Developmental potential of sheep oocytes cultured in different maturation media: effects of epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor I, and cysteamine

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and cysteamine (Cys) in defined maturation medium (DMM: basic culture medium + polyvinyl alcohol), semidefined maturation medium (SDMM: basic culture medium + bovine serum albumin), and undefined maturation medium (UDMM: basic culture medium + fetal bovine serum) on the cleavage rates and developmental capacity of sheep oocytes.

Study design: Prospective experimental study.

Setting: Department of Animal Science, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.

Animal(s): Ovine oocytes.

Intervention(s): Oocytes were treated in culture with growth factors and antioxidant-supplemented media to examine effects on embryo development.

Main outcome measure(s): Cleavage and embryo development.

Result(s): The addition of Cys to DMM supplemented with EGF and IGF-I improved the mean blastocyst formation compared medium without Cys. The combination of EGF + IGF-I + and Cys in UDMM resulted in a higher proportion of cleavage and greater morula and blastocyst yields than DMM + EGF + IGF-I + Cys or SDMM + EGF + IGF-I + Cys.

Conclusion(s): Undefined maturation medium supplemented with EGF, IGF-I, and Cys resulted in a higher proportion of cleavage and greater morula and blastocyst yields than DMM and SDMM supplemented with growth factors and antioxidants.