In this study, synergic effects of MEM vitamins (MEMv) and beta-mercaptoethanol (bME) supplemented to porcine maturation medium on reactive oxygen species (ROS) of oocytes and embryos, and apoptosis of blastocysts were determined. Cumulus-oocyte- complexes (COCs) were allocated into four treatment groups: 0.05X MEMv, 25 uM bME, 0.05X MEMv + 25 uM bME or a group without MEMv + bME. In experiment 1, COCs were cultured in four respective treatment groups based on NCSU-23 medium for 44 h at 39℃ in a 5% CO2 atmosphere. We evaluated ROS of oocytes. In experiment 2, COCs were cultured in four respective treatment groups and then were fertilized in vitro (IVF) or activated by chemical or electrical method. We determined ROS of early stage embryos (2 cell-4 cells) and apoptosis of blastocysts. DCHFDA for ROS level and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) for apoptosis were used. As a result, ROS level of oocytes was not significant difference among experimental groups. In early stage embryos produced by IVF, MEMv + bME group showed significantly lower ROS level than that of control group (p<0.05). Level of apoptosis in blastocysts of the MEMv + bME group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). In early stage embryos produced by chemical activation, ROS level of MEMv + bME group was significantly lower than that of bME group (p<0.05) without significant difference with those of control and MEMv group. Level of apoptosis in blastocysts in the MEMv + bME group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). In early stage embryos produced by electrical activation, ROS level of MEMv + bME group was significantly lower than that of control (p<0.05). However, apoptosis level of blastocyst was not significant difference among experimental groups. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the addition of MEM vitamins and betamercaptoethanol during in vitro maturation is able to alleviate the production of ROS and apoptosis.

In vitro production of porcine embryos, including in vitro maturation of oocytes followed by in vitro fertilization and in vitro culture, may result in live offspring, but it is still associated with great inefficiencies. In mammalian oocytes, acquisition of meiotic competence coincides with a decrease in general transcriptional activity at the end of the oocyte growth phase. In this study, we investigated the expression and sub‐cellular localization of CDK9, a RNA polymerase II CTD kinase during pig oocyte growth. Localization and expression of components involved in mRNA and rRNA transcription were assessed by immunocytochemistry in growing and fully‐grown oocytes. In addition, meiotic resumption, germinal vesicle breakdown and nuclear transcription were analyzed in oocytes cultured in presence of a potent CDK9 inhibitor, flavopiridol. Our analyses, demonstrated that CDK9 became co‐localized partially with phosphorylated Pol II CTD and mRNA splicing complexes. Surprisingly, CDK9 was co‐localized with Pol Ispecific transcription factor, UBF, and gradually localized in nucleolar peripheries at the final steps of oocyte growth. Treatment with flavopiridol resulted in arrest in meiotic resumption, germinal vesicle breakdown as well as a decline in global transcription. All together, this data suggest that CDK9 has a dual role in both Pol I‐ and Pol II‐dependent transcription in pig oocyte growth.

Acteoside (verbascoside) is a typical phenylethanoid glycoside, extracted from various plants. It has various biological functions such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, and anti-hypertension. Specially, it was powerful anti-oxidants either by direct scavenging of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, or by acting as chain-breaking peroxyl radical scavengers. We examined the role of acteoside in IVM medium on the morphological progress of meiosis, developmental competence, and ROS in porcine oocytes. And we investigated effect of acteoside on the oocytes condition represented by cytoplasmic maturation by homogeneous distribution and formation of cytoplasmic organelles and regulation of apoptosis-related genes. The selected COCs were cultured in TCM-199 with various concentration of acteoside: 0 (control), 10, 30, and 50 μM. After 22 h of maturation with hormones, the oocytes were washed twice in a fresh maturation medium before being cultured in hormone-free medium for additional 22 h. The oocytes maturation rates of supplemented with acteoside were no significantly different compared with control group (71.13, 75.96, 72.95 and 73.68%, respectively). Level of ROS was significantly decreased in acteoside treated group. Furthermore, the parthenogenetic blastocyst rate was significantly improved in 10 μM acteoside treated group compared with control group (40.03 vs. 22.95%). During IVM, 10 μM acteoside treated oocytes showed that the mitochondria and lipid droplet were smaller and homogeneous distribution in cytoplasm compare with non-treated control oocytes. And reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) witarthenogenetic blstocysts revealed that acteoside increased the anti-apoptoticgenes, otherwise reibued pro-apoptotic genes. In conclusion, our results represents that addition of acteoside to the IVM medium has a beneficial effect in physiology of porcine oocytes such as viability and activation, providing a improved method for porcine oocytes in vitro.

