scholarly journals 68EFFECT OF ROSCOVITINE ON FIBROBLASTS' ABILITY TO FORM BLASTOCYSTS AND ESTABLISH PREGNANCIES AFTER BOVINE NUCLEAR TRANSFER

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
A.M. Powell ◽  
P. Graininger ◽  
N. Talbot ◽  
R.J. Wall

Cloning efficiency of fibroblast nuclear transfer is dependent on donor cell chromatin status. Chromatin status is commonly regulated by serum starvation or contact inhibition. We have tested 3 methods of synchronizing chromatin activity, roscovitine exposure (in MEM + 10% serum) for 24h, with serum starvation (0.5% serum) for 5 days or growth to confluence in 10% serum prior to nuclear transfer. Roscovitine, a specific cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2 inhibitor, provides a means of precisely synchronizing bovine fetal fibroblasts (BFF) at G0/G1 cell cycle stage. Fibroblasts were from 100-day-old Jersey fetuses. Cells, frozen at passage 2, from fetus 10 are known to produce calves. Fetus 13 cells, frozen at passages 1 and 2, were compared for their ability to serve as nuclear donor cells. Oocytes, either purchased from Bomed or harvested from ovaries obtained from a local slaughterhouse and matured in Ham’s F10, were enucleated between 18–21h post-maturation initiation. Couplets were produced and fused by standard techniques. Embryos were activated 2 to 4 hours after fusion by exposure to ionomycin for 4min and DMAP for 4h. Embryos were then held in CR1aa for 12h before being cultured in G1 media for 3 days and then G2 media for another 3 days (38.5°C and 5% O2 + 5% CO2 + 90% N). On Day 7, good quality blastocysts were transferred to synchronized recipient heifers. The remaining embryos were evaluated after another day in culture. Blastocyst development [(100) X (total blastocysts/fused couplets)] was not influenced by fetus (BFF10, 31±3%; BFF13, 26±2%, P=0.126). However, a higher proportion of blastocysts were produced when fibroblasts were cultured in 0.5% serum (38±3%) compared to culture in 10% serum (29±3%) or in roscovitine (23±2%, P=0.001). Time in culture, as measured by passage, had a variable effect on the fibroblast’s ability to product blastocysts from the three fibroblast culture conditions tested. Passage 1 and 2 fibroblasts responded similarly to the 0.5% and 10% serum treatments (P>0.80). When cultured in roscovitine, passage 1 fibroblasts performed better then passage 2 fibroblasts (29±4% v. 16±3% blastocysts, P=0.010). Embryos have been transferred to 51 recipients to date. Ten recipients have given birth or are still pregnant. The 60-day non-return rate for those animals was 29%, 50%, and 31% for serum starvation, 10% serum, and roscovitine treatments, respectively. BFF10 and BFF13 cells have generated the same non-return rates (33%). In this study, of the 3 methods of synchronizing fibroblast chromatin, serum-starvation had an in vitro advantage. Cells cultured for different lengths of time (passages) responded differently to synchronization treatments. This may reflect a heterogeneous population of cells at early passages. Current non-return rates seem to favor synchronization by contact inhibition. Any advantage roscovitine offers may not be revealed until calving.

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
S.R. Cho ◽  
W.J. Son ◽  
C.S. Park ◽  
S.Y. Choe ◽  
G.J. Rho

Numerous factors have an effect on the development of cloned embryos, and one of the most important might be the synchronization between donor nuclei and recipient ooplasts. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of donor cell treatments for G0/G1 synchronization and the donor cell type on development and incidence of apoptosis in cloned cattle embryos. Primary cultures were established from a female fetus on Day 50 of gestation and adult ear skin biopsies. The cells were used for assessements of cell cycle and apoptosis, and for nuclear transfer. Cells were randomly allocated into 3 experimental treatment groups after 6–8 passages: Group 1 (confluent), cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS until 90% confluent; Group 2 (serum-starvation), cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 0.5% FBS for 5 days; Group 3 (Roscovitine), cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and 30μM Roscovitine for 12h. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry after labelling with DAPI and YO-PRO-1, respectively. At 19h post-maturation (hpm), enucleated oocytes were reconstructed with donor cells and fused by a single DC pulse (1.6kV/cm, 60μs) delivered by a BTX 200. After activation with the combination of ionomycin (5μM, 5min) and cycloheximide (10μgmL−1, 5h), the eggs were cultured in CR1aa medium for 3 days and additionally cultured in CR1aa medium supplemented with 30mgmL−1 BSA for 5 days at 39°C in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. Differences between groups were analyzed using one-way ANOVA after arc-sine transformation of the proportional data. There were no significantly differences in the incidence of cells arrested at G0/G1 for fetal fibroblasts cultured in the three treatment groups (87%, 83% and 80%; confluent, serum starvation and Roscovitine, respectively). More cells were apoptotic in Group 2 compared to the cells in Groups 1 and 3 (12% v. 6 and 6%, respectively) (P<0.05). Blastocyst development of cloned embryos was significantly (P<0.05) higher when fetal fibroblasts from Group 1 were used, compared to Groups 2 and 3 (35.1%, v. 31 and 29.7%, respectively). Similar results were observed in the use of ear skin fibroblasts as nuclear transfer donor cells (32.7%, v. 24 and 24%, respectively). These results suggest that fetal fibroblasts can be effectively synchronized at G0/G1 by three different treatments, including growth to confluence, serum-starvation and Roscovitine treatment. However, based on blastocyst development and levels of apoptosis, the use of confluent fetal fibroblasts as donor cells is more effective than using cells synchronized by serum-starvation or Roscovitine treatment in the production of cloned bovine embryos. [Supported by High Technology Development Project for Agriculture and Forestry Korea, MAF-SGRP, 30012-05-3-SB010 and Cho-A Pharm. Co. LTD.]


