P-84: Blastocysts Production and Collection in Albino Hamster Using Superovulation and Intrauterine Artificial Insemination in Non-Breeding Season

Background: Due to the seasonality reproduction of albino hamster (April to October in the Northern Hemisphere) and the need to produce blastocysts for research applications, producing and collecting blastocysts by natural mating in non-breeding season is complex in this species. In the present study in vivo blastocysts production and collection using super-ovulation and intrauterine insemination was investigated in albino hamster. Materials and Methods: Twenty young adult female albino hamsters were identified in the diestrous phase in winter (non-breeding season) using vaginal smears. Pregnant mare’s serum gonadotropin hormone (25 IU, PMSG) was injected intraperitoneally. Hamsters were divided into two groups; in 48 hours and 56 hours later 25 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone was injected intraperitoneally into each hamster. After that each group was divided into two natural mating and artificial insemination subgroups. Each female hamster of natural mating group was mated with a fertile male after hCG injection and the next morning the vaginal plug was controlled. For artificial insemination, 12 hours after hCG injection, through surgical exposure of each uterine horns; artificial insemination was done in both horns separately by intrauterine injection method with 1×108 sperms which were collected from albino male adult hamster tail of epididymis. 3.5 days after mating or insemination, flushing was done with phosphate buffered saline solution to collect blastocysts. Blastocysts were counted and evaluated with a loop microscope. Results: Methods of natural mating (48 and 56 hour hCG) and artificial insemination (48 hour hCG) were without blastocyst. But method of 56 hour hCG and artificial insemination lead to produce 5 ± 15 blastocyst in each albino hamster in winter. Surgery and artificial insemination has no impact on the quality of collected blastocysts. Conclusion: This study presented a suitable timing, rapid and practical method to produce and collect blastocysts using superovulation and intrauterine insemination in albino hamster in nonbreeding season.