The study investigated the effects of trans-ε-viniferin on in vitro maturation (IVM) and gene expression. Three experiments were conducted. Firstly the trans-ε-viniferin was purified from the leaves and stems of the Vitis amurensis , a common wild grape found in Korea, Japan, and China. In the first experiment, a total of 594 cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) were used for the evaluation of the nuclear maturation. COCs were matured with various concentrations of trans-ε-viniferin (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 μM). After IVM 42 44 h, the nuclear maturation was evaluated. In the second experiment, a total of 300 matured oocytes were used to examine the effects of different trans-ε-viniferin concentrations (0, 0.5 and 5.0 μM) on porcine oocyte intracellular GSH and ROS levels. In the third experiment, the gene expression of oocytes matured with trans-ε-viniferin (0.5 μM) and the untreated group were evaluated after IVM. As results, we observed that trans-ε- viniferin treatment during IVM did not improve the nuclear maturation. But significantly increased (p<0.05) intracellular GSH levels in 0.5 μM group (0 μM vs. 0.5 μM; 14.6 vs. 16.8 pmol/oocyte) and reduced ROS levels (0 μM vs. 0.5 μM and 50 μM; 174.6 vs. 25.7 and 23.8 pixel/oocyte). The trans-ε-viniferin treatment during IVM of recipient oocytes promoted higher (p<0.05) expression of Dnmt1 mRNA in 0.5 μM treatment group than in the control group. But, the other gene expressions (PCNA, OCT4, caspase3, BAK, BAX and sit1) did not significantly differ from the control. In conclusion, these results indicated that the trans-ε-viniferin treatment during porcine IVM increased the cytoplasmic maturation through increasing the intracellular GSH synthesis, reducing ROS levels and increasing the Dnmt1 gene expression.

The present study investigated the effects of resveratrol (a phytoalexin with various pharmacological activities) during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes on nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, gene expressions in matured oocytes, cumulus cells, and IVF-derived blastocysts, and subsequent embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). In the nuclear maturation after 44 h IVM, the groups of 0.1, 0.5, and 2.0 μM (83.0%, 84.1%, and 88.3%, respectively) had no significant difference compared to the control (84.1%), but the group of 10.0 μM decreased the nuclear maturation (75.0%) significantly (p<0.05). The groups of 0.5 and 2.0 μM showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in intracellular GSH levels compared to the control and 10.0 μM groups. Intracellular ROS level of oocytes matured with 2.0 μM resveratrol was significantly (p<0.05) decreased compared to the other groups. Oocytes treated with 2.0 μM resveratrol during IVM had significantly higher blastocyst formation rate, and total cell numbers after PA (62.1% and 49.1 vs. 48.8%, and 41.4, respectively) and IVF (20.5% and 54.0 vs. 11.0% and 43.4, respectively) compared to the control group. Cumulus-oocytes complex (COCs) treated with 2.0 μM resveratrol were showed lower (p<0.05) expressions of apoptosis-related genes in both matured oocytes (Bax, Bak, and Caspase-3) and cumulus cells (Bax). In IVF-derived blastocysts derived from 2.0 μM resveratrol treated oocytes had also decreased (p<0.05) expression of Bak compared to the control. In conclusion, the 2.0 μM resveratrol supplementation during IVM improved the developmental potential of PA and IVF in porcine embryos by increasing the intracellular GSH level, decreasing ROS level, and regulating apoptosis-related genes expression during oocyte maturation.

