A novel technique for in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes in a liquid marble microbioreactor.
J Assist Reprod Genet 2016;
33:513-8. [PMID:
26852233 DOI:
10.1007/s10815-016-0666-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE
The aim of this work was to develop a microbioreactor using liquid marble (LM) as a novel system for oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) in small volumes.
METHODS
Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) obtained from slaughterhouse sheep ovaries were in vitro matured in a LM system prepared by placing a drop (30 μl containing 10 COCs) suspended in TCM 199 supplemented with 10 % (v/v) oestrus sheep serum (OSS) and 0.1 IU FSH and LH onto a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particle bed (LM group). As a control group (CTRL group), COCs were in vitro matured in standard volume and conditions (600 μl of IVM medium in a four-well dish). After 24-h culture at 38.5 °C in 5 % CO2 in air, COCs were released from LM and the following parameters were evaluated: (a) percentage of MII oocytes, (b) oocyte developmental competence following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or parthenogenetic activation (PA) and embryo culture for 8 days in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium at 38.5 °C in 5 % O2, 5 % CO2, and 90 % N2.
RESULTS
The results indicated similar percentage of MII oocytes in LM and CTRL groups (88.0 vs. 92.0 %). No differences were observed in blastocyst rate after IVF (LM 47.5 % vs. CTRL 50.2 %, P=0.637) or PA (LM 44.4 % vs. CTRL 48.3 %, P=0.426).
CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that LM microbioreactor is a viable technique that provides a suitable microenvironment to induce oocyte in vitro maturation.
Collapse