introduction: standard concentrations of antibiotics in culture media are thought to have no detectable toxic effects on the cultured cells. however, since antibiotics are biologically active substances, the possibility that they interfere to some extent with cellular processes occurring in the cultured cells can not always be totally excluded. this study, therefore, was conducted to assess whe...

The aims of the present study were to assess the effects of cysteamine as an anti-oxidant on the rate of in vitro maturation (IVM) of buffalo oocytes (experiment 1), and their viability and nuclear status following vitrification (experiment 2). Immature oocytes with compact cumulus cells obtained from the ovaries of slaughtered animals were harvested and then cultured in the maturation medium w...

Background: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to influence fertility and endocrinology of reproduction and metabolic activity in many species. In dairy cows, we and others have shown changes in steroid and metabolic hormones and prostaglandins leading to alteration of ovarian activity and uterine function. These can influence fertility by changes in folliculogenesis cyclicity ...

Background: The study was carried out to investigate the relationship between the development potential and the diameter of ovine oocytes. Materials and Methods: Ovaries collected from a local abattoir were transported to the laboratory within 1-3 h of slaughter. The oocytes from follicles (2-6 mm in diameter) were recovered by aspiration and stored in a preincubated (at 38.6 C, 5% CO2 and maxi...

In order to achieve developmental competence, porcine oocytes must undergo both nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. Nuclear maturation results from breakdown of the germinal vesicle (GV) and progression of meiosis to metaphase II (MII). Cytoplasmic maturation is the accumulation, within the oocyte’s cytoplasm, of products necessary for fertilization, cleavage and development, prior to activatio...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to be crucial for the development of peripheral vestibular neurons. However, the maturation profile of the BDNF signal transducing receptor, tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in functionally activated otolith-related vestibular nuclear neurons of postnatal rats remains unexplored. In the present study, conscious Sprague-Dawley rats (P4 to adult) were sub...

background & objectives : different energy substrates and nutrients can greatly influence oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. effect of glucose on in-vitro oocyte maturation and subsequent early embryonic development is controversial. the objective of the present study was to verify the effect of various concentrations of glucose on cumulus-oocyte complexes maturation, fertilization and ...

Background: Micronutrients in support to the carbon cycle were shown to reduce sperm DNA damage both in animal models and infertile men. Besides supporting DNA methylation, their positive effect may be mediated by an improved performance of the endogenous antioxidant system but this has not yet been proven in clinical settings. The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of micronutrient ...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to be crucial for the development of peripheral vestibular neurons. However, the maturation profile of the BDNF signal transducing receptor, tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in functionally activated otolith-related vestibular nuclear neurons of postnatal rats remains unexplored. In the present study, conscious Sprague-Dawley rats (P4 to adult) were sub...

Background: The developmental competence of oocytes matured in vitro (IVM) is yet far below than in vivo counterparts. Recent studies suggest that the asynchrony between nuclear/cytoplasmic maturation and the initial low/heterogeneous quality of oocytes are the most important factors affecting IVM success. We investigated whether selection of growing oocytes (based on their glucose 6- phosphate...