Developmental competence of water buffalo oocytes in a synthetic oviductal fluid base medium

Abstract

In this study, in vitro derived (oocytes from ovaries of slaughtered buffalo cows) and in vivo derived (oocytes collected through TUFA from living buffalo cows) oocytes were assessed on their ability to acquire the necessary developmental competence in the production of blastocyst stage embryos when cultured in culture systems using a complex/serial culture media or a single based medium from maturation to culture. In vitro derived oocytes ability to complete the 1 st meiotic division (nuclear maturation) showed no difference when cultured in either culture systems (82.6-83.1%) but was higher compared to in vivo derived oocytes (62.3-74.4%). The cleavage rate of in vivo derived oocytes (78.7-79.2%) was significantly higher than in vitro derived oocytes (59.4-62.9%). Significantly higher blastocyst formation rate was observed from in vivo derived oocytes cultured in a single based culture system (31.1%). Overall, the results showed the usefulness and practicality of using a single synthetic oviductal fluid based medium for supporting buffalo oocytes acquisition of developmental competence in an in vitro culture system.