Cloned calves derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos cultured in chemically defined medium or modified synthetic oviduct fluid

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is considered to be a critical tool for propagating valuable animals. To determine the productivity calves resulting from embryos derived with different culture media, enucleated oocytes matured in vitro were reconstructed with fetal fibroblasts, fused, and activated. The cloned embryos were cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) or a chemically defined medium (CDM) and developmental competence was monitored. After 7 days of culturing, the blastocysts were transferred into the uterine horn of estrus-synchronized recipients. SCNT embryos that were cultured in mSOF or CDM developed to the blastocysts stages at similar rates (26.6% vs. 22.5%, respectively). A total of 67 preimplantational stage embryos were transferred into 34 recipients and six cloned calves were born by caesarean section, or assisted or natural delivery. Survival of transferred blastocysts to live cloned calves in the mSOF and the CDM was 18.5% (to recipients), 9.6% (to blastocysts) and 42.9% (to recipients), 20.0% (to blastocysts), respectively. DNA analysis showed that all cloned calves were genetically identical to the donor cells. These results demonstrate that SCNT embryos cultured in CDM showed higher viability as judged by survival of the calves that came to term compared to blastocysts derived from mSOF cultures.     

Caprine somatic cell nuclear transfer using in vivo matured oocytes collected by laparoscopic follicular aspiration

In vivo matured oocytes collected by laparoscopic follicular aspiration (LFA) from hormone treated female goats were used as recipient ooplasts for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Japanese native (Shiba) goats were used as donor females and some donor females were used repeatedly (two or three times) at intervals of a few months. To induce synchronization of estrus, a sponge containing 0.5 g of progesterone was inserted into the vagina of each goat for 14 days. These animals were also treated with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a series of 8 injections over 4 days. The first FSH injection was administered on the morning of day 9 of sponge insertion. On the morning of day 13, 50 µg of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) was injected into each animal. Twenty‐nine hours after GnRH injection, LFA was performed. After removal of cumulus cells, collected oocytes with the first polar body were selected and enucleated for nuclear transfer. Anterior pituitary cells isolated from an adult male Shiba goat were transfected with a DNA fragment containing the enhanced green flourescent protein gene and the puromycin resistance gene. A single donor cell was inserted into the perivitelline space of each enucleated oocyte and fusion was induced with one electric pulse of 20 V for 10 µs. The SCNT goat eggs were cultured in chemically defined medium at 38.5°C in 5% CO₂, 5% O₂, 90% N₂ for 9 days. By LFA, 396 oocytes were collected from a total of 30 females. After removal of cumulus cells, 64% of them extruded the first polar body. The percentage of SCNT goat eggs produced using in vivo matured oocytes which developed to the blastocyst stage (20–21%) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that produced with in vitro matured oocytes (3–8%).     

哺乳动物异种体细胞核移植技术的应用及影响因素

哺乳动物异种体细胞核移植技术是在同种细胞核移植技术基础上发展起来的动物生殖技术,其在濒危动物保护、人类胚胎干细胞及生物基础学科研究等方面已展现出美好的前景.目前,该技术处于发展阶段,还存在很多值得研究的问题.文章介绍了动物异种体细胞核移植技术在国内外的研究现状,分析了影响异种体细胞核移植技术发展的因素,并对该技术的发展前景进行了展望.     

体细胞核移植生产梅山猪

本研究以中国优良地方品种梅山猪为材料,采用胰酶消化法获得猪胎儿成纤维细胞,通过使用Y染色体SRY基因引物SRY-1、SRY-2进行PCR扩增,结果发现,雄性胎儿样本能扩增出250 bp的Y染色体特异性基因片段,而雌性胎儿样本未扩增出此条带;G1、G2、G3、G4和G5代的融合效率差异不显著(P>0.05),但G5代作为供体细胞核移植的重组胚胎卵裂率显著高于G1、G2、G3和G4代(P<0.05);使用G5代的胎儿成纤维细胞作为供核细胞,通过手术移植的方法,将重构胚胎移植到二元后备母猪体内,结果成功地获得了体细胞克隆梅山仔猪,并且仔猪全部为雄性胎儿,说明该性别鉴定方法不但操作简单,而且准确度高;经微卫星DNA 多态性鉴定,确定克隆猪来自供核细胞,与代孕母猪无亲缘关系。本研究将为中国优质猪品种改良、保种、性别控制及建立人类疾病模型等研究提供有效可行的方法,为批量生产克隆优秀种猪提供了坚实的理论基础。     

