Embryonic response to culture media based on the bovine oviduct and uterus fluid

• Grant number: 16/00350-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Embryology
• Principal Investigator: Marcella Pecora Milazzotto
• Grantee: Érika Cristina dos Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos tries to mimic the female reproductive tract conditions for obtaining the highest number of embryos and increased productivity in animal exploration. Nevertheless, the system and culture media are well beyond the desirable rates of embryo production, since most of these were developed for IVP of another species. Thus, it is required the optimization of culture media, adapting them to bovine IVP. Associated with this, it is important to understand the response of embryos to culture media closest to the physiological conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study is the development of the sequential embryo culture media based on the chemical composition of oviduct and uterus cattle fluids related to energy substrates and amino acids. Besides the comparison of the metabolic response of embryos cultured in this system with embryos in conventional medium culture (SOFaa). For this, embryos will be produced in vitro by standard protocols. For both systems (control - SOFaa and treatment - Sequential medium B1/B2) will be made these evaluations at D3 and D7: ATP: ADP relation, mitochondrial membrane potential, NADH quantification, aerobic glycolysis, production of reactive oxygen species, apoptosis and inner cell mass: trophectoderm relation. Moreover, will be quantified metabolites transcripts related to these pathways. Also non-invasive analyzes will be made using embryo culture media to analyze the amino acids (GC-MS) and glucose consumption, lactate production, metabolome analysis (Raman spectroscopy) and the presence of micro-RNAs related to embryo quality. It is hoped with this project, the development of an alternative culture media more efficient than those currently used, with the generation of embryos with better quality and more similar to the profiles in vivo embryos.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS, ERIKA CRISTINA; DA FONSECA JUNIOR, ALDCEJAM MARTINS; DE LIMA, CAMILA BRUNA; ISPADA, JESSICA; ALCANTARA DA SILVA, JOAO VITOR; MILAZZOTTO, MARCELLA PECORA. Less is more: Reduced nutrient concentration during in vitro culture improves embryo production rates and morphophysiology of bovine embryos. Theriogenology, v. 173, p. 37-47, OCT 1 2021. (17/18384-0, 16/00350-0)