Abstract
This study was undertaken to evaluate how β-mercaptoethanol (bME), an exogenous antioxidant, interacts with preantral follicles cultured in vitro. Mouse primary or secondary follicles were cultured in glutathione (GSH)-free or GSH-containing medium supplemented with bME of various concentrations, and the growth of preantral follicles, the maturation of intrafollicular oocytes and preimplantation development after parthenogenesis were monitored. In experiment 1, 0, 25, 50 or 100 μM bME was added to culture medium supplemented with 100 μM GSH or not. When secondary follicles were cultured in GSH-free medium, no significant change in follicle growth was detected after bME addition. However, exposure to bME in the presence of GSH significantly inhibited both follicle growth and oocyte maturation. Such detrimental effect became prominent in primary follicles and bME strongly inhibited follicle growth in the absence of GSH. In conclusion, there are stage-dependent effects of bME on follicle growth and oocyte maturation, and selective use of antioxidants contributes to establishing an efficient follicle culture system.
Highlights
This study was undertaken to evaluate how β-mercaptoethanol, an exogenous antioxidant, interacts with preantral follicles cultured in vitro
We examined the effects of the addition of bME to culture medium on follicle growth and oocyte maturation in culture
Experimental animals As an experimental animal, F1 hybrid mice produced by mating female C57BL6 mice with male DBA2 mice were employed and primary and secondary follicles were retrieved from 2-week-old prepubertal females
Summary
For enhancing embryo viability during in vitro culture Various antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH), cysteine, Many studies have been conducted to establish an cysteamine and β-mercaptoethanol (bME), which affect optimal condition for manipulation of preantral follicles and indirectly or directly on cell apoptosis (Guérin et al, 2001), intrafollicular oocytes in livestock animals, as well as in have been employed. It is not clear whether the experimental animals The results of this study can become one of valuable information for developing a standard protocol for effective culture of preantral follicle
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