延边黄牛卵母细胞与体细胞克隆胚胎内脂滴变化规律的研究

用苏丹Ⅳ和苏丹黑B 2种染色方法,对体外培养的延边黄牛各发育阶段卵母细胞和体细胞克隆胚胎内脂滴变化进行研究,并对2种染色方法进行了比较。结果表明,随着细胞发育阶段的不同,脂滴的含量也随之变化,从未经成熟培养的卵母细胞到8细胞期胚胎内脂滴不断增多,脂滴直径不断增大;而从8细胞期到囊胚期胚胎内脂滴不断减少,脂滴直径也不断减小。也显示苏丹IV染色效果较好,可作为测定活体细胞中脂滴的检测方法。     

体内、外卵母细胞对猪体细胞克隆胚胎发育潜力的影响

为探讨猪体内、外成熟卵母细胞对核移植重组胚胎发育能力的影响,试验通过激素促排获得体内成熟卵母细胞和收集废弃卵巢获取体外成熟的卵母细胞,分别构建核移植重组胚,比较其卵裂率、囊胚率及胚胎移植受孕情况。结果显示,PGC+PMSG+HCG组的平均排卵数（27.8枚/头）显著高于PGC+HCG （12.5枚/头）、PMSG+HCG （13.7枚/头）及自然发情组（11.5枚/头）（P<0.05）,体内收集到的卵母细胞,可用于构建核移植重组胚的可用卵率均达到90%以上,与其他处理组差异不显著（P>0.05）,说明通过激素处理可获得更多的可用卵母细胞,而且卵母细胞的质量没有显著差异;以体内和体外成熟卵母细胞作为核移植受体构建的克隆胚胎,二者的胚胎融合率（80.31%和79.29%）和卵裂率（90.40%和86.51%）差异均不显著（P>0.05）,但来自体内成熟卵母细胞克隆的胚胎发育至囊胚期的比例显著升高（P<0.05）;将体内、外成熟卵母细胞构建的核移植重组胚分别移植代孕母猪,头平均移植30或60枚时,体内成熟卵母构建的克隆胚胎移植出生仔猪10头,而体外培养卵母细胞构建的克隆胚胎均未着床受孕,表明通过激素促排获得的卵母细胞质量更好,能显著提高克隆胚胎的囊胚率,减少胚胎移植数量,提高代孕母猪的怀孕率。     

Effect of Oocytes in vivo and in vitro on the Developmental Potential of Porcine Somatic Cell Cloned Embryos

To investigate the impact of porcine oocytes in vivo and in vitro maturation (IVM) on the development of porcine somatic cell cloned embryos,the somatic cell cloned embryos cultured in vitro and the sows were treated with hormones to collect mature oocytes in vivo,and the cleavage rate, blastocyst rate and embryo implantation were compared. The results showed that the average number of ovulation in PGC+PMSG+HCG group was significantly higher than that of PGC+HCG,PMSG+HCG and the natural estrus groups (P<0.05). The oocytes collected in vivo could be used for the construction, and the available oocytes rate reached more than 90%,and there was no significant difference among the four groups (P>0.05),which indicated that groups treated by hormone could obtain more available oocytes and the quality of oocytes was not significant different. In vivo and in vitro matured oocytes were used as nuclear transfer embryos of recombinant receptor,the fusion efficiency (80.31% and 79.29%) and cleavage rate (90.40% and 86.51%) were not significant different (P>0.05), but the proportion of in vivo matured oocytes cloned embryos developed into the blastocyst stage was significantly higher (P<0.05). The reconstructed embryos made from in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes were transplanted into surrogate sows (transferred 30 or 60 embryos),10 piglets were born in in vivo maturation of cloned embryo transfer group,while there was no implantation in in vitro maturation of cloned embryo transfer group. The results showed that high quality oocytes obtained by superovulation could significantly increase the blastocyst rate of embryos,reduce the number of embryos transferred and improve the pregnancy rate of surrogate sows.     

