Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) improves follicular survival, oocyte and follicular diameters, in a dose-dependent manner, after the in vitro culture of goat preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue fragments

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of different concentrations of Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) on the survival, activation, levels of ROS, and growth of goat preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue. For this, ovarian fragments were cultured for 7 days in Alpha Minimum Essential Medium (α-MEM+ ) with or without PDGF-BB (0, 25, 50 and 100 ng/ml). The results showed that both the 25 ng/ml PDGF and the 50 ng/ml PDGF treatments maintained the percentage of morphologically normal follicles from day 1 to day 7. In addition, the 25 ng/ml PDGF treatment showed a significantly higher percentage of morphologically normal follicles when compared to the other treatments. At day 7, greater (P < 0.05) follicular and oocyte diameters were observed in the 25 ng/ml PDGF and the 50 ng/ml PDGF treatments when compared to the cultured control treatment. On day 7 of culture, all the treatments tested had a significant increase in the percentage of developing follicles when compared to the non-cultured control. However, the percentage of follicle activation, as well as ROS production, were similar (P < 0.05) among the treatments, irrespective of culture time. In conclusion, PDGF-BB improved, in a concentration-dependent manner, follicular survival as well as oocyte and follicular diameter after in vitro culture of goat preantral follicle-enclosed in ovarian tissue fragments.

Effects of oocyte source, cell origin, and embryo reconstruction procedures on in vitro and in vivo embryo survival after goat cloning

The birth of cloned goats has been well documented, but the overall goat cloning efficiency by somatic cell nuclear transfer procedures is still low, which may be further intensified in extreme environments. The aim of this study was to produce cloned goats under the conditions of the Brazilian Semi Arid region, in a transgenic program for the expression of human lysozyme in the milk to target childhood diarrhea and malnutrition, comparing the effects of oocyte source, cell type, and embryo reconstruction procedures on in vitro and in vivo embryo survival after cloning by micromanipulation or by handmade cloning. The use of in vitro-matured oocytes resulted in more viable embryos after cloning than in vivo-matured cytoplasts, but no differences in pregnancy rates on day 23 were seen between oocyte sources (77.5 vs. 77.8%, respectively). The presence or absence of the zona pellucida for embryo reconstruction (78.8 vs. 76.0%, respectively) did not affect pregnancy outcome after transfer. However, pregnancy rate on day 23 was higher for embryos chemically activated by a conventional than a modified protocol (88.1 vs. 50.0%), and for embryos reconstructed with mesenchymal stem cells and fetal fibroblasts (100.0 and 93.3%) than with adult fibroblasts (64.7%). Although most pregnancies were lost, the birth of a cloned female was obtained from embryos reconstructed by micromanipulation using non-transgenic control cells and in vitro-matured oocytes with intact zona pellucida, after conventional activation and transfer at the 1-cell stage.

Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) improves follicular survival, oocyte and follicular diameters, in a dose-dependent manner, after the in vitro culture of goat preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue fragments

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of different concentrations of Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) on the survival, activation, levels of ROS, and growth of goat preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue. For this, ovarian fragments were cultured for 7 days in Alpha Minimum Essential Medium (α-MEM+ ) with or without PDGF-BB (0, 25, 50 and 100 ng/ml). The results showed that both the 25 ng/ml PDGF and the 50 ng/ml PDGF treatments maintained the percentage of morphologically normal follicles from day 1 to day 7. In addition, the 25 ng/ml PDGF treatment showed a significantly higher percentage of morphologically normal follicles when compared to the other treatments. At day 7, greater (P < 0.05) follicular and oocyte diameters were observed in the 25 ng/ml PDGF and the 50 ng/ml PDGF treatments when compared to the cultured control treatment. On day 7 of culture, all the treatments tested had a significant increase in the percentage of developing follicles when compared to the non-cultured control. However, the percentage of follicle activation, as well as ROS production, were similar (P < 0.05) among the treatments, irrespective of culture time. In conclusion, PDGF-BB improved, in a concentration-dependent manner, follicular survival as well as oocyte and follicular diameter after in vitro culture of goat preantral follicle-enclosed in ovarian tissue fragments.(AU)