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Y. Echelard ◽  
E. Memili ◽  
S.L. Ayres ◽  
M. O'Coin ◽  
L.H. Chen ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to compare the development to the blastocyst stage of reconstructed caprine nuclear transfer (NT) embryos derived from two sources of ova. In vivo oocytes were flushed from the oviduct of superovulated donors by exposing the reproductive tract via a small ventral laparotomy. In vitro oocytes were collected from ovaries supplied by an abattoir located in Purdue, IN. Oocytes were aspirated, cultured in maturation medium (M199 +10% goat serum, 3μgmL−1 LH, 3μgmL−1 FSH and 0.22mM sodium pyruvate), and shipped overnight (38°C, air). Donor cell preparation and NT procedures were as previously reported (Behboodi et al., 2001 Theriogenology 55, 254 abst). Donor cells were transfected female fetal fibroblasts that were synchronized by 4 days of serum starvation, followed by a 10-hour exposure to medium containing 10% FCS. Oocytes were enucleated, karyoplast-cytoplast couplets were reconstructed, fused and then activated simultaneously by a single electrical pulse. Couplets containing in vitro oocytes were incubated in the presence of 5μgmL−1 ionomycin after fusion. Fused couplets were co-cultured in TCM199 with 10% FCS and oviductal epithelial cells for 8–10 days (38°C, 5% CO2). Embryos that developed in vitro to the blastocyst stage were surgically transferred to recipients. Pregnancies were confirmed by ultrasonography. One live kid was delivered on Day 150 of gestation via elective C-section. Southern blotting analysis confirmed that it was derived from the transgenic donor cell line. These experiments show that in vivo matured oocytes not only better support caprine NT embryo development to the blastocyst stage, but also can result in live birth (table). Although fusion and cleavage rates were similar in the two groups, development to the blastocyst stage was significantly higher (Student’s t-test) in the group utilizing in vivo-matured oocytes. In conclusion, this is the first live goat produced from goat NT blastocysts developed in vitro. This suggests that in vivo matured oocytes may be superior to oocytes developed in vitro for generating live animals from NT blastocysts. Table 1


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
G. Coppola ◽  
B.-G. Jeon ◽  
B. Alexander ◽  
E. St. John ◽  
D. H. Betts ◽  
...  

The early reprogramming events following somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) determine the fate of the cloned embryo and its development to a healthy viable offspring. In the present study, we undertook a detailed immunocytochemical study of the patterns of both microtubules and chromatin during the first cell cycle of sheep nuclear transfer embryos after fusion and artificial activation using either 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) or cycloheximede (CHX). Sheep oocytes were collected from abattoir ovaries and matured in vitro for 18-20 h and enucleated; fetal fibroblasts were transplanted using standard SCNT techniques. Reconstructed cell-cytoplast couplets were fused and activated with ionomycin, followed by culture in two separate groups containing 6-DMAP (2 mM) or CHX (10 �g/mL) for 3 h. Following activation, embryos were cultured in in vitro culture (IVC) medium for blastocyst development. Embryos (n = 15, 3 replicates) were randomly removed from culture at various time points and stained using standard immunocytochemical methods to observe microtubule and nuclear configurations. Images were captured using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Results reveled that at 1 h post-fusion, 63.3% of reconstructed embryos underwent nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC) was apparent as chromosomes were situated on a non-polar spindle. The remaining embryos showed abnormal spindle and DNA configurations including chromosome outliers, congression failure, and non-NEBD. At 1 h post-activation (hpa), the embryos treated with 6-DMAP had already formed a clearly visible pronucleus (diameter 6-8 �m), whereas in the CHX-treated group, none of the embryos were at pronuclear stage; instead most of the latter embryos showed two masses of chromatin. At 1 hpa, 6-DMAP- and CHX-treated embryos showed one swelled pronucleus with a mean diameter of 8.4 � 1.3 �m and 25.8 � 0.8 �m, respectively (P < 0.05). At 16 hpa, embryos from both treatment groups still showed one swelled pronucleus. In the 6-DMAP-treated embryos, most of the embryos showed a metaphase spindle with aligned chromosomes of the first mitotic division as early as 18-10 hpa, whereas in the CHX-treated group embryos were still at the pronuclear stage. Typical 2-cell division was seen in most of the 6-DMAP-treated embryos between 24 and 30 hpa, but it was slightly delayed in CHX-treated embryos (32-35 hpa). Blastocyst development rates in the 6-DMAP- and CHX-treated groups were 21.4 � 5.6% and 14.0 � 6.3%, respectively (P < 0.05). In summary, artificial activating agents 6-DMAP and CHX exhibited different effects on chromatin remodeling, cell cycle progression, and the degree of pronuclear swelling which may explain the poor developmental rates and abnormal chromosome complements observed for cloned embryos. This work was funded by NSERC, OMAF, and International Council for Canadian Studies.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bethany Rae Mordhorst

Gene edited pigs serve as excellent models for biomedicine and agriculture. Currently, the most efficient way to make a reliably-edited transