Boar freeze-dried semen in medium with antioxidants evaluated based on DNA integrity after a long-time preservation

Sperm freeze-drying is considered an alternative method to preserve male gametes in refrigeration or at room temperature condition. In order to preserve sperm integrity special protection is required. The aim of our research was to examine the effect of vitamin C (0.5 mM ) and rosmarinic acid (105 μM) on the DNA spermatozoa integrity after freeze-drying and 36 months of preservation at refrigerator temperature. Our results indicates that more than 90% of DNA boar spermatozoa integrity is not affected by long-time preservation with small differences between experimental groups: with +0.59% higher DNA integrity in AR group from Duroc boar, with +2.83% higher DNA integrity in AR group from Landrace boar and with no differences regarding DNA integrity in group supplemented with vitamin C. The main conclusion of these preliminary results is that DNA integrity of boar freeze-dried semen is not affected by longtime preservation and it can be used further for intracytoplasmatic sperm injection technique

In vitro bovine embryos evaluation based on OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R expression level

In vitro production of bovine embryos comprises a lot of factors that can influence the successful of this technique, oxidative stress being one of them. These factors can influence the evolution of important development processes such as the maternal to zygotic transition and the embryonic genome activation. Adding antioxidants to in vitro culture media exerts the key role to reduce the effects of reactive oxidative species produced during assisted reproduction technique, influencing in a positive way also the early embryonic developement. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of antioxidant rosmarinic acid (105 μM), added to in vitro bovine oocytes maturation media, on the quality of embryo produced based on gene expression level of OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R. For this purpose, we used 35 bovine ovaries taken from slougtherhouse from which we obtain 202 cumulus-oocyte-complexes and 127 of them were maturated in vitro based on morphological aspects. The cumulus-oocyte-complexes were divided in two groups: control (M1, M2, M3) and with acid rozmarinic (AR1, AR2 and AR3). The levels of OCT4, SOX2, IGF1R and IGF2R were the highest in group AR1, embryos obtain from oocytes class I supplemented with rozmarinic acid, where OCT4 expression was 4.08, SOX2 was 27.66, IGF1R and IGF2R were 53.44 and 25.10

Collection of blastomeres in order to establish sex and isolate genetic material-review

Globally, limited access to food needs in relation to meat or milk production has required the establishment of the sex of offspring from the embryonic stage. While the meat industry uses males, the dairy industry relies on females. During the period of exploitation, the number of products obtained from a female bovine is 5-6 individuals, their sex being able to be influenced by means of sexed semen. Embryo sexing programs can result in a large number of conception products, in a shorter period of time taking into account the desired sex. The use of the desired sex embryo facilitates the improvement of the genetic value. Embryonic sexing procedures involve the collection by biopsy of a minimum amount of genetic material that can ensure the determination of sex. Both invasive and non-invasive biopsy and sexing procedures can influence the subsequent viability of embryos prepared for embryo transfer. This paper highlights the methods of embryonic sexing along with the advantages and disadvantages of each technique involved in determining sex