Serum in the culture media: cellular activity on early cleavage stages on in vitro maintained embryos

El cultivo de embriones en medio suplementado con suero se utiliza durante el desarrollo parcial o total de embriones producidos in vitro (PIV). Este suplemento de composición compleja y variable se ha asociado con un alto grado de alteraciones de la estructura mitocondrial que provocaría una deficiente utilización y posterior acumulación de lípidos, respecto del medio sin suero. En esta tesis, se evaluó esta asociación y se determinó el día de desarrollo en que la adición de suero al medio produce menores daños mitocondriales en embriones bovinos. El estudio de la ultraestructura mitocondrial en estadios iniciales de clivaje de embriones bovinos in vitro permitió completar la información disponible sobre la estructura de la organela, e interpretar el efecto del medio de cultivo sobre la organela. No se encontraron indicios que atribuyan al suero el daño mitocondrial morfológico in vitro, en embriones bovinos de 2 a 16 células. Se encontraron en cambio, modificaciones que podrían ser ventajosas para el desarrollo embrionario cuando la adición del suero al medio de cultivo se produce en el día 3 de desarrollo. Como alternativa procedimental al cultivo de embriones en medio con suero, en esta tesis se estudiaron el crecimiento y la adhesión de embriones y ovocitos humanos, en condiciones libres de suero y de productos animales. El cultivo de embriones en medio definido sin suero es de enorme interés en humanos, pues de él depende el desarrollo de líneas de células troncales embrionarias humanas (CTEh) con grado clínico. En este sentido, se emplearon condiciones de mínima complejidad durante el proceso de derivación de células troncales de grado clínico, utilizando una matriz de fibronectina como sustrato y medio de cultivo sin suero.Serum-supplemented medium are used during the partial or complete development of in vitro produced (IVP) embryos. This supplement of complex and variable composition has been associated with a high degree of alterations of mitochondrial structure that would cause a poor use and accumulation of lipids, compared with the non-serum medium. The main objective of this thesis is to study this association and to state the day in which serum should be added in order to cause the minimum amount of mitochondrial damages in bovine embryos. The study on mitochondrial ultra-structure in early cleavage stages of in vitro bovine embryos, allowed us to complete the already available information about the organelles´ structure, understanding the effect that the culture medium has on the organelle. No evidence has been found to support the hypothesis that the serum damaged in vitro mitochondrial morphology in 2 to 16 cells stages bovine embryos. However, we have found changes that might be advantageous for the embryonic development when the addition of serum to the culture medium occurs in day 3 of this process. As an alternative to the embryo cultured in a serum-supplemented medium, in this thesis we studied human embryos and oocytes growth and adhesion free of animal products and serum. Embryos cultured in a serum free media are of great interest, because of it depends the human embryonic stem cells (hESC) development, with clinical grade. Therefore, minimum complexity conditions were used during the derivation process of clinical grade stem cells, using a fibronectin matrix as substrate and serum-free culture medium.Fil:Crocco, Melisa Candela de los Angeles. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Substrates and supplements for hESCs: a critical review

Fil: Crocco, Melisa Candela. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina.Fil: Fratnz, Nilo. Reserach and Human Reproduction Center, Nilo Peçanha 1221, Porto alegre, RS; Brasil.Fil: Bos-Mikich, Adriana. Department of Morphological Sciences, ICBS, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre; Brasil.Different laboratories around the world have succeeded in establishing human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. However, culture conditions vary considerably among the protocols used and the vast majority of the lines at some stage of their creation have been in contact with an animal derived component. One of the main problems to be overcome for the generation of a clinical-grade hESC line is the choice of a substrate and medium that allows derivation and culture, where animal derived components are kept to a minimum or completely excluded

Does serum cause lipid-droplet accumulation in bovine embryos produced in vitro, during developmental days 1 to 4?

Fil: Crocco, Melisa Candela. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina.Fil: Kelmansky, Diana Mabel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Cálculo; Argentina.Fil: Mariano, Marta Inés. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina.Purpose: Serum supplementation has shown to have beneficial effects on in vitro bovine embryo development. However, it is often assumed that serum supplementation may produce mitochondrial damage and this damage would generate lipid accumulation, a major obstacle for cryopreservation. The aim of the present study is to investigate the previous assumptions in early embryonic stages. Methods: We considered in vitro produced bovine embryos from day 1 to 4 of development, which were grown in presence of serum from days 1, 2 or 3 or in absence of it. Electron transmission micrographs allowed us to quantify the area occupied by lipid droplets and by the different mitochondrial types to evaluate serum effect. Using confocal microscopy we analyzed mitochondrial activity and location. Results: We found no evidence of lipid droplets accumulation or mitochondrial degeneration or reduction of mitochondrial area in serum supplemented media. Further, our results suggest that events of mitochondrial proliferation are taking place even in serum supplemented media. Conclusions: Serum does not produce lipid accumulation or mitochondrial damage in bovine embryos from 2 to 16 cells. When serum was added to embryo culture medium on day 3 of development, there were ultrastructural signs of a beneficial effect for embryo development. The lack of serum until day 3 may also avoid the unnecessary exposure to potentially inhibitory factors present on it