Genetic resources of buffalo, cattle, goat, sheep, deer, rabbit, pig, chicken, duck, goose, turkey and swan in Taiwan are conserved in living form or frozen genetic materials. Preserving farm animals in living form must conserve a considerable number of mature individuals with reproductive potential, and continued funding and breeding space are necessary. Based on the afore‐mentioned restraints and consideration of risk diversification, living animals are preserved in Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI) branches and breeding stock reproduction grounds throughout Taiwan. Genetic materials preserved in frozen form include germ cell (sperm, egg and embryo), tissue, somatic cell, cell line, DNA and gene pool. Those preserved for long term more than 10 years are conserved in liquid nitrogen storage tank at ‒185 to ‒196℃. Animal industry on utilization of farm animal genetics emphasizes the importance of in situ conservation and considers ex situ conservation as an essential complementary activity to in situ. In situ and ex situ utilization are complementary, not mutually exclusive. The exact strategy of germplasm cryobanking will clearly depend on the conservation objectives of TLRI. In situ and ex situ strategies differ in their capacity to achieve the different bio‐utilization objectives. Based on the objectives for bio‐utilization and conservation, the existing national technical capacity and infrastructure for cryoconservation, and amount of capital to invest in developing and maintaining a gene bank for food animal genetic resources (FAnGR), each country should determine for which FAnGR, if any, national cryobanking program should be undertaken. The health and sanitary issues of animals that must be considered when establishing and operating gene banks for animal genetic resources to help prevent the conservation of potentially dangerous pathogens along with the valuable genetic material in the ultra‐low temperature cell repository. Bio‐utilization of material stored in the bio‐bank must eventually be thawed and used to create new animals and therefore, national organization and annotation of the stored material is critical to ensure its proper utilization. Stock animals are the source of semen, embryo and oocytes are usually privately owned. This ownership may or may not change during the gene banking process, but the terms of agreements between bio‐banks and donors must be explicitly defined. Taiwan Animal Germplasm Center now conserves genetic resources of 77 livestock breeds and strains, including 19 native and 38 foreign species as well as 20 new breeds produced by inbreeding in poultry or breed‐crossing with the artificial insemination in livestock. Cryobanking of semen of native animals is for genetic diversity but also for risk management to long‐term global food security. Ex situ conservation program involving in vitro storage of germplasm cryobanking can contribute to ensure that it will be available to allow livestock keepers and animal breeders to confront future changes in animal production and economic environments.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between in vitro maturation and plasminogen activators (PAs) activity on porcine cumulus-oocytes complexes (COCs) exposed to oxidative stress. When COCs were cultured in maturation medium with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the proportion of the germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and oocytes maturation were decreased with addition of H2O2, and were significantly (p<0.05) lower in medium with 0.1 mM H2O2 than control group. Also, the rate of degenerated oocytes was increased in as H2O2 concentration increased. When COCs were cultured for 48 h, three plasminogen-dependent lytic bands were observed: tissue-type PA (tPA); urokinase-type PA (uPA); and tPA-PA inhibitor (tPA-PAI). PA activity was quantified using SDS-PAGE and zymography. When H2O2 concentration was increased, tPA and tPA-PAI activities also increased in porcine oocytes cultured for 48 h, but not uPA. In other experiment, embryos were divided into three groups and cultured in (1) control medium, (2) control medium with 1.0 mM H2O2 and (3) control medium with 1.0 mM H2O2 along with catalase in concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/ml, respectively. H2O2 decreased the rate of GVBD and maturation in porcine COCs but catalase revealed protective activity against oxidative stress caused by H2O2. In this experiment, tPA and tPA-PAI activities were higher in media with 1.0 mM H2O2 alone. Increasing concentration of catalase decreased tPA and tPA-PAI activities in porcine oocytes. These results indicate that the exposure of porcine follicular oocytes to ROS inhibits oocytes maturation to metaphase-II stage and increase the oocytes degeneration. Also, we speculated that increased ROS level may trigger tPA and tPA-PAI activities in porcine oocytes matured in vitro.

The present study was performed to investigate the survival and subsequent embryonic developmental rate of immature and mature oocytes after vitrification and pronuclear stage embryos after slow-freezing and vitrification. We have also tried to examine the dependency of concentrations (7.5, 15%) and exposure time (5, 10, 20 min) of ED cryoprotectant on developmental rate of pronuclear stage embryos. The developmental rates of 2-ce1l and blastocyst embryos at mature oocytes were significantly (p<0.05) higher than immature oocytes. After slow freezing, vitrification and thawing of pronuclear stage embryo, the survival and developmental rates of blastocysts and hatched blastocysts were significantly (p<0.05) higher after vitrification than after slow-freezing. On contrary, the developmental rates of 2-cell embryos were significantly (p<0.05) higher after slow freezing than after vitrification. The cryopreservation methods of pronuclear stage embryos vitrified by exposed to 7.5% ED solution for 5 minutes was significantly (p<0.05) higher than other experimental group. The results of our study suggest 1hat the developmental rates of mature oocytes have been more successful than immature oocytes during vitrification. Vitrification was more efficient than slow freezing in case of pronuclear stage embryos. The effective cryopreservation method of pronuclear stage embryos was vitrified by exposed to 7.5% ED solution for 5 minutes.