Effects of oocyte source, cell origin, and embryo reconstruction procedures on in vitro and in vivo embryo survival after goat cloning

The birth of cloned goats has been well documented, but the overall goat cloning efficiency by somatic cell nuclear transfer procedures is still low, which may be further intensified in extreme environments. The aim of this study was to produce cloned goats under the conditions of the Brazilian Semi Arid region, in a transgenic program for the expression of human lysozyme in the milk to target childhood diarrhea and malnutrition, comparing the effects of oocyte source, cell type, and embryo reconstruction procedures on in vitro and in vivo embryo survival after cloning by micromanipulation or by handmade cloning. The use of in vitro-matured oocytes resulted in more viable embryos after cloning than in vivo-matured cytoplasts, but no differences in pregnancy rates on day 23 were seen between oocyte sources (77.5 vs. 77.8%, respectively). The presence or absence of the zona pellucida for embryo reconstruction (78.8 vs. 76.0%, respectively) did not affect pregnancy outcome after transfer. However, pregnancy rate on day 23 was higher for embryos chemically activated by a conventional than a modified protocol (88.1 vs. 50.0%), and for embryos reconstructed with mesenchymal stem cells and fetal fibroblasts (100.0 and 93.3%) than with adult fibroblasts (64.7%). Although most pregnancies were lost, the birth of a cloned female was obtained from embryos reconstructed by micromanipulation using non-transgenic control cells and in vitro-matured oocytes with intact zona pellucida, after conventional activation and transfer at the 1-cell stage.(AU)

Effectiveness of microwell-based in vitro culture systems for zona-free cloned bovine embryos

Background: Modified embryo in vitro culture (IVC) systems have been devised for the culture of individual embryos, suchas in microdroplets, capillary tubes, or co-cultures systems. However, the development of the Well-of-the-Well (WOW)system takes advantage of both the individual and the grouped culture systems, as embryos are cultured into microwellsdisposed into a larger well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo developmental potential of handmade cloning (HMC)-derived cloned bovine embryos after the IVC in three microwell (WOW) systems.Material, Methods & Results: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated after subcutaneous biopsy from a Nellore adult female were used as nucleus donor cells for cloning. Collected adipose tissue was incubated in0.075% collagenase for 60 min at 39oC. After digestion, cell suspension was centrifuged at 80 g for 10 min, supernatantwas discarded, and 2 mL of Red Blood Cells Lysis Buffer (RBC) was added to the pellet, remaining for 2 min. The RBCbuffer was diluted with 20 mL PBS, with cell suspension spun at 80 g for 5 min. Supernatant was discarded and the pelletre-suspended in DMEM culture medium + 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Following cell counting, 5 x 105 cells were seededin 25-cm² bottles containing 6 mL DMEM + 10% FCS, and cultured at 38.3°C, 5% CO2 in air and saturated humidity.After IVM, oocytes were denuded and incubated in demecolcine, followed by zona pellucida removal, oocyte bisection,embryo reconstruction, electrofusion and chemical activation. Cloned embryos were allocated to one of three IVC groups:cWOW: conventional microwells (250 µm, round); mWOW: modified microwells (130 µm, conical); and WOW-PDMS:microwells in polydimethylsiloxane chips (170 µm, cylindrical, with interconnecting microchannels); IVF embryos wereused as controls. Cleavage (D2), blastocyst (D7) and pregnancy (D30) rates were analyzed by the χ2 test, for P < 0.05...(AU)

Effectiveness of microwell-based in vitro culture systems for zona-free cloned bovine embryos

