In vitro maturation of guinea pig oocytes supplemented with Epidermal Growth Factor and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I

Abstract

Insights in oocyte maturation process in guinea pigs are essential for the development of in vitro culture systems in this species, since it represents an interesting animal model in reproduction field (Suzuki et al. Mol Reprod Dev 2003; 64, 219–25). The goal of this study was to elucidate the influence of both Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) on in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) medium of guinea pig. We assessed meiotic and cytoplasmic oocyte maturation, in terms of cortical granules (CG) and mitochondrial distribution, apoptotic rate and steroidogenic response of cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) after IVM. A pool of 500 COCs from adult guinea pigs were cultured in groups of 40 COCs in four replicates in TCM-199 with 2 mM/mL glutamine, 0.1 mg/mL sodium pyruvate and 0.003% BSA for 17h (38ºC, 5%CO2) (Sigma Chemical Company)