Prevalence of apoptosis and inner cell allocation in bovine embryos cultured under different oxygen tensions with or without cysteine addition

摘要

Supraphysiological oxygen tension during embryo culture can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). which can induce apoptosis. Antioxidants such as thiol compounds (cysteine. cysteamine) can be used to prevent ROS damage to the embryo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of apoptosis during bovine embryo development and to evaluate the effect of the presence or absence of cysteine 0.6 mM in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) on in vitro produced cattle embryos cultured under two different oxygen tensions (5% O-2 versus 20% O-2). Effects were assessed by checking embryo development at Days 7, 8 and 9 and by evaluating Day 9 hatched blastocysts for differentiation by means of differential staining and for apoptosis by means of TUNEL-assay.