Efficiency of Dimethyl Sulphoxide and Ethylene Glycol on Subsequent Development of Vitrified Awassi Sheep Embryos

Abstract

The use of cryoprotectants in vitrification would reduce the critical damages to the embryos, thus increase the survival rates. This research was conducted in the laboratory of reproductive biotechnology at the faculty of Agriculture of Aleppo University. The study aimed to evaluate the viability and survivability of early Syrian Awassi embryos under the influence of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) following vitrification. Embryos were vitrified in three solutions of cryoprotectants (A: DMSO (3 ml), B: EG (3 ml), and C which was composed of a combination of DMSO (1.5 ml) and EG (1.5 ml)). After thawing, embryos that had been vitrified in C solution achieved the highest rates of cleavage (P< 0.01) comparing with A and B solutions for 2-16 cell stage (50.00% Vs 30.77% and 36.36%), morula (9.00% Vs 44.44% and 40.00%) and blastocyst stage embryos (92.86% Vs 58.33% and 50.00%) respectively. Down to the hatching blastocyst stage, 2-16 cell stage vitrified embryos in C solution achieved an encouraging rate comparing with A and B solutions (39.20% Vs23.08% and 22.73% respectively). The rates of arrested embryos decreased significantly (P< 0.05) after thawing across the three solutions especially the morula and blastocyst stage (0.00 and 3.70% respectively) (C solution). No significant differences were observed in the three types of embryos across all stages and solutions despite the large range among these rates. Given the apparent benefit of the participatory effect of cytoprotectants, it is advised to use a mixture of DMSO and EG (1:1) in vitrification of ovine embryos.

The Interaction Between GDF9 Gene Polymorphism and Age Groups on the in Vitro Maturation of Awassi Sheep Oocytes

“…Livestock projects and commercial herd breeders aim to increase the economic feasibility of sheep farming, therefore, focus most of their attention on raising the biological efficiency of sheep, by providing the largest number of lambs produced, by the breeding and feeding programs used to fatten and produce the largest number of lambs with efficient productive characteristics, which, upon mating, will produce the best breeding herd and the best expected productivity [1,2]. As small ruminants enjoy a unique position for farmers, because sheep require small investments, short production cycles, great adaptability to the environment and faster growth rates compared to large ruminants, they also provide good sources of protein and income for most farmers [3,4]. Sheep are the main source of meat production in Iraq and a secondary source of milk and wool in Iraq, the meat produced from sheep is the main and desirable quality for consumption by the Iraqi consumer compared to the meat of other animals or even the imported live and frozen meat, it is considered one of the most important animals for its breeders, and it is also the most suitable animal for the arid and semi-arid climate of Iraq [5,6].…”

Evaluation of the In Vitro Embryo Production of Farm Animals Under the Circumstances of Embryo Transfer Technology

“…In this regard, more research has been conducted by relying on innovative technologies and methods, the most important of which is the technique of in vitro embryo production (IVEP). It can be said that the IVEP technology has achieved a significant harvest in the yield of the produced embryos despite the difficulties encountered and the relatively low productivity levels of these embryos [5][6][7][8]. In the current period, the integrated protocols in which many additives and improved culture media were used have eventually led to noticeable differences in the outcome of embryos produced.…”

Role of Some Inducing Additives in in vitro Maturation Environment of Farm Animal's Oocytes: Status Evaluation

“…Since the emergence of in vitro embryo production technology (IVEP) until the present day, there have been persistent efforts being made to develop this important technology that has vigorously entered the world of assisted reproductive technology (ART) to be in turn one of the basic technologies that underpin other technologies including the division, cloning, multiplication, sexing and merging early developing embryos (1,2,3,4,5). The conditions in which this important technology began to appear are described as conditions in which the tools and tactics were not sufficiently developed to accelerate the progress compared with the tremendous scientific progress in those methods and tools currently.…”