References

Augustin, R., Pocar, P., Wrenzycki, C., Niemann, H., and Fischer, B. (2003). Mitogenic and anti-apoptotic activity of insulin on bovine embryos cultured in vitro. Reproduction 126, 91–99.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Banerjee, M., and Bhonde, R. R. (2006). Application of hanging-drop technique for stem cell differentiation and cytotoxicity studies. Cytotechnology 51, 1–5.
| CrossRef | PubMed |

Barnes, D., and Sato, G. (1980). Serum-free cell culture: a unifying approach. Cell 22, 649–655.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Bavister, B. D. (1995). Culture of preimplantation embryos: facts and artefacts. Hum. Reprod. Update 1, 91–148.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Benkhalifa, M., Demirol, A., Sari, T., Balashova, E., Tsouroupaki, M., Giakoumakis, Y., and Gurgan, T. (2011). Autologous embryo–cumulus cells co-culture and blastocyst transfer in repeated implantation failures: a collaborative prospective randomized study. Zygote 7, 1–8.
| CrossRef |

Bowles, C. M., and Lishman, A. W. (1998). Attempts to improve the yield of bovine blastocysts by incorporating insulin, selenium and transferrin in the in vitro system. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 28, 30–37.
| CAS |

Campbell, B., Souza, C., Gong, J., Webb, R., Kendall, N., Marsters, P., Robinson, G., Mitchell, A., Telfer, E. E., and Baird, D. T. (2003). Domestic ruminants as models for the elucidation of the mechanisms controlling ovarian follicle development in humans. Reprod. Suppl. 61, 429–443.
| CAS | PubMed |

Carolan, C., Lonergan, P., Khatir, H., and Mermillod, P. (1996). In vitro production of bovine embryos using individual oocytes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 45, 145–150.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Clemente, M., de la Fuente, J., Fair, T., Al Naib, A., Gutierrez-Adan, A., Roche, J. F., Rizos, D., and Lonergan, P. (2009). Progesterone and conceptus elongation in cattle: a direct effect on the embryo or an indirect effect via the endometrium? Reproduction 138, 507–517.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Erbach, G. T., Bhatnagar, P., Baltz, J. M., and Bigger, J. D. (1995). Zinc is a possible toxic contaminant of silicone oil in microdrop cultures of preimplantation mouse embryos. Hum. Reprod. 10, 3248–3254.
| CAS | PubMed |

Ferguson, C. E., Davidson, T. R., Mello, M. R., Lima, A. S., Kesler, D. J., Wheeler, M. B., and Godke, R. A. (2005). Evidence of a direct effect of P4 on IVF-derived bovine 8-cell embryos. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17, 219.
| CrossRef |

Fujita, T., Umeki, H., Shimura, H., Kugumiya, K., and Shiga, K. (2006). Effect of group culture and embryo-culture conditioned medium on development of bovine embryos. J. Reprod. Dev. 52, 137–142.
| CrossRef | PubMed |

Gardner, D. K., Lane, M., Spitzer, A., and Batt, P. A. (1994). Enhanced rates of cleavage and development for sheep zygotes cultured to the blastocyst stage in vitro in the absence of serum and somatic cells: amino acids, vitamins and culturing embryos in groups stimulate development. Biol. Reprod. 50, 390–400.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

George, F., Daniaux, C., Genicot, G., Verhaege, B., Lambert, P., and Donnay, I. (2008). Set-up of a serum-free culture system for bovine embryos: embryo development and quality before and after transient transfer. Theriogenology 69, 612–623.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Givens, M. D., and Marley, S. D. (2008). Approaches to biosecurity in bovine embryo transfer programs. Theriogenology 69, 129–136.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Goff, A. K., and Smith, L. C. (1998). Effect of steroid treatment of endometrial cells on blastocyst development during co-culture. Theriogenology 49, 1021–1030.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Goovaerts, I. G., Leroy, J. M., Van Soom, A., De Clercq, J. B., Andries, S., and Bols, P. E. (2009). Effect of cumulus cell co-culture and oxygen tension on the in vitro developmental competence of bovine zygotes cultured singly. Theriogenology 71, 729–738.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Goovaerts, I. G., Leroy, J. L., Jorssen, E. P., and Bols, P. E. (2010). Non-invasive bovine oocyte quality assessment: possibilities of a single oocyte culture. Theriogenology 74, 1509–1520.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Goovaerts, I. G., Leroy, J. L., Rizos, D., Bermejo-Alvarez, P., Gutierrez-Adan, A., Jorssen, E. P., and Bols, P. E. (2011). Single in vitro bovine embryo production: co-culture with autologous cumulus cells, developmental competence, embryo quality and gene expression profiles. Theriogenology 76, 1293–1303.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Guttiérez, C. G., Glazyrin, A. L., Robertson, G. W., Campbell, B. K., Gong, J. G., Bramley, T. A., and Webb, R. (1997). Ultra-structural characteristics of bovine granulosa cells associated with maintenance of oestradiol production in vitro. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 134, 51–58.
| CrossRef |