These study was to investigate the in vitro fertilization and viability of fresh and vitrified oocytes. Also, the developmental capacity of IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) oocytes were investigated. Then vitrification was performed with the use of 20% ethylene glycol + 20% DMSO + 0.5 M sucrose + 10% FCS + TCM-199 medium. Vitrification immature oocytes are cultured in vitrification solution for 10 min afterwards transferred to expose at room temperature for 5 min. and transferred to the ice water for 5 min. The oocytes were sealed in a 1.0 mm straw and placed in a LN2 container. Frozen oocytes were rapidly thawed in a water bath at 30～35℃, and then placed in TCM-199 medium containing 0.5 M sucrose for 5 min each, respectively, at 38℃. After being washed for 2～3 times, using fresh medium the oocytes were cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 5% FCS at 38℃ in 5% CO2 and air. The normal morphology of fresh and vitrified-thawed oocytes were 87.1±2.1% and 54.8±2.5%, respectively. The viability rates of fresh and vitrified-thawed oocytes were 70.0±2.2% and 41.9±2.6%, respectively. Viability rates of vitrified-thawed oocytes were lower than that of fresh follicular oocytes (p<0.05). The in vitro maturation rates of fresh and vitrified oocytes were 45.1±3.6% and 28.9±4.4%, respectively. The IVF rates of fresh follicular and vitrified-thawed oocytes were 34.0±2.2% and 20.2±2.6%, respectively. The in vitro maturation and fertilization rates of vitrified-thawed oocytes were lower than those of the fresh follicular oocytes (p<0.05). A total of 350 oocytes were fixed and stained after co-incubation with spermatozoa, of which 88 had identifiable nuclear material. After IVF for 20 hrs, 25.1±3.4% of the oocytes found to have been penetrated by spermatozoas. Oocytes were fixed and stained after ICSI, and 105 oocytes contained identifiable nuclear material. After IVF and ICSI for 20 hrs, 34.3±3.4% and 59.0±2.0% of the oocytes were found to have been penetrated by spermatozoas. The developmental rates upon ICSI were significantly higher than those of the IVF method (p<0.05).

The in vitro maturation rate of vitrified-thawed canine oocytes was 30.8±3.4%. The in vitro maturation rate of vitrified oocytes was lower than that of the control (52.0±2.5%, p<0.05). The in vitro maturation rate of vitrified-thawed oocytes were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of fresh oocytes. The in vitro maturation and developmental rates of the vitrified-thawed oocytes were 17.5±2.5% and 8.8±3.4%, respectively. This results were lower than the control group (43.6±3.2% vs 20.0±3.0%). SOD1 gene expression of 1～2 mm of follilce size were higher than those of above 6 mm follicle size. SOD2 gene expression of 1～2 mm of follicle size were significantly higher than those of above 6 mm follicle size (p<0.01). The expression pattern of SOD1, 2 was constantly expressed in both groups but strongly expressed in follicles (1～2 mm) group when compared to the above 6 mm follicles. SOD gene expression between groups the fresh and vitrified oocytes groups were significant differences in rates. However, RGS gene expression between groups the fresh and vitrified oocytes groups were no significant differences in rates.

In vitro maturation and activation of oocytes are primary steps towards biotechnological manipulation in embryology. The objectives of the present study were to determine the oocyte recovery rate per ovary, in vitro maturation rates of oocytes and rates of parthenogenetically activation of matured oocytes in Black Bengal goats. All visible follicles were aspirated to recover follicular fluid from individual ovaries (number of ovaries = 456). The immature cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs; n = 1289) were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 27 hours at with 5% in humidified air. The matured oocytes (n = 248) were activated with 5 ionomycin for 5 minutes followed by treatment with 2 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 4 hours. After activation, oocytes were cultured for another 14 hours in TCM-199 supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA) at with 5% in humidified air. The pronucleus formation in activated oocytes was determined by staining with 1% orcein (whole mount technique). Matured oocytes (n = 176) without activation stimuli were used as control. The mean number of oocytes recovered per ovary was . The proportion of oocytes matured in vitro, confirmed by the presence of first polar body, was . Parthenogenetic activation, evidenced by formation of pronucleus, occurred in of matured oocytes. No pronucleus formation was observed in control oocytes. In conclusion, a combination of ionomycin and 6-DMAP induces activation in one third of Black Bengal goats' oocytes.

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization of porcine immature oocytes on the embryo development of blastocysts or hatched blastocysts and the number of cells according to the in vitro fertilization conditions. In the in vitro fertilization of in vitro matured porcine oocytes, there were no significant differences between treatment groups regarding fertilization rate, blastocyst rate, and embryo development of hatched blastocysts according to the storage periods of liquid sperm of 24, 48, and 72 hours. The embryo development rate of hatched blastocysts after the fertilization according to different spermatozoa concentrations (, , and cells/ml) showed the highest rate in the group with a spermatozoa concentration of cells/ml; in particular, this rate was significantly higher than that in the cells/ml group (p<0.05). The total number of blastocysts cells as well as trophectoderms (TE) that developed in each treatment group were also significantly higher in the cells/ml group than in any other groups (p<0.05). In contrast, the embryo development rate of blastocysts according to different co-incubation periods of sperm and oocyte (1, 3, and 6 hr) was high in the 6-hour group; in particular, the rate was significantly higher than that of the I-hour group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the total number of oocytes cells and TEs that developed was significantly higher in the 6-hour group than any other group (p<0.05). In this study, the most effective treatment conditions for porcine embryo development and high cell number were found to be as follows: a sperm storage period of less than 72 hours, a spermatozoa concentration of cells/ml, and a 6-hour co-incubation period for sperm and ooocyte.