• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Tissue Culture Medium 199 (TCM) and Dulecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) on the blastulation and grade of human oocytes on Vero cells in vitro. A cohort of 79 and 93 oocytes in metaphase II stage were used in TCM 199 and DMEM respectively. No differences were found in the numer of oocytes showing two-pronuclei between TCM (82.3%) and DMEM (86.0%). The number of fertilized oocytes reaching the blastocyst was not significant in TCM (60.0%) and DMEM (63.1%). A total of 89 blastocysts were categorized into the four grades (BG1, BG2, BG3 and early) depending on their morphology. The number of embryos achieving the blastocyst grade 1 (BG1) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in DMEM (50.8%) than TCM (15.0%). It is concluded that cultured oocytes in DMEM with glutamine on Vero cells should be significantly increased BG1.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to determine effects of different culture media. Preantral follicles were mechanically extracted from bovine ovaries and cultured for 16 days in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199, DMEM or alpha-minimal essential medium ($\alpha$-MEM) + 10% FBS + 0.1 mg/ml sodium pyruvate + 100 mIU/ml FSH. The collected primary follicles from ovary were higher than the primary and secondary follicles. The survival rates of the follicles in TCM-199 were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in DMEM and $\alpha$-MEM. The diameter of the follicles progressively increased during 12 days of culture. The maximum size ($139.1{\pm}5.4\;{\mu}m$) reached on Day 12 of the in vitro culture and decreased on Day 16. These results suggest that in a culture of bovine preantral follicles, TCM-199 is an optimal medium and a longer-term culture of preantral follicles (>12 days) may be needed to form antra.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of porcine epididymal fluid (pEF) on in vitro-maturation and subsequent fertilization of porcine follicular oocytes. Porcine cumulus-oocytes complexes retrieved from antral follicles were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM)-l99 supplemented with pEF of different concentrations. At 48 h after culture, development of oocytes to germinal vesicle (GV) breakdown, metaphase I, anaphase-telophase I, and metaphase II were examined Significant (p<0.05) increase in the proportion of oocytes developed to MII stage was observed in oocytes cultured in pEF-containing TCM-l99 than in oocytes cultured in pEF-free TCM-199 (46.2% vs 16.7%), which was a dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, the proportion of monospermic fertilization were significantly (p<0.05) increased in oocytes cultured in the TCM supplemented with pEF than those cultured in pEF-free TCM-199 (51.0% vs 24.1%). In the second series of experiment, the percentage of MII oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) increased after exposure of oocytes to pEF during the first 22 h period of culture than after exposure of oocytes to pEF during the next 24 h of culture, while no significant difference in the percentage of monospermy was observed. The results of this study demonstrate that pEF contains at least enhancing component(s) for nuclear maturation.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 2020

The research work was undertaken to determine an effective fertilization medium, sperm separation method and sperm capacitating agent for optimum in vitro fertilization (IVF) rates of indigenous zebu cow oocytes. In experiment 1, tissue culture medium (TCM 199), Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (TALP) and Brackett and Oliphant (BO) medium were used as basic medium for IVF of oocytes of indigenous zebu cows. In experiment 2, three sperm separation methods namely centrifugation, swim up and percoll gradient methods were used for separation of motile and viable spermatozoa for IVF. In experiment 3, for capacitation of spermatozoa, IVF medium supplemented with the heparin, mixture of penicillamine, hypotaurine and epinephrine (PHE) or the combination of heparin with PHE were used for fertilization. In vitro culture (IVC) of presumptive zygotes was done in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) medium using standard procedure 24 h after sperm-oocytes co-culture. The cleavage rate was determined to evaluate the efficacy of fertilization medium, sperm separation method and sperm capacitating agent 24 h after IVC. The cleavage rate was higher in oocytes fertilized in TALP (63.3%) than in TCM 199 (47.5%) (p < 0.05). The cleavage rate was higher in oocytes fertilized by spermatozoa separated by percoll gradient method (62.3%) than by centrifugation (51.6%) (p < 0.05). The cleavage rate of oocytes was higher when insemination was done with spermatozoa capacitated in TALP supplemented with heparin and PHE (61.3%) compared to control (40.9%) (p < 0.05). In conclusions, TALP based medium and percoll gradient sperm separation followed by capacitation with combination of heparin and PHE are suitable for IVF of indigenous zebu cow oocytes in Bangladesh.