Abstract
In vitro embryo production (IVEP) is one of the tool to gain rapid genetic improvement in livestock besides its use in conservation of endangered species. IVEP provides necessary starting material for the basic research in animal development, embryo genomics and stem cells. The success of IVEP depends upon several major factors such as quality of oocyte and sperms, type of culture medium, culture conditions etc. In vitro produced embryos differ substantially from in vivo derived embryos in the mRNA expression patterns of genes important for development. As female germplasm (oocyte) is more valuable when compared to male germplasm (sperm) because of scanty availability and relatively fixed number, it is essential to maintain quality of oocyte in IVEP. Oocyte maturation is an inevitable step towards successful IVEP as the process of maturation is still not clearly revealed, it is essential to identify temporal expression pattern of marker genes involved during maturation process for production of developmentally competent embryos. Mammalian models can provide better insight into the oocyte maturation mechanism. This review focuses on the various marker genes which are essential for successful maturation of mammalian oocyte and are key regulators in deciding the fate of oocytes for production of developmentally competent embryos.
Highlights
In recent time much attention has been given to implement biotechnological tools in reproduction and their application in successful embryo production is obvious
For the production of good quality embryos and blastocyst the oocyte must have high developmental potential (Pfeffer et al, 2007), which is characterized by the temporal expression of some essential oocyte marker genes viz; BMP15, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), c-kit, c-Mos, Maternal antigen that embryos require (MATER), ZAR1, Estradiol, Leptin, NALP9, IGFBP1, p180 etc. during the period of growth, differentiation and maturation of oocyte
Pre-implantation development studies indicates, series of morphological changes/events take place starting from germ cell development, their growth, differentiation, cumulus cells expansion, and oocyte maturation
Summary
In recent time much attention has been given to implement biotechnological tools in reproduction and their application in successful embryo production is obvious. The efficiency of producing viable and developmentally competent embryos and the development of such embryos after embryo transfer are seeming to be inferior to that which occurs in vivo conditions To perform such techniques for the production of developmentally competent embryo is quite challenging even when less is known about the molecular transformation for such an important and basic aspect of reproductive biotechnology. Pre-implantation development studies indicates, series of morphological changes/events take place starting from germ cell development, their growth, differentiation, cumulus cells expansion, and oocyte maturation. These are very complex events which lead to several alterations www.veterinaryworld.org. There are scanty reports on molecular analysis of these important events involved in oocyte growth and maturation
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