Background: Modified embryo in vitro culture (IVC) systems have been devised for the culture of individual embryos, suchas in microdroplets, capillary tubes, or co-cultures systems. However, the development of the Well-of-the-Well (WOW)system takes advantage of both the individual and the grouped culture systems, as embryos are cultured into microwellsdisposed into a larger well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo developmental potential of handmade cloning (HMC)-derived cloned bovine embryos after the IVC in three microwell (WOW) systems.Material, Methods & Results: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated after subcutaneous biopsy from a Nellore adult female were used as nucleus donor cells for cloning. Collected adipose tissue was incubated in0.075% collagenase for 60 min at 39oC. After digestion, cell suspension was centrifuged at 80 g for 10 min, supernatantwas discarded, and 2 mL of Red Blood Cells Lysis Buffer (RBC) was added to the pellet, remaining for 2 min. The RBCbuffer was diluted with 20 mL PBS, with cell suspension spun at 80 g for 5 min. Supernatant was discarded and the pelletre-suspended in DMEM culture medium + 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). Following cell counting, 5 x 105 cells were seededin 25-cm² bottles containing 6 mL DMEM + 10% FCS, and cultured at 38.3°C, 5% CO2 in air and saturated humidity.After IVM, oocytes were denuded and incubated in demecolcine, followed by zona pellucida removal, oocyte bisection,embryo reconstruction, electrofusion and chemical activation. Cloned embryos were allocated to one of three IVC groups:cWOW: conventional microwells (250 µm, round); mWOW: modified microwells (130 µm, conical); and WOW-PDMS:microwells in polydimethylsiloxane chips (170 µm, cylindrical, with interconnecting microchannels); IVF embryos wereused as controls. Cleavage (D2), blastocyst (D7) and pregnancy (D30) rates were analyzed by the χ2 test, for P < 0.05...

The role of existing and emerging biotechnologies for livestock production: toward holism

Animal biotechnology has been practiced in one form or another since the beginning of the domestication of animals. Many of the previously used tools of animal breeding, genetics and nutrition have played an important role in the selection, propagation and management of desirable and economically important characteristics in livestock. Modern livestock production has been dependent on biotechnology for development of improved feedstuffs, feed ingredients, vaccines, biologicals, enzymes, high quality genetics, genetic markers and assisted reproduction. Recently, new technologies including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics have been applied to livestock production. The term "omics" refers to a broad field of study in biology and stems from ''Omes'', the Greek for 'all' or 'complete'. Therefore, these technologies offer a holistic instead of a reductionist view of the biological phenomena. Several "omics" technologies are readily available for scientists or industry today and in this section we will provide a brief overview of their availability in livestock science. Other "omics" technologies have developed quickly and are available for research or industry in livestock field. The microarray technology for microRNA is available today for bovine, pigs, and chickens. Combined with the use of appropriate bioinformatics tools, they have been of great help in understanding livestock genomics. Large-scale SNP arrays are also available today, but only for bovine among the livestock species. Epigenomics, the study of the non-DNA hereditable factors affecting the phenotype, has been used for large-scale studies, but data have not been generated using this technology in livestock. Systems biology has emerged to investigate "interrelationships of all of the elements in a functioning system in order to understand how the system works". A systems biology approach is only possible by combining a single or multiple "omics" technique(s) along with bioinformatics for a broad purpose such as to study the whole system, organism or comparison between organisms. In order to take full advantage of the breakthroughs from "omics" techniques efficient animal breeding and reproduction of these rare genetic individuals needs to take place. For decades assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as artificial insemination (AI), superovulation (SOV), embryo transfer (ET), and in vitro embryo production (IVEP), have contributed to animal breeding programs allowing faster transmission of desirable traits in livestock populations in a shorter period of time compared to classical approaches. The use of transgenic technologies along with ART's to introduce single or multiple genes into existing genomes of livestock has played an increasingly larger role in the genetic development of our production livestock. Addition of appropriate stem cell technologies to the genetic "toolbox" has further increased our capabilities to enhance and modify livestock genomes and physiology. In the future, livestock production will rely even more heavily on existing and emerging biotechnological advances to produce our food. However, improvements are still needed in product composition and production efficiency, especially in growth, disease resistance, and reproduction. The attainment of such improvements will depend heavily on our ability to quantify desirable traits, to identify markers linked to gene(s) responsible for those traits, to select or redesign populations of superior individuals, and to propagate those animals efficiently, practically and economically.