Culture Medium and Oocyte Quality on Bovine Oocyte
Maturation and in Vitro Fertilization

Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, School of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Lomas de Zamora, Argentina

  Abstract: The complete maturation of the oocyte is the result of the interaction of gonadotropins, steroids and follicular signals. Fertilization anomalies in oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro are probably due to insufficiencies in cytoplasmic maturation. Therefore, the appropriate culture medium together with its interaction with oocyte quality is a promising combination for successful in vitro fertilization and subsequent embryo collection. The objective of the present work was to evaluate a protocol of maturation and a protocol of in vitro fertilization of category 1 oocytes (cytoplasmic and nuclear) obtained by puncture and aspiration, recovered from 305 cow and heifer slaughterhouse ovaries. A total of 1206 oocytes were collected. After maturation, 922 mature oocytes were obtained, of which 76.4% had extrusion of the first polar corpuscle and 82.3% expansion of the cumulus, and subsequently fertilized, obtaining a fertilization rate of 73.6%. The correct choice of oocytes and the procedures of in vitro maturation and fertilization using the protocols described in this trial gave repeatable and satisfactory results.