Survival of embryos and calves derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer in cattle: a nationwide survey in Japan

To obtain data concerning the survival of embryos and calves derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in Japan, a nationwide survey was carried out in April, 2009. As a result, data concerning 3264 embryo transfers (ETs) with SCNT embryos which produced 301 calves were accumulated and their survival was analyzed. The present survey revealed that survival rates of transferred bovine embryos and produced calves derived from SCNT had not improved over a decade (1998–2007). A remarkable feature of the pregnancies with SCNT embryos was a high incidence of spontaneous abortions. When the decade was divided by the occurrence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 2001, significant decreases in the ‘after BSE’ period (2002–2007) were observed in the percentages of calves born (P < 0.01), calves living at birth (P < 0.05), calves living for 24 h (P < 0.05) and 6 months (P < 0.01). Abortions that occurred during 61–99 days after ETs were significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the ‘after BSE’ period. Certain kinds of regeneration that occurred in oocytes during the 15–20 h of storage of bovine ovaries at 10–15°C as a part of BSE inspection might have had some negative effects on SCNT embryos when these oocytes were used as recipients of SCNT.     

Comparative study of the developmental competence of cloned pig embryos derived from spermatogonial stem cells and fetal fibroblasts

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) are promising resources for genetic preservation and restoration of male germ cells in humans and animals. However, no studies have used SSC as donor nuclei in pig somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This study investigated the potential for use of porcine SSC as a nuclei donor for SCNT and developmental competence of SSC‐derived cloned embryos. In addition, demecolcine was investigated to determine whether it could prevent rupture of SSC during SCNT. When the potential of SSC to support embryonic development after SCNT was compared with that of foetal fibroblasts (FF), SSC‐derived SCNT embryos showed a higher (p < .05) developmental competence to the blastocyst stage (47.8%) than FF‐derived embryos (25.6%). However, when SSC were used as donor nuclei in the SCNT process, cell fusion rates were lower (p < .05) than when FF were used (61.9% vs. 75.8%). Treatment of SSC with demecolcine significantly (p < .05) decreased rupture of SSC during the SCNT procedure (7.5% vs. 18.8%) and increased fusion of cell‐oocyte couplets compared with no treatment (74.6% vs. 61.6%). In addition, SSC‐derived SCNT embryos showed higher blastocyst formation (48.4%) than FF‐derived embryos without (28.4%) and with demecolcine treatment (17.4%), even after demecolcine treatment. Our results demonstrate that porcine SSC are a desirable donor cell type for production of SCNT pig embryos and that demecolcine increases production efficiency of cloned embryos by inhibiting rupture of nuclei donor SSC during SCNT.     

Comparison of efficiency of in vitro cloned sheep embryo production by conventional somatic cell nuclear transfer and handmade cloning technique

Conventional somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique of in vitro production of cloned embryos involves use of costly and complicated micromanipulators. Handmade cloning (HMC) technique has been applied as efficient and cost‐effective alternative in many livestock species. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of in vitro production and in vitro development of cloned sheep embryos by the two techniques. Cloned embryos were produced by conventional SCNT using micromanipulator apparatus and by HMC technique. Enucleation efficiency and efficiency of fusion with somatic cell (nucleus donor) were compared. Cleavage percentage was observed on day 2 of in vitro culture (IVC), and morula and blastocyst percentages were calculated on day 7 of IVC. Higher enucleation efficiency (96.98 ± 1.01 vs. 93.62 ± 1.03; p > .05) as well as fusion efficiency was obtained with HMC technique than with conventional SCNT (96.26 ± 1.34 vs. 92.63 ± 0.70, p < .05); 181 cloned sheep embryos were produced in vitro by conventional SCNT and 92 by HMC. Cleavage percentage observed on day 2 of in vitro culture was higher in HMC than SCNT (66.92 ± 3.72 vs. 55.97 ± 2.5, respectively, p < .05). Morula percentage obtained was higher in SCNT than HMC (44.12 ± 2.93 vs. 30.43 ± 6.79, respectively, p < .05), whereas blastocyst percentage obtained by HMC was higher (12.46 ± 4.96) than SCNT (5.31 ± 2.25; p > .05). It was inferred that HMC technique provides a cost‐effective and efficient method of in vitro production of cloned sheep embryos with a comparatively simpler technique with a possibility of automation. Efficiency of cloned embryo production could be improved further by propagating and standardizing this technique.     