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate what protein(s) of porcine epididymal fluid (pEF) are able to enhance the nuclear maturation of porcine germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes in vitro. Proteins of pEF were fractionated by affinity, ion exchange, and gel filtration chromatography. Porcine cumulus-oocytes complexes (COC) from follicles were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM 199) containing various fractions obtained by chromatography. Porcine COCs were also cultured in TCM 199 containing various meiosis inhibitors and pEF. After 24 or 48 h culture, oocytes were examined for evidence of GV breakdown, metaphase I, anaphase-telophase I, and metaphase II. When porcine COCs were cultured in the medium with meiosis inhibitor such as, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and forskolin (Fo), more than 80% of oocytes were unable to resume meiosis. However, porcine COCs supplemented with pEF were able to overcome the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP and Fo. Maturation rate of oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) increased in the media supplemented with cationic protein(s) during in vitro maturation than in those with anionic protein(s) (44.1% vs 20.0%). When oocytes were cultured in the TCM 199 with fractions obtained by gel filtration, the maturation rate of oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) higher in fraction 11 containing 18 kDa than other fractions. The present study suggests that 1) dbcAMP and Fo prevent the spontaneous maturation of oocyte after isolation from follicles, and that pEF contain a substance(s) that improves meiosis resumption in vitro of porcine COCs, 2) cationic 18 kDa protein(s) are responsible for promotion of Mil stage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.532-537
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• 2008

In order to investigate the factors affecting the culture of mouse preantral follicles in vitro, we examined the effect of culture media, protein supplements, and culture period on their growth. The oocyte diameter (initial size: $55.6{\pm}2.5{\mu}m$) was progressively increased during culture, and the maximum size ($72.0{\pm}2.4{\mu}m$) was reached on day 10 of the in vitro culture. The chromatin configuration in the germinal vesicle (GV) oocyte progressively shifted from a non-surrounded nucleolus (NSN) to a surrounded nucleolus (SN). On day 10 of the culture, most of the oocytes progressed to the SN pattern. The survival and metaphase II rates of the oocytes in alpha-minimal essential medium (alpha-MEM) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in Waymouth and tissue culture medium (TCM)-199. As a protein source, fetal bovine serum (FBS) was more suitable for the culture of mouse preantral follicles as compared to human follicular fluid (hFF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA); the optimal concentration of FBS was 5%. These results suggest that in a culture of mouse preantral follicles, alpha-MEM and 5% FBS are an optimal medium and a protein source, respectively; further, the 10 days of culture is required for the complete growth of oocytes in this culture system.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.239-249
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• 2002

Embryos derived from pig oocytes matured in mSOF are able to develop to blastocysts after IVF. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of two maturation media (TCM-199 vs mSOF) on maturation rate, fertilization parameters, including penetration, polyspermy, male pronuclear formation, and the mean number of sperm penetrated per oocyte. Experiment 2 and Experiments 3 examined the effects of two maturation media on zona pellucida solubility and cortical granule distribution by transmissible electron microscopy, respectively. Experiment 4 assessed the effects of two maturation media on the in vitro embryo cleavage rate and development to blastocyst. Lastly, experiment 5 examined the cell number of blastocyst. An effect of media (P<0.05) was detected for mSOF on the mean number of sperm per oocyte. In TCM group, zona digestion time (196.5$\pm$15.5 vs 131.6$\pm$20.1 before IVF, 397.5$\pm$30.3s vs 185.3$\pm$16.4s after IVF, p<0.05) was higher in TCM-199 group. No significant effects of media was observed on cortical granule distribution between two groups by TEM. An effect (P<0.05) was observed on embryo development to blastocyst (16% vs 8%) but not on cleavage rates. No significant effects of media was observed on total cell number of blastocyst. We found that the high mean number of sperm penetrated per oocyte and the weaker zona pellucida on the basis of the digestion time was shown in pig oocytes matured in mSOF, however, porcine oocyte maturation with supplemented synthetic oviduct fluid medium (mSOF) resulted in blastocyst cell numbers comparable to those observed with Tissue Culture Medium 199.