In vivo culture of alpaca embryos in the oviduct versus embryo culture in vitro

• Main Authors: G.P. Pérez Durand, J.P. Zevallos Aragon, U.H. Perez Guerra
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Asociación Peruana de Reproducción Animal 2018-12-01
• Series: SPERMOVA
• Subjects: oocyte; zygote; culture; embryos; alpaca.
• Online Access: http://spermova.pe/site2/files/Revistas/Rev.%208%20vol.%202%20/12-Perez_2018.pdf

The present study was carried out in the Animal Reproduction Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the National University of Altiplano, with the objective of evaluating the effect of in vitro and in vivo culture of alpaca zygotes produced in vitro. 226 cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were used, which were obtained from the ovaries from animals benefited in the slaughterhouse and transported for 6 h at 32 - 35°C in 0.9% saline with antibiotics. The COCs were aspirated from 2 to 4 mm follicles being matured in TCM 2520 supplemented with 2.2 mg/mL of sodium bicarbonate, 0.0028 mg/mL of sodium pyruvate, 10% of fetal serum, 2 IU/mL of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), 10 IU/mL human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) plus 50 μg/mL gentamicin and were cultured at 38.5°C (with 5% CO2 and high humidity for 36 h). Mature oocytes were fertilized in drops of FERT TALP (10 oocytes/ drop) inside petri dishes which were incubated for 24 h at 38.5°C (humid atmosphere with 5% CO2), for the in vitro culture of 30 zygotes the synthetic oviductal fluid medium (SOF) was used for 168 h and for in vivo culture, the oviduct of females was used, to which 32 zygotes were transferred up to 168 h. The results were: at 120 h of in vitro culture post fertilization, 19 (17.4%) morulae and 8 (7.3%) blastocysts were observed and at 168 h, 18 (16.5%) morulae and 7 (6.4%) blastocysts were observed. From the in vivo culture in the oviduct of the recipient alpacas, 3 hatched blastocysts, 5 collapsed blastocysts and 2 collapsed blasts were recovered in degeneration. The in vitro and in vivo culture of zygotes produced in vitro can be used for the production of alpaca embryos.