Embryotrophic effect of a short-term embryo coculture with bovine luteal cells

Theriogenology
Alejandro MaruriDaniel Marcelo Lombardo

Abstract

The coculture with somatic cells is an alternative to improve suboptimal in vitro culture (IVC) conditions and promote embryo development. Several cell types have been used for this purpose, but there is no information about using luteal cells in short-term coculture with embryos. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the effect of a short-term coculture of early bovine embryos-luteal cells on the in vitro development and embryo quality. Presumptive embryos were cultured from day 0 to day 2 in medium alone (control) or cocultured with bovine luteal cells (BLC-1). Then, embryos from both groups were cultured in medium alone from day 2 to day 8. The development rates on day 8 were compared between groups. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proliferation rates were evaluated in day 2 embryos and late apoptosis and proliferation rates were determined in day 7 blastocysts. Our results showed that the coculture with bovine luteal cells increased the blastocyst rate compared to the control (50.4% vs. 29.8%; P < 0.01), but there were no differences in the cleavage rates on day 2. The rate of stage 6 blastocysts was higher in the coculture (37.3% vs. 23.8% control; P < 0.01), without differences in the expansion and hatch...Continue Reading

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