Effect of long and short-term exposure of oviduct cell co-culture and conditioned medium on ovine embryo development

摘要

The effect of long and short-term exposure of oviduct cell co-culture and conditioned medium on ovine embryo development is described. Post fertilized embryos were cultured in oviduct epithelial cell monolayer (OCM), oviduct conditioned (OECM) and control media. Short term exposure was evaluated using fertilized embryos co-cultured in OCM and OECM for 3 days and then transferred to cell free media (Synthetic oviduct fluid or SOF). Embryo development was determined through morphological inspection and blastocyst cell number on day 7. Long-term exposure was evaluated using fertilized embryos cultured in OCM and OECM for 8 days. In vitro culture (IVC) was done in 7% O2, 5% CO2, and N2 88%. Short-term co-culture in OECM increased embryo cleavage rate(P<0.05) but had no effect on other variables. Long-term co-culture with OECM significantly increased cleavage rate, total blastocyst rate and blastocyst cell number compared to controls (P<0.05). The results suggest that that OECM and OCM in 7% O2, 5%CO2, and 88% N2, may assist sheep embryo development compared to cell free culture.