OBJECTIVES We recently demonstrated spatial regionalization of maternal transcripts and proteins within unfertilized ovine oocyte. Here, we investigated the likelihood of oocyte polarity for the first time in bovine. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this experimental study, in vitro matured bovine oocytes were used for manual bisection [into oocyte halve that were near-to (HNS) and far-from (FS) spin...

The present study was aimed to study the effect of an ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian follicle and good oocyte numbers and weights of ovary, uterus, liver, pancreas and kidney in rats, R. norvegicus. A 30.1 kDa peptide was isolated from ovine follicular fluid by ammonium sulphate precipitation and then gel filtration. The peptide was tested at various levels in normal (22 and 36 day-o...

The oocyte-secreted polypeptide growth factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15, also known as GDF9B) have both been shown to be essential for ovarian follicular growth and function. The effects of murine (m) and ovine (o) GDF9 as well as oBMP15, alone or together, on 3H-thymidine uptake and progesterone and inhibin production by granulosa cells f...

The present study investigated whether supplementation with different doses of cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) during in vitro maturation (IVM) of prepubertal ovine oocytes influenced their embryonic development in vitro. Cumulus-oocyte complexes derived from the ovaries of slaughtered prepubertal sheep underwent IVM with CeO2NPs (0, 44, 88 or 220µg mL-1). Matured oocytes were fertilise...

BACKGROUND Linoleic acid (LA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid present in high concentrations in follicular fluid, when added to maturation culture media, it affects oocyte competence. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we investigated effect of linoleic acid supplementation on in vitro maturation, embryo development and apoptotic related gene expression in ovine. MATERIALS AND METHODS The expe...

The addition of alpha-amanitin to extrafollicular, cumulus-enclosed ovine oocytes at explantation inhibits meiotic maturation and prevents many of the changes in protein synthesis that normally accompany maturation. By contrast, these inhibitory effects are considerably reduced by either delaying the addition of the drug for 1-4 h or by denuding the oocytes of all associated cumulus cells at th...

The oocyte-secreted polypeptide growth factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15, also known as GDF9B) have both been shown to be essential for ovarian follicular development and ovulation rate. In addition, it is known from both in vivo and in vitro studies that these factors co-operate in some manner. To date, most studies examining the in vitro ...

Background: in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes has increasing potential applications in assisted reproductive technology (ART), during which germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes cultured in vitro to produce mature (MII arrested) ones. Although functional, IVM oocytes have low developmental competence compared to in vivo matured oocytes; possibly because IVM comprises asynchrony between nuclear and c...

Background: In vitro maturation and fertilization are techniques to increase efficiency of mammals reproduction. However, in vitro culture conditions exert an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants which may reduce live birth and pregnancy rates when compare to in vivo conditions. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted as a part of the ovine IVF program organized by Univers...