Superovulation of rabbits with FSH alters in vivo development of vitrified morulae
1998
Kauffman, R.D. | Schmidt, P.M. | Rall, W.F. | Hoeg, J.M.
Morulae were flushed from the oviducts and uteri of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits superovulated with either 6 (3 d) or 8 (4 d) injections of FSH and from nonsuperovulated controls. The percentages of embryos recovered from 4 d (100%, n=8) donors was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of 3 d (76%, n=16) and control (87%, n=22) donors. Overall, fertilization rates were significantly lower for the 3 d embryos (P<0.01). Most (86 to 90%) morulae were morphologically suitable for vitrification in an ethylene glycol-based solution. Following storage in liquid nitrogen, morulae were rapidly thawed and transferred to the uteri of pseudopregnant recipients. The total number of kits born for the 3 d, 4 d, and control groups was 40, 61 and 48, respectively. The percentage of live kits from morulae transferred was significantly lower for the 3 d (20%, n=201) than either the 4 d (36%, n=169; P<0.01) or the control (31%, n=157; P<0.05) group. The mean number of kits born/recipient for the 3 d (2.4 +/- 2.9), 4 d (4.7 +/- 3.5), and control (3.0 +/- 2.2) protocols did not differ (P>0.05). The estimated overall efficiency of producing kits based on normal morulae collected for control and 4 d groups, however, was nearly two-fold that for females given 6 FSH treatments. We conclude that the 4 d FSH superovulation regimen enhances the efficiency of rabbit reproductive biotechnology after embryo cryopreservation. These findings have important implications for rabbit colony management using embryo cryopreservation.
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