Effects of Zona-Free Culture on IVF bovine embryos and hemiembryos.
Carlos Irala, Daniel Salamone
Abstract
In recent years, IVF have become one of the most applied biotechnologies in livestock production. Monozygotic twin production has been successful in bovine species, by removal of the Zona Pellucida (ZP) and blastomere disaggregation at two cells stage. Since monozygotic twins are identical, it is possible to duplicate the number of embryos of superior genetic value from a single embryo. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of the ZP-Free embryo culture and blastomere separation in blastocyst development rate. Ovaries were collected from slaughterhouse and transferred to laboratory in sterile physiologic solution. COCs were aspirated from follicles of 2-8mm using 18G needles. COCs were searched in Tyrode’s Album Lactate Pyruvate Hepes (TALP-H) with 1% Penecillin-Streptomycin Fungizone (Gibco, USA), then maturated in vitro in Tissue Culture Medium 199 (TCM 199, Gibco, USA) 100µl drops under mineral oil 22 hours, in humidified air at 38,5ºC (Gibco, USA). Matured COCs were co-incubated in contact with thawed bull sperm, at 16x10⁶ spz/ml concentration, diluted in Sperm Wash Solution and Sperm Dilution Solution in the same proportion, in 100µl drops under mineral oil 5 hours. Presumptive zygotes were deposited in 100µl of TALP-H solution, and agitated 1 minute to remove the cumulous cells and spermatozoids adhered. Presumptive zygotes were then separated in two groups. One group was transferred to 50µl drops of Synthetic Oviductal Fluid (SOF), with 2.5% of FBS, 7 days and 38.5ºC and 5% O₂ under mineral oil. Cleavage was evaluated at 30 hours post IVF. The other group was transferred to 100µl TALPH drops covered in mineral oil to remove the ZP, with 10µl of protease 1 minute. ZP-free embryos were washed in TALP-H and individually cultured in microwells in SOF medium under mineral oil and 38,5ºC and 5% O₂. 30 hours post IVF, cleavage rate was evaluated. Half of the ZP-free embryos were selected randomly. Two-cells embryos were washed in TALPH and transferred to 50µl Drops of Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) medium (Gibco, USA), with no Ca₂₊, no Mg₂₊, and 20% of FBS covered in mineral oil. Blastomeres were separated by gently pippeting and individually cultured in microwells under same culture conditions. Blastocyst rate were evaluated at Day 7 of embryo culture. Blastocist rate from Control IVF Embryos, vs ZP-free embryos and hemiembryos were compared by ChiSquare Test (P<0.05). Our results suggest that both hemiembryos and ZP-free embryos had reduced blastocyst rate (13% and 10%, respectively), versus Control blastocyst rate (24%). The impairment in ZP-free embryo development could be caused by ZP removal procedure or ZP-free embryo culture. In conclusion, blastomere disaggregation for monozygotic twinning does not affect the blastocyst rate, apart from the ZP-free culture procedure. Improving ZP-free embryo culture could increase the total embryo production of monozygotic twins.