Kempbruus5564

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential to many fundamental biological processes. However, the effect of CoQ10 on meiotic maturation of pig oocytes still remains elusive. In the present study we aimed to understand the effects of CoQ10 on porcine oocyte maturation, by supplementing different concentrations of CoQ10 (25, 50 and 100 μM) into the maturation medium. We showed that CoQ10 at 50 μM had better capacity to promote the nuclear maturation of pig oocytes derived from both small and large antral follicles. Though the cleavage and blastocyst rates of parthenotes stayed stable, 50 μM CoQ10 treatment could accelerate the development of parthenotes to blastocyst stage, and increase the average cell number of blastocyst. For cumulus-oocyte complexes from large antral follicles categorized by the brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) test, 50 μM CoQ10 treatment could specifically promote the nuclear maturation of poor-quality oocytes in the BCB-negative group. Mitochondrial function of oocytes treated by 50 μM CoQ10 could be boosted, through increasing the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production and CoQ6, and changing the pattern of mitochondrial distribution as well. Moreover, 50 μM CoQ10 treatment suppressed the level of reactive oxygen species and reduced the percentage of oocytes with early apoptosis signal. Taken together, CoQ10 could improve the meiotic maturation of pig oocytes, especially for poor-quality oocytes, mainly through enhancing mitochondrial function and suppressing oxidative stress to reduce apoptosis.While intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an asset in human Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART), its outcomes, in terms of blastocyst, is still unacceptably low in ruminants. The picture typically found in ICSI derived bovine and ovine embryos is an asymmetry between a high activation rate, marked by a pronuclear development, and a low first cleavage rate. Abnormal centriole function has been indicated as a possible factor which undermines embryonic development following ICSI, especially when Freeze Dried spermatozoa (FD) are used. In order to verify the hypothesis that centriole dysfunction might be responsible for low ICSI outcomes in sheep, we have investigated micro-tubular dynamics, markedly aster nucleation, in fertilized sheep zygotes by ICSI with frozen/thawed (FT) and FD spermatozoa; In Vitro Fertilized (IVF) sheep oocytes were used as control. The spermatozoa aster nucleation was assessed at different time points following ICSI and IVF by immune-detection of α-tubulin. Pronuclear stage, have demonstrated that the reduced cleavage, and the ensuing impaired development to blastocysts stage of ICSI derived sheep embryos is not related to centriole dysfunction, as suggested by other authors. The major recorded problem is the lack of syngamy in ICSI derived zygotes, an issue that should be addressed in further studies to improve ICSI procedure in sheep embryos.Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for mammalian testis development and sperm function. However, PUFAs that are contained in linseed oil are easily oxidized in the diet and biohydrogenated in the rumen. In this study, we investigated the effect of linseed as a source of PUFAs on the antioxidant capacity and testis development in Hu lamb. Seventy-five 3-month-old lambs were randomly assigned to three groups. Within each treatment group, 25 lambs were allocated to five pens (five lambs per pen). The lambs in the control group were fed a control diet without linseed for 42 days from D22 to D63. Group I (BS28) was fed a control diet from D22 to D35 and 8% linseed diet from D36 to D63. Group II (BS42) was fed an 8% linseed diet for 42 days from D22 to D63. After 63-day feeding trial, all lambs except the heaviest and lightest in each pen were humanely slaughtered and investigated. Results revealed that feeding linseed did not affect the body weight, scrotal circumference, and testis weight, whereas compared with the control group. Therefore, feeding lambs with linseed for 42 days stimulated seminiferous tubule development and increased the number of Sertoli cells (20.71 ± 0.89 vs. 17.6 ± 0.73, P less then 0.05), epididymal cauda lumina diameter (638.26 ± 22.32 μm vs. 444.41 ± 34.80 μm, P less then 0.05), and the number of sperm in the epididymal cauda (68.91 ± 7.06 × 108/g vs. 36.61 ± 7.50 × 108/g). All these results suggested that feeding linseed in the early reproductive development stage of lambs upregulated the expression of antioxidative, steroidogenesis, and PUFA metabolism-related genes; increased the antioxidant capacity in lamb's testis; and contributed to testis development and spermatogenesis.The assessment of embryo quality aims to enhance subsequent pregnancy and live birth outcomes. Metabolic analysis of embryos has immense potential in this regard. As a step towards this goal, here we assess the metabolism of bovine embryos using label-free optical imaging. We compared embryos defined as either on-time or fast-developing, as fast dividing embryos are more likely to develop to the blastocyst stage. Specifically, bovine embryos at 48 (Day 2) and 96 (Day 4) hours post fertilization were fixed and separated based on morphological assessment on-time (Day 2 2 cell; Day 4 5-7 cell) or fast-developing (Day 2 3-7 cell; Day 4 8-16 cell). Embryos with different developmental rates on Day 2 and Day 4 were correlated with metabolic activity and DNA damage. Confocal microscopy was used to assess metabolic activity by quantification of cellular autofluorescence specific for the endogenous fluorophores NAD(P)H and FAD with a subsequent calculation of the optical redox ratio. Separately, hyperspectral microsco absence of fluorescent tags.The objective was to optimize fertility in a modified 5-d CO-Synch protocol by altering the timing of GnRH administration and AI. Holstein heifers (14-16 mo) received a controlled internal drug releasing device (CIDR) on d 0 and on d 5, CIDR were removed, prostaglandin F2α was administered and estrus detection patches were applied. Estrus was detected at 36, 48, 56 and 72 h after CIDR removal. Selleck ML351 In Experiment 1, control heifers (n = 195) received GnRH concurrent with timed-AI (TAI) 72 h after CIDR removal, regardless of expression of estrus. Treatment heifers expressing estrus at 36 or 48 h were AI at 56 h (n = 101) and the remaining heifers were randomly assigned to one of two groups GnRH administration at 56 h and TAI at 72 h (GnRH56, n = 147) or GnRH administered concurrently with TAI at 72 h (GnRH72, n = 148). In Experiment 2, heifers expressing estrus at 36 or 48 h following CIDR removal were AI at 56 h (n = 118) and the remaining heifers were either TAI at 72 h (TAI72, n = 102) or 80 h (TAI80, n = 102), with only heifers not displaying estrus by TAI given GnRH concurrent with AI.