Effect of human granulosa cell co-culture using standard culture media on the maturation and fertilization potential of immature human oocytes.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether culture of immature human oocytes with and without autologous cumulus cells (CC) in standard culture medium would provide additional oocytes for use in IVF procedures. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Hospital-based IVF practice. PATIENT(S): Sixty-one women undergoing 62 IVF-embryo transfer procedures between August 2004 and June 2005. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Oocyte maturation after culture with and without CC, oocyte fertilization, and zygote cleavage. RESULT(S): Culture with CC did not alter the maturation rate for metaphase I (M I) oocytes to the metaphase II (M II) stage. Germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes cultured with CC matured at a significantly higher rate than did GV oocytes cultured without CC. Although acceptable fertilization rates were obtained (62.1%), "usable" embryo yield was very low (13.0%). CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrated good maturation of M I oocytes but poor maturation of GV oocytes in standard culture medium. Of the immature oocytes that did mature, were fertilized, and cleaved to embryos, only a very small number were actually suitable for patient use. Therefore, these extended culturing techniques were inefficient in maturing and providing additional oocytes/embryos for patient use. The use of specialized in vitro maturation medium may improve the utility of this process.