Hasler, J. F. (2010). Synthetic media for culture, freezing and vitrification of bovine embryos. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 22, 119–125.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Hugentobler, S. A., Sreenan, J. M., Humpherson, P. G., Leese, H. J., Diskin, M. G., and Morris, D. G. (2010). Effects of changes in the concentration of systemic progesterone on ions, amino acids and energy substrates in cattle oviduct and uterine fluid and blood. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 22, 684–694.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Hughes, P. M., Morbeck, D. E., Hudson, S. B., Frederickson, J. R., Walker, D. L., and Coddington, C. C. (2010). Peroxides in mineral oil used for in vitro fertilization: defining limits of standard quality controls. J. Assist. Reprod. Genet. 27, 87–92.
| CrossRef | PubMed |

Larson, J. E., Krisher, R. L., and Cliff Lamb, G. (2011). Effects of supplemental progesterone on the development, metabolism and blastocyst cell number of bovine embryos produced in vitro. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 23, 311–318.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Lee, J. H., Park, J. H., Choi, K. M., Im, K. S., and Jin, D. I. (2001). Improvement of in vitro development of bovine embryos in a medium containing serum. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 14, 170–173.
| CAS |

Li, R., Norman, R. J., Armstrong, D. T., and Gilchrist, R. B. (2000). Functional differences between bovine mural granulosa cells and cumulus cells. Biol. Reprod. 63, 839–845.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Li, R., Wen, L., Wang, S., and Bou, S. (2006). Development, freezability and amino acid consumption of bovine embryos cultured in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium containing amino acids at oviductal or uterine-fluid concentrations. Theriogenology 66, 404–414.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Lim, J. M., and Hansel, W. (1996). Roles of growth factors in the development of bovine embryos fertilized in vitro and cultured singly in a defined medium. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 8, 1199–1205.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Malhi, P. S., Adams, G. P., and Singh, J. (2005). Bovine model for the study of reproductive aging in women: follicular, luteal and endocrine characteristics. Biol. Reprod. 73, 45–53.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

McEvoy, T. G., Robinson, J. J., Aitken, R. P., Findlay, P. A., and Robertson, I. S. (1997). Dietary excesses of urea influence the viability and metabolism of preimplantation sheep embryos and may affect fetal growth among survivors. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 47, 71–90.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Merlo, B., Iacono, E., and Mari, G. (2007). Effect of progesterone and epidermal growth factor on in vitro-produced eight-cell bovine embryos in serum-free culture medium. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 19, 211.
| CrossRef |

O’Doherty, E. M., Wade, M. G., Hill, J. L., and Boland, M. P. (1997). Effects of culturing bovine oocytes either singly or in groups on development to blastocysts. Theriogenology 48, 161–169.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Orsi, N. M., and Reischl, J. B. (2007). Mammalian embryo co-culture: trials and tribulations of a misunderstood method. Theriogenology 67, 441–458.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Otsuki, J., Nagai, Y., and Chiba, K. (2009). Damage of embryo development caused by peroxidized mineral oil and its association with albumin in culture. Fertil. Steril. 91, 1745–1749.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Palasz, A. T., and Thundathil, J. (1998). The effect of volume of culture medium and embryo density on in vitro development of bovine embryos. Theriogenology 49, 212.
| CrossRef |

Parikh, F. R., Nadkarni, S. G., Naik, N. J., Naik, D. J., and Uttamchandani, S. A. (2006). Cumulus co-culture and cumulus-aided embryo transfer increases pregnancy rates in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. Fertil. Steril. 86, 839–847.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Pereira, R. M., Marques, C. C., Baptista, M. C., Vasques, M. I., and Horta, A. E. (2009). Embryos and culture cells: a model for studying the effect of progesterone. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 111, 31–40.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Raghu, H. M., Nandi, S., and Reddy, S. M. (2002). Effect of insulin, transferrin and selenium and epidermal growth factor on development of buffalo oocytes to the blastocyst stage in vitro in serum-free, semi-defined media. Vet. Rec. 151, 260–265.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Reggio, B. C., Lynn, J. W., and Godke, R. A. (1997). The effect of progesterone on the development of IVF-derived bovine embryos cultured in a semi-defined culture medium. Theriogenology 47, 284.
| CrossRef |

Reinsberg, J., Ackermann, D., and Van der Ven, H. (2004). Pitfalls in assessment of progesterone production by granulosa cells cultured in contact with silicone rubber or paraffin oil. Arch. Gynecol. Obstet. 270, 174–178.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Rizos, D., Gutierrez-Adan, A., Perez-Garnelo, S., De La Fuente, J., Boland, M. P., and Lonergan, P. (2003). Bovine embryo culture in the presence or absence of serum: implications for blastocyst development, cryotolerance and messenger RNA expression. Biol. Reprod. 68, 236–243.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Roh, S., Choi, Y. J., and Min, B. M. (2008). A novel microtube culture system that enhances the in vitro development of parthenogenetic murine embryos. Theriogenology 69, 262–267.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Rooke, J. A., McEvoy, T. G., Ashword, C. J., Robinson, J. J., Wilmut, I., Young, L. E., and Sinclair, K. D. (2007). Ovine fetal development is more sensitive to perturbation by the presence of serum in embryo culture before rather than after compaction. Theriogenology 67, 639–647.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Shamsuddin, M., Larsson, B., Gustafsson, H., and Rodriguez-Martinez, H. (1994). A serum-free, cell-free culture system for development of bovine one-cell embryos up to the blastocyst stage with improved viability. Theriogenology 41, 1033–1043.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Smith, G. D., and Takayama, S. (2007). Gamete and embryo isolation and culture with microfluidics. Theriogenology 68, S190–S195.
| CrossRef | PubMed |

Spindler, R. E., Pukazhenthi, B. S., and Wildt, D. E. (2000). Oocyte metabolism predicts the development of cat embryos to blastocyst in vitro. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 56, 163–171.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Takagi, Y., Mori, K., Tomizawa, M., Takahashi, T., Sugawara, S., and Masaki, J. (1991). Development of bovine oocytes matured, fertilized and cultured in a serum-free, chemically defined medium. Theriogenology 35, 1197–1207.
| CrossRef |

Tervit, H. R., Whittingham, D. G., and Rowson, L. E. A. (1972). Successful culture in vitro of sheep and cattle ova. J. Reprod. Fertil. 30, 493–497.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Thompson, J. G., Allen, N. W., McGowan, L. T., Bell, A. C., Lambert, M. G., and Tervit, H. R. (1998). Effect of delayed supplementation of fetal calf serum to culture medium on bovine embryo development in vitro and following transfer. Theriogenology 49, 1239–1249.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Thouas, G. A., Jones, G. M., and Trounson, A. O. (2003). The ‘GO’ system – a novel method of microculture for in vitro development of mouse zygotes to the blastocyst stage. Reproduction 126, 161–169.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Vajta, G., Peura, T. T., Holm, P., Paldi, A., Greve, T., Trounson, A. O., and Callesen, H. (2000). New method for culture of zona-included or zona-free embryos: the well-of-the-well (WOW) system. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55, 256–264.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |

Vandaele, L., Wydooghe, E., and Van Soom, A. (2010). Individual serum-free culture of bovine embryos is producing high blastocyst rates. In ‘Proceedings of the 3rd General Meeting of COST GEMINI, Soustons, France’. (Eds A. Fazeli, P. Chavatte-Palmer.) p. 119.

Van Hoeck, V., Sturmey, R. G., Bermejo-Alvarez, P., Rizos, D., Gutierrez-Adan, A., Leese, H. J., Bols, P. E., and Leroy, J. L. (2011). The effect of elevated NEFA during bovine oocyte maturation on early embryo physiology. PLoS ONE , .
| CrossRef | PubMed |

Wheeler, M. B., Beebe, D. J., Walters, E. M., and Raty, S. (2002). Microfluidic technology for in vitro embryo production In ‘Proceedings of the 2nd Annual International IEEE-EMBS Special Topic Conference on Microtechnologies in Medicine and Biotechnology, Madison, WI, 2–4 May 2002’. pp. 104–108. (XXX: XXX.)

Wheeler, M. B., Walters, E. M., and Beebe, D. J. (2007). Toward culture of single gametes: the development of microfluidic platforms for assisted reproduction. Theriogenology 68S, S179–S189.

Wijayagunawardane, M. B., Miyamoto, A., Cerbito, W. A., Acosta, T. J., Takagi, M., and Sato, K. (1998). Local distributions of oviductal oestradiol, progesterone, prostaglandins, oxytocin and endothelin-1 in the cyclic cow. Theriogenology 49, 607–618.
| CrossRef | CAS |

Young, L. E., Sinclair, K. D., and Wilmut, I. (1998). Large offspring syndrome in cattle and sheep. Rev. Reprod. 3, 155–163.
| CrossRef | CAS | PubMed |