Is the early reduction of fetal calf serum concentration in bovine in vitro embryo culture beneficial?

Tavares, L M TFeitosa, W BMello, M R BNicácio, A CLima, A SAssumpção, M E O AVisintin, J A

This study was designed to investigate the effect of supplementation with 5 or 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) on bovine embryo development in three types of culture media added with amino acids (aa): Charles Rosenkrans 2 medium (CR2aa), potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOMaa) and synthetic oviduct fluid (SOFaa). In vitro matured (IVM) and fertilized (IVF) oocytes were in vitro cultured (IVC) from Day 1to 10 of development. The increase in FCS in CR2aa media did not affect embryo development and hatching. However, the increase from 5 to 10% FCS in KSOMaa and SOFaa induced a decrease in the number of blastocysts. Embryo hatching was similar for embryos cultured with 5 or 10% FCS in both media. We concluded that a lower concentration of FCS increased embryo development rate in SOFaa and KSOMaa media and that there was no detrimental effect of high FCS concentration in CR2aa.(AU)

1. fetal calf serum
2. embryo development
3. in vitro culture
4. bovine embryos