Vitamin C treatment of embryos,but not donor cells,improves the cloned embryonic development in sheep

Vitamin C is not only an antioxidant but also a regulator of epigenetic modifications that can enhance the activity of the ten-eleven translocation (TET) family dioxygenases and promote the oxidation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Here, we investigated the effects of vitamin C in regulating DNA methylation in sheep somatic cells or embryos in an effort to improve the cloned embryo development. Vitamin C treatment of sheep foetal fibroblast cells significantly increased the 5hmC levels but did not affect the 5mC levels in cells. After nuclear transfer, vitamin C-treated donor cells could not support a higher blastocyst development rate than non-treated cells. Although combination of serum starvation and vitamin C treatment could induce significant 5mC decrease in donor cells, it failed to promote the development of resultant cloned embryos. When cloned embryos were directly treated with vitamin C, the pre-implantation development of embryos and the 5hmC levels in blastocysts were significantly improved. This beneficial role of vitamin C on embryo development was also observed in fertilized embryos. Our results suggest that vitamin C treatment of the embryos, but not the donor cells, can improve the development of cloned sheep embryos.     

Effect of calf death loss on cloned cattle herd derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer: Clones with congenital defects would be removed by the death loss

To increase public understanding on cloned cattle derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the present review describes the effect of calf death loss on an SCNT cattle herd. The incidence of death loss in SCNT cattle surviving more than 200 days reached the same level as that in conventionally bred cattle. This process could be considered as removal of SCNT cattle with congenital defects caused by calf death loss. As a result of comparative studies of SCNT cattle and conventionally bred cattle, the substantial equivalences in animal health status, milk and meat productive performance have been confirmed. Both sexes of SCNT cattle surviving to adulthood were fertile and their reproductive performance, including efficiency of progeny production, was the same as that in conventionally bred cattle. The presence of substantial equivalence between their progeny and conventionally bred cattle also existed. Despite these scientific findings, the commercial use of food products derived from SCNT cattle and their progeny has not been allowed by governments for reasons including the lack of public acceptance of these products and the low efficiency of animal SCNT. To overcome this situation, communication of the low risk of SCNT technology and research to improve SCNT efficiency are required.     

Death losses due to stillbirth, neonatal death and diseases in cloned cattle derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer and their progeny: a result of nationwide survey in Japan

To obtain the data concerning death losses due to stillbirth, neonatal death and diseases in cloned cattle derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and their progeny produced by Japanese institutions, a nationwide survey was carried out in July-August, 2006. As a result, lifetime data concerning 482 SCNT cattle (97.5% of cattle produced in the country at that time) and 202 progeny of SCNT cattle were accumulated and the death loss of these cattle was analyzed. Although 1/3 of delivered SCNT calves died during the perinatal period due to stillbirth and neonatal death, incidence of death loss due to diseases in SCNT cattle surviving more than 200 days after birth seems to be the same as these in conventionally bred cattle. In contrast, progeny of SCNT cattle showed the same level in death loss as observed in conventionally bred cattle throughout their lifetime. These results suggest that robust health would be expected in SCNT cattle surviving to adulthood and their progeny.     

Effects of trichostatin A on in vitro development and transgene function in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos derived from transgenic Clawn miniature pig cells

The present study was carried out to examine the effects of post‐activation treatment of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on in vitro development and transgene function of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos derived from Clawn miniature pig embryonic fibroblast (PEF) transfected with a bacterial endo‐β‐galactosidase C gene (removal of the α‐galactosyl (Gal) epitope). SCNT embryos were incubated with or without TSA (50 or 100 nmol/L) after activation, cultured in vitro and assessed for cleavage, blastocyst formation and transgene function. The rate of blastocyst formation was significantly higher in SCNT embryos treated with 50 nmol/L TSA than that in control (P < 0.05), whereas the rate of cleavage and cell number of blastocyst did not differ. Following labelling with fluorescein isothiocyanate‐labelled BS‐I‐B₄ isolectin, the intensity of fluorescence observed on cell‐surface was dramatically reduced in transgenic SCNT blastocyst in comparison with non‐transgenic SCNT blastocyst. However, the reduction of α‐Gal epitope expression in transgenic SCNT blastocyst was not affected by TSA treatment. The results of this study showed that post‐activation treatment with 50 nmol/L TSA is effective to improve in vitro developmental capacity of transgenic SCNT miniature pig embryos without the modification of transgene function.