Maternal-gametic communication: co-culture of cumulus-oocyte complexes with 3D oviductal spheroids during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes

• Grant number: 25/05674-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Fabíola Freitas de Paula Lopes
• Grantee: Veronica Louzada dos Reis
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11747-6 - Remote or presential: the importance of communication in the reproductive processes, AP.TEM

Abstract

The oviduct epithelium is responsible for the secretion of proteins and other factors that contribute to the formation of the oviduct microenvironment. The dynamic communication between the oocyte and the oviduct is mediated by locally secreted factors that influence cellular plasticity as well as oocyte competence. It has been demonstrated that co-culture of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with oviduct epithelial cells during the last 6 hours of in vitro maturation stimulated nuclear maturation, fertilization rate and development to the blastocyst stage. Thus, the hypothesis of this project is that paracrine communication between the COC and the oviduct epithelial cells positively modulates the oviduct microenvironment, preparing the female gamete for fertilization and early embryonic development. The prospection of markers involved in this stage of cellular communication will allow the development of new strategies aimed at optimizing the in vitro embryo production system. (AU)