Effect of glucose level in culture medium on survival of in vitro
cultured sheep embryos following transfer to recipient ewes
J.G. Thompson, A.C. Simpson, P.A. Pugh, L.T. McGowan, R.W.
James, D.K. Berg, S.R. Payne, H.R. Tervit
AgResearch, Ruakura Agriculture Centre, Private Bag 3123,
Hamilton, New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1992, 52: 255-256
The total glucose concentration of a medium changes with the
extent of serum supplementation, and this may have an effect on
embryonic development in vitro. In this study, 1- and 2-cell sheep
embryos (N+109) were cultured for approximately 120 hours at 39 C under
humidified 5% CO2, 5%)2 and 90% N2 in Synthetic Oviduct Fluid medium
(SOF) supplemented with 20% human serum and a total glucose concentration
of either 1.5 mM (modified-SOF) or 2.3 mM (unmodified-SOF). A slight
effect was observed on the proportion of embryos developing to at least
the expanded blastocyst stage (63% and 48% for modified-SOF and
unmodified-SOF, respectively, P<0.1). Twenty-eight blastocysts from
each treatment were selected and transferred to 28 synchronised, mature
ewes (2 blastocysts per ewe). Pregnancy and number of foetuses were
determined by ultrasonography 54 days after transfer. All ewes were
pregnant and survival of embryos was 82% and 71% for modified-SOF and
SOF, respectively. However, a high post-natal mortality rate was
observed (37%), which was mostly attributed to a relatively high
birthweight of dead lambs (6.4 ± 0.5 kg). Although only a slight
advantage was demonstrated by adjusting the glucose concentration from
2.3 mM to 1.5mM, the results from this study demonstrate the potential
for high survival following transfer of sheep embryos cultured for 5
days.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Glucose; culture; sheep; embryos; transfer
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
