<p>The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effect of cysteamine and b-mercaptoethanol supplementation on in -vitro maturation, cleavage of oocytes and development of embryo in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Oocytes were aspirated from abattoir ovarian follicles of 3-10 mm diameter followed by maturation in the media in vitro containing cysteamine/b-mercaptoethanol (treatment) and without antioxidant (control). Matured oocytes were co-incubated with sperm (approx.1&times;106/ml) of Murrah bull in mSOF medium using heparin (10 &micro;g/ml). After 22 h of oocyte-sperm incubation, fertilized oocytes were stripped of cumulus cells and cultured in mSOF medium for 8 days to study embryo development. The oocyte maturation rate improved significantly (P&lt;0.05) following addition of &nbsp;50 or 100 &micro;M of cysteamine and 10, 50 and 100 &micro;M of &nbsp;b- mercaptoethanol (ME), respectively as compared to control. The cleavage rate was found to be significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher at 50 and 100 &micro;M of cysteamine and at all concentrations of b-mercaptoethanol as compared to control and development of embryos to morula stage was significantly (P&lt;0.05) improved with 50 &micro;M cysteamine/ b-mercaptoethanol.<br />
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<p>Cysteamine and b-mercaptoethanol supplementation improves the in vitro&nbsp;embryo development in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)</p>


<div>Present study was carried out to find the effect of combining EGF with IGF, cysteine and sodium pyruvate singly as additive in a medium consisting of TCM-199 + 100 &micro;l/ml foetal bovine serum + 100 &micro;M/ml cysteamine + 1 &micro;g/ml 17&acirc;- Oestradiol + 5 &micro;g/ml pFSH + 5&micro;g/ml oLH + 10 per cent follicular fluid and 10 per cent oestrous goat serum on in-vitro maturation (IVM) of caprine oocytes on incubation at 38.50C for 24 hours in a CO2 incubator maintaining 5 per cent CO2 under humidified condition. The additives comprised 10 ng/ml EGF + 50 ng/ml IGF-1, 10 ng/ml EGF + 600 &micro;M/ml cysteine and 10 ng/ ml EGF + 0.2 mM/ml sodium pyruvate. The IVM rate of oocytes on the basis of cumulus cells expansion and nuclear maturation was found to be significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) with EGF + IGF-1 (88.74 &plusmn; 1.85% and 61.71 &plusmn; 1.61%) than with EGF + sodium pyruvate (82.86 &plusmn; 0.97% and 54.62 &plusmn; 1.88%), EGF + cysteine ( 78.58 &plusmn; 1.45% and 49.02 &plusmn; 1.52%) and without additive (control) (75.27 &plusmn; 1.58% and 43.03 &plusmn; 1.48%).</div>


Cysteamine and b-mercaptoethanol supplementation improves the in vitro embryo development in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Effect of additives in medium on in-vitro maturation of goat oocytes