Abstract
Vitrification is the ideal method for long-lasting storage of porcine embryos. However, both strict airline regulations for transport of liquid nitrogen dewars and the technical problems experienced when vitrified embryos are transferred using non-surgical procedures have led to the introduction of alternative storage methods, such as preserving embryos in liquid state. This study evaluated whether a pH-stable medium containing high concentrations of either foetal calf serum (FCS; 50%) or BSA (4%) combined with storage at temperatures of 17 °C or 20 °C maintained in vivo-derived morulae and blastocysts alive and unhatched (a sanitary requirement for embryo transportation) during 72 h of storage. Neither FCS nor BSA supplements were able to counteract the negative effect of low temperatures (17 °C) on embryonic survival after storage. At 20 °C, the protective effect of FCS or BSA depended on embryo stage. While FCS successfully arrested embryo development of only blastocysts, BSA arrested the development of both morulae and blastocysts. Over 80% of BSA arrested embryos restarted development by conventional culture and progressed to further embryonic stages, including hatching. In conclusion, porcine morulae and blastocysts can survive and remain unhatched during at least 72 h when stored at 20 °C in a BSA-containing medium.
Highlights
Implementing embryo transfer (ET) technology in commercial pig breeding should have major productive and economic gains
A primary condition for liquid storage is that the embryos are transferred at morula or unhatched blastocyst stages because the nonsurgical deep uterine (NsDU)-ET is performed in the middle or the anterior quarter of a uterine horn
More than 95% of these embryos progressed to the unhatched blastocyst stage, and there was a certain delay in embryo development during storage, the resulting blastocysts retained a similar potential to develop to term compared to unstored blastocysts[4]
Summary
Implementing embryo transfer (ET) technology in commercial pig breeding should have major productive and economic gains. More than 95% of these embryos progressed to the unhatched blastocyst stage, and there was a certain delay in embryo development during storage, the resulting blastocysts retained a similar potential to develop to term compared to unstored blastocysts[4] This storage period should be long enough to enable transport of the embryos in liquid state from the donor to the recipient farms, at least at regional and national levels, considering most medium-size countries. Morulae stored at 37 °C6 and blastocysts stored at 25 °C (unpublished data) in a semi-defined medium containing 0.4% BSA maintained their in vitro viability and developmental competence for up to 72 h These embryos exhibited an important development delay compared to controls, many of them hatched after 72 h of storage. A storage temperature of 18 °C delays embryo development and results in much higher embryo degeneration rates than those observed at 25 °C or 38 °C20
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