In this study, we investigated the possibility of using mouse embryonic stem cell conditioned medium (ESCM) and embryonic stem cell medium (ESM) for in vitro maturation in the efficient in vitro production of blastocysts from porcine follicular oocyte. Depending on the concentration of supplement of ESCM added to the NCSU-23 solution did not affect 2-cell development rates and blastocysts development. However, in particular, the survival rate (10 days of culture) of blastocyst was significantly higher than that of the control group as the additive concentration (30%) increased (p < 0.05). The survival rate of blastocysts showed a similar tendency even with addition of ESM (30%) alone. On the other hand, the duration of the addition of these additives during IVM (0-44 h) was that the IVM I period (0-22 h) were more effective than the IVM II period (22-44 h). Thus, the effect of these additives is probably due to the combination of the various physiologically active substances of ESCM or the appropriate amino acids and vitamins of ESM. In particular, these additives were more effective during the first half (IVM I) of in vitro maturation. In summary, optimization of ESCM or ESM supplementation may improve in vitro maturation of porcine oocyte and affect developmental competency. Therefore, if more efficient methods of adding ESCM or ESM to basal culture medium can be developed during in vitro maturation of porcine follicle oocytes, high quality blastocysts will be developed from low porcine follicular oocyte compared to other domestic animals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the embryonic development ability and the appearance of blastocysts of bovine in vitro fertilized oocytes cultured in different culture media, and also to evaluate survival rate after thawing of frozen embryos by using 1.5 or 1.8M ethylene glycol(EG) with sucrose or trehalose. Fertilized oocytes were divided into three groups; i ) monolayer of cumulus /granulosa cell prepared by TGM 199+5% calf serum(TGM199), ii)GRlaa+5% CS, iii)SOF+5% CS, and they were cultured after insemination for 9 days, at 39˚C, under 5% in air, but SOF+5% CS was cultured at 39˚C, under 5% 02, 5% GO2, 99% N2. Blastocysts derived from GRlaa + 5% CS on day 7~8 after insemination were frozen by using 1.5M EG or 1.8M EG with/without 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. The development rate of blastocysts on day 7 after insemination in SOF+5% CS was significant higher than in TCM199 or CR1aa(P<0.05). The appearance rate of blastocysts on day 7-8 after insemination was higher than in TCM199, when fertilized oocytes were cultured in GRlas or SOF. The survival rate of frozen blastocysts after thawing tended to increase, when blastocysts were frozen by using 1.8M EG with 0.2M sucrose or O.1M trehalose. These results indicated that SOF or CRlaa media with amino acids was superior to TCM199 with monolayer in terms of blastocyst development in culturing of in vitro fertilized bovine nocytes, and sucrose or trehalose was supposed to prevent embryos from the freezing shock.