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to investigate whether addition of porcine epididymal fluid (pEF) into culture medium during in vitro maturation influences the nuclear maturation of porcine germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes. Porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from follicles were cultured in tissue culture medium 199 (TCM 199) containing pEF. After 48hr of culture, oocytes were examined for evidence of GV breakdown, metaphase I, anaphase-telophase I, and metaphase II. The proportion of oocytes reaching at metaphase II (M II) stage was significantly (p<0.05) increased in oocytes cultured in the media supplemented with 10% pEF during in vitro maturation than in those without pEF regardless of cumulus presence or absence (54.6% vs 22.5%, 51.7% vs 24.2%). The supplementation of pEF during maturation of oocyte enhanced oocytes maturation in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Also significant differences (p<0.05) in the percentage of MII oocytes were observed according to exposure period in pEF. Present study suggests that pEF contains a enhancing component(s) for nuclear maturation of porcine immature oocytes in vitro.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2005

In vitro maturation of porcine immature cumulus-enclosed oocytes can be enhanced by co-incubation with spermatozoa even before fertilization. The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of spermatozoa into the culture medium can stimulate the meiosis resumption of porcine cumulus-enclosed oocytes arrested at germinal vesicle (GV). Cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEOs) were collected from follicles of 3 to 5mm diameter. Porcine CEOs were cultured in tissue culture medium containing various meiosis inhibitors and spermatozoa. Oocytes were examined for evidence of GV and GV breakdown after 24 h culture. After 24 h culture $43.8\%$ of oocytes cultured in only TCM 199 remained at GV stage whereas $56.2\%$ of oocytes were able to resume meiosis. When porcine CEOs were cultured in the medium with meiosis inhibitor such as, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and forskolin (Fo), more than $90\%$ of oocytes were not able to resume meiosis. However, co-culture of porcine CEOs with spermatozoa was able to overcome the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP and Fo. Irrespective of the presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), no difference was observed in the proportion of oocyte reached germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). The present study suggests that dbcAMP and Fo prevent the spontaneous maturation of competent oocyte in culture after isolation from follicles and that mammalian spermatozoa contain a substance(s) that improves meiosis resumption in vitro of porcine cumulus-enclosed oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.269-274
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Taxol pre-treatment to in vitro matured bovine oocytes, and sucrose and trehalose added to vitrification solution on spindle morphology and embryonic development following cryopreservation. Bovine oocytes were collected from ovaries and matured in tissue culture medium 199 (TCM 199) supplemented with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), 0.05ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 0.01 IU/ml luteinizing hormone and $1{\mu}g/ml$ estradiol for 22h in $39^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$, TCM 199-HEPES containing 20% FBS was used as basic medium (BM) to prepare vitrification solution. Oocytes were pre-treated with $1\;{\mu}M$ Taxol in maturation medium for 15 min prior to vitrification. Oocytes were exposed to 1.6 M ethylene glycol (EG) and 1.3M dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in BM and then were exposed to 3.2 M EG, 2.6 M DMSO and 0.5 M sucrose in BM or 3.2 M EG, 2.6 M DMSO and 0.5 M trehalose in BM. Oocytes with cumulus cells and oocytes without cumulus cells were considered as control 1 and control 2, respectively and held in TCM 199-HEPES at $39^{\circ}C$. Oocytes were frozen using modified solid surface vitrification and were stored in cryotubes in liquid nitrogen for more than 1 week. Frozen oocytes were thawed in TCM 199-HEPES containing 0.5 M, 0.25 M and 0.1 M sucrose in BM for 2 min, respectively or 0.5 M, 0.25 M and 0.1 M trehalose in BM for 2 min, respectively. Immunoflurorescence staining of oocytes was performed to assess spindle morphology and chromosome configuration of oocytes. The rates of cleavage and blastocyst were examined following in vitro fertilization. Normal spindle morphology rate of oocytes pre-treated with Taxol prior to vitrification was not higher than that of other vitrified groups. Taxol pre-treatment did not increase cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, although control groups showed significantly higher rates (p<0.05). Percentages of normal spindle and embryonic development were not significantly different among vitrified groups regardless of type of sugar. In conclusion, Taxol pre-treatment of oocytes before cryopreservation did not reduce the damage induced by vitrification and subsequently did not improve embryonic development following vitrification. Trehalose may be used as an alternative non-permeating cryoprotectant in vitrification solution.