB处理有利于体外胚胎早期发育,提高克隆胚胎移植受孕率。     

卵丘细胞对卵母细胞成熟、受精和胚胎发育的影响试验

将从猪卵巢上获取的卵母细胞根据卵丘细胞层数的多少分为两类,并将这两类卵母细胞进行成熟培养、体外受精和孤雌激活,以验证两类卵母细胞的发育潜能.结果显示,将两类卵母细胞分别进行成熟培养时,优级卵的成熟率高于次级卵（67.42±177;1.52％vs 48.33±177;2.85％）,且差异极显著（P＜0.01）;将成熟的卵母细胞进行孤雌激活后,优级卵的囊胚率高于次级卵（58.00±177;2.88％ vs 41.00±177;6.40％）,且差异极显著（P＜0.01）,但囊胚总细胞教两者无显著差异（P＞0.05）;将成熟的卵母细胞进行体外受精后,优级卵的囊胚率、囊胚总细胞数均高于次级卵（18.00土5.70％ vs 4.25±177;2.31％,41.7±177;3.33 vs 36.2土2.10）,且差异极显著（P＜0.01）;进行受精卵孵育时,未去除卵丘细胞的胚胎卵裂率、囊胚率、囊胚总细胞数均高于去除卵丘细胞的（88.14土7.48％ vs 58.69±177;2.89％,51.2±177;7.33％ vs 11.92±177;2.29％,41.7±177;3.33 vs 36.8±177;3.15）,且差异极显著（P＜0.01）.以上结果说明：卵丘细胞层数较多的卵母细胞成熟率高,且其孤雌和体外受精胚胎的发育潜能也好;卵丘细胞存在时,有助于卵母细胞的受精及以后的胚胎发育.     

猪孤雌胚胎干细胞建系的研究

以猪孤雌激活囊胚为材料,囊胚透明带消化后采用全胚培养,培养液中添加不同培养成分或因子（如FGF2,LIF,2i等）,以及选择不同的初始培养液体积来筛选猪胚胎干细胞（embryonic stem cell,ES细胞）建系的优化培养体系。囊胚内细胞团形成的细胞集落采用胰酶消化传代。结果显示：透明带消化后,囊胚贴壁率显著升高（19．4％VS．8．8％）（P〈0．05）;初始培养液体积比平常培养液体积（0．30mL／孔,24孔培养板）减半条件下,能显著提高其贴壁率（91．7％VS 20．0％）（P〈0．01）,而且获得了可传至7代的类ES细胞系2株,碱性磷酸酶染色成阳性;当用2i因子（CHIR99021和PD03025901）去替代培养液中的FGF2,囊胚贴壁率（29．400VS53．3％）和原代集落形成率（20．0％VS 87．5％）反而显著下降（P〈0．01）。这表明培养液添加了FGF2和LIF（不舍2i因子）,用24孔板培养,最初培养体积为0．15mL,透明带消化的培养体系比较适合猪孤雌激活胚的ES细胞建系。     

Efficiency of Two Enucleation Methods Connected to Handmade Cloning to Produce Transgenic Porcine Embryos

The purpose of our work was to establish an efficient-oriented enucleation method to produce transgenic embryos with handmade cloning (HMC). After 41–42 h oocytes maturation, the oocytes were further cultured with or without 0.4 μg/ml demecolcine for 45 min [chemically assisted handmade enucleation (CAHE) group vs polar body (PB) oriented handmade enucleation (OHE) group respectively]. After removal of the cumulus cells and partial digestion of the zona pellucida, oocytes with visible extrusion cones and/or polar bodies attached to the surface were subjected to oriented bisection. Putative cytoplasts without extrusion cones or PB were selected as recipients. Two cytoplasts were electrofused with one transgenic fibroblasts expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), while non-transgenic fibroblasts were used as controls. Reconstructed embryos were cultured in Well of Wells (WOWs) with porcine zygote medium 3 (PZM-3) after activation. Cleavage and blastocyst rates were registered on day 2 and day 7 of in vitro culture respectively. Meanwhile, the total blastocyst cell number was counted on day 7. We found that the difference was only observed between blastocyst rates (38.6 ± 2% vs 48.1 ± 3%) of cloned embryos with GFP transgenic fibroblast cells after CAHE vs OHE. With adjusted time-lapse for zonae-free cloned embryos cultured in WOWs with PZM-3, it was obvious that in vitro developmental competence after CAHE was compromised when compared with the OHE method. OHE enucleation method seems to be a potential superior alternative method used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) with transgenic fibroblast cells.     

丙戊酸处理对猪手工克隆重构胚体外发育潜能的影响

为探讨组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂丙戊酸（valproic acid, VPA)对猪手工克隆(HMC)胚胎发育潜能的影响,本研究比较了不同浓度（0、25、50、75和100 nmol/L）VPA处理猪HMC重构胚对后期胚胎发育率、内细胞团数和组蛋白乙酰化程度的影响。结果表明,50、75 nmol/L VPA处理组HMC重构胚的卵裂率和囊胚发育率均显著高于0、25和100 nmol/L VPA处理组（P<0.05）;与0、25、75和100 nmol/L相比,50 nmol/L VPA处理组能显著提高囊胚内细胞团细胞数（P<0.05）,囊胚阶段VPA处理组的组蛋白H3K14乙酰化（AcH3K14）水平高于空白组和孤雌激活囊胚。因此,应用VPA处理可提高猪HMC重构胚胎分裂率、囊胚率及增加内细胞团细胞数,提高了猪HMC胚胎的体外发育潜能。     

