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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

296 EFFECT OF GROWTH HORMONE ON EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF BOS TAURUS IVP BOVINE EMBRYOS

L. M. C. Pegoraro A , M. N. Dode B , C. F. Weissheimer A , F. G. Leivas D , A. Vieira C , F. Mozzaquatro E , N. E. M. Rocha B , L. A. S. Castro A , L. L. Vianna F , J. Pradieé F and L. B. Anghonni E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Embrapa Clima Temperado, Pelotas Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil;

B Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brasil;

C Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil;

D Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil;

E Universidade da Região da Campanha Urcamp, Alegrete Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil;

F Med Vet UFPEL, Pelotas Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 22(1) 304-305 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv22n1Ab296
Published: 8 December 2009

Abstract

Bovine in vitro production systems are one of the most used assisted reproductive technique. However, this technique has some limitations especially in Bos taurus breeds, because of the low percentage of viable blastocysts produced (around 40% of oocytes inseminated) and higher cryosensitivity due to higher lipid content. Growth hormone (GH) can be a promising additive to increase in vitro embryo production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the embryo developmental rates (blastocyst/oocytes cleaved and blastocyst/oocytes inseminated) and ultrastructural features in Bos taurus embryos produced in SOFaa medium with or without GH. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) were recovered from slaughterhouse-derived ovaries (Angus Red crosses) and by ovum pick-up (OPU) from Jersey donors. After IVM and IVF, the presumptive zygotes were allocated in the SOFaa medium without (control) or with addition of GH (100 ng mL-1), for culture at 39°C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2. The cleavage and viable blastocyst rates were recorded 2 and 8 days after initiation of IVF, respectively. The results were compared by chi-square analysis. Similar (P > 0.05) cleavage rates were found in different culture medium and bovine breeds (61 v. 63% for Jersey control and Jersey GH; 71 v. 72% for cross-breed control and cross-breed GH). The development rates (blastocyst/oocytes cleaved and blastocyst/oocytes inseminated) did not differ in culture medium with or without GH within breeds (35 v. 30% for Jersey control and GH; 52 v. 56% for cross-breed control and GH; 21 v. 20% for Jersey control and GH; 36 v. 41% for cross-breed control and GH, respectively; P > 0.05). However, when breeds were compared, higher development rates were observed in cross-breed obtained from slaughterhouses than Jersey donors obtained by OPU (35 v. 52% for Jersey v. cross breed control; 30 v. 56% for Jersey v. cross-breed GH; 21 v. 36% for Jersey v. cross-breed control; 20 v. 41% for Jersey v. cross-breed GH. P < 0.001). The analyses of ultrastructure demonstrated no difference in the lipid proportion and organelle distribution of embryos produced with or without GH. We concluded that GH addition to SOFaa medium did not increase developmental rates for cross-breed or Jersey IVP embryos.