Effect of steam-cells therapy on oocyte and embryo production of buffaloes

• Grant number: 16/19862-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Nelcio Antonio Tonizza de Carvalho
• Grantee: Nelcio Antonio Tonizza de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Zootecnia. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Nova Odessa , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Edson Guimarães Lo Turco ; Júlia Gleyci Soares de Carvalho ; Paula de Carvalho Papa Keohane ; Pietro Sampaio Baruselli

Abstract

The in vitro embryo production (IVEP) represents an alternative and promising method for the genetic improvement of buffalo herds. However, some obstacles still hinder the sustainable development of this technology, including the existence of individuals with reduced follicular population, oocyte retrieval and embryo production. The therapy with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in buffalo's ovaries may provide increase on the number of follicles and improve the oocytes quality, with positive impact on IVEP. The use of allogeneic (from another individual of the same species) MSC in cell therapy has increased considerably, due to promising results in the recovery of the functionality of different organs. The use of young and healthy donor cells provides the production of stem cells with high proliferative and differentiation potential, with immunoregulatory properties and enable faster and easier treatment with MSC. In this sense, the present project proposes to investigate the oocyte and embryo production of buffalo females submitted to the allogeneic MSC transplant in the ovaries, with the objectives to increase the follicular population, the quantity and quality of oocytes and the number of embryos produced in vitro by buffalo. The hypothesis of this project is that transplantation with allogeneic MSC in the ovaries increases the amount and quality of oocytes and consequently improves the results obtained with IVEP. The results generated by this study will contribute to the multiplication of individuals with genetic and productive merit, with impact on the efficiency of buffaloes dairy and beef industry. (AU)