水牛活体采卵和无透明带胚胎培养体系的优化

本研究旨在探索哺乳动物体外受精（IVF）胚胎单独或少量培养时发育效率低、无透明带胚胎的体外发育潜能受阻的问题,以期建立提高水牛活体采卵（ovum-pick-up,OPU）和徒手克隆（handmade clone,HMC）胚胎发育潜能高效稳定的体外生产体系。研究首先比较了单个微滴内共培养的胚胎数量（1、3、5、10和20枚）对胚胎发育效果的影响;而后采用微穴体系（well-of-the-well,WOW）和辅助共培养体系（培养微滴中添加包埋IVF胚胎的琼脂糖小块）培养OPU-IVF胚胎,并用WOW体系培养无透明带的徒手克隆重构胚,与传统的微滴培养体系比较其体外发育效果。结果表明：单个微滴内培养的胚胎数量为1、3和5枚时,囊胚发育率极显著低于10枚和20枚组（P<0.01）;与微滴培养体系相比,辅助共培养和WOW体系均极显著提高OPU-IVF胚胎的囊胚率（P<0.01）,且WOW培养体系极显著促进HMC重构胚的卵裂率和囊胚率（P<0.01）。综上所述,胚胎群体培养有助于胚胎发育,在保证系谱明确的前提下琼脂糖包埋辅助胚胎共培养体系和WOW体系提高了OPU-IVF体外胚胎发育效率,且WOW体系还可用于无透明带胚胎的高效培养。     

Optimization of in vitro Culture System for Embryos Derived from Ovum-pick-up and Zona-free Embryos in Buffalos

The purpose of this study was to explore the problems of low development efficiency of small amounts in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos and limited development potential of zona pellucida-free embryos when cultured in vitro of mammals,to establish an efficient and stable in vitro production system for improving the developmental potential of living ovum-pick-up (OPU) and handmade clone (HMC) embryos in buffalos.The study first compared the effect of the number of fertilized eggs (1,3,5,10 and 20) co-cultured within a single microdroplet on the embryonic development effect.Then,OPU-IVF embryos were cultured using the well-of-the-well (WOW) system and the auxiliary co-culture system (adding agarosaccharide fragments of embedded in in vitro fertilization (IVF) fertilized egg in the cultivation of microdroplets).Furthermore,the embryos without zona pellucida were cloned and reconstructed by using the WOW system and compared with the traditional microdroplet system in vitro.The results showed that the blastocyst development rates of the 10 and 20 embryos groups were significantly higher than that of the 1,3 and 5 embryos groups.Compared with the microdroplet system,the assisted co-culture system and the WOW system significantly improved the blastocyst rate of OPU-IVF embryos(P<0.01).Moreover,the WOW culture system significantly promoted the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of HMC reconstructed embryos(P<0.01).To sum up,embryo mass culture contributed to embryo development,and under the premise of ensuring a clear pedigree,the agar-sugar embedding assisted embryo co-culture system and the WOW system improved the in vitro development efficiency of OPU-IVF embryos,the WOW system would also be applied to the high-efficient culture of zona pellucida free embryos.     

水牛徒手克隆的初步研究

徒手克隆是近年发展起来的一种手工化的核移植技术。本试验探讨了不同的去核方法、融合方法和供体细胞类型对水牛HMC效率的影响。试验结果表明,CB处理法去核与荧光染色法去核相比,去核效率及之后的重组胚发育能力均无显著差异(P＞0.05);一步法的融合率极显著高于两步法(P＜0.01),而两种方法构建的重组胚发育能力则无显著差异(P＞0.05);利用卵丘细胞所构建的HMC胚胎的融合率极显著高于耳皮肤成纤维细胞(P＜0.01),但重组胚的发育效果差异不显著(P＞0.05)。说明利用卵丘细胞作为HMC的供体细胞,采用CB处理法去核和一步融合的方法进行徒手克隆,其生产核移植胚胎效果较好。     

Developmental Kinetics of Pig Embryos by Parthenogenetic Activation or by Handmade Cloning

The developmental kinetics of pig embryos produced by parthenogenetic activation without (PAZF) or with (PAZI) zona pellucida or by handmade cloning (HMC) was compared by time‐lapse videography. After cumulus cell removal, the matured oocytes were either left zona intact (PAZI) or were made zona free by pronase digestion (PAZF) before they were activated (PA). Other matured oocytes were used for HMC based on foetal fibroblast cells. On Day 0 (day of PA or reconstruction), the embryos were cultured for 7 days in vitro in our time‐lapse system. Pictures were taken every 30 min, and afterwards, each cell cycle was identified for each embryo to be analysed. Results showed that the PA embryos (both PAZF and PAZI) had shorter first cell cycle compared with HMC (17.4. 17.8 vs 23.6 h), but had a longer time length from four cell to morula stages (57.9, 53.8 vs 44.9 h). However, at the second cell cycle, PAZF embryos needed shorter time, while PAZI embryos had similar time length as HMC embryos, and both were longer than PAZF (23.4, 24.8 vs 14.6 h). Both PAZF and PAZI embryos used similar time to reach the blastocyst stage, and this was later than HMC embryos. In addition, when all of these embryos were grouped into viable (developed to blastocysts) and non‐viable (not developed to blastocysts), the only difference in the time length was observed on the first cell cycle (18.6 vs 24.5 h), but not on the later cell cycles. In conclusion, our results not only give detailed information regarding the time schedule of in vitro‐handled pig embryos, but also indicate that the first cell cycle could be used as a selecting marker for embryo viability. However, to evaluate the effect of the produced techniques, the whole time schedule of the pre‐implantation developmental kinetics should be observed.