In vitro production of buffalo embryos: comparison of two different culture systems Abd-Allah S.M.1,*, Gomaa A.1, El-Gawad E.M.M. Abd1, El-Nahas E.M.2 1Theriogenolgy Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bnei-Suef, University, Egypt 2Department of Cell Biology, National researcher center, Dokki, Egypt *Corresponding author: abd-allah@vetsurgeon.org
Online published on 22 December, 2011. Abstract Oocytes and embryos are typically exposed sequentially to varying culture media in standard in vitro protocols. Expenditures of energy may be required following each medium to adjust to the changing environment. Therefore, a different culture media and media supplements were evaluated for its ability to improve in vitro maturation, fertilization and development of buffalo oocytes and embryos. Two culture systems were examined: a standard maturation [tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 with fetal calf serum (FCS)], fertilization Brackett Oliphant (BO) medium and culture system (TCM-199 with FCS) (system 1) and the second system; maturation in TCM-199 with FCS and Hormones supplements followed by fertilization in modified tyrodes medium with albumin, lactate and pyruvate (TALP) and culture in TCM-199 with FCS and cumulus cells (system 2). The present study revealed that production of buffalo embryos were significantly higher (p<0.01) in culture system (1) than the corresponding values with culture system (2). In conclusion, different culture media and media supplements can be used successfully throughout maturation, fertilization and embryo development. Moreover, inclusion of hormones during maturation resulted in significantly higher quality of matured oocytes and inclusion of cumulus cells in culture medium of embryos resulted in increased embryos produced. Top Keywords embryos, buffalo, culture, system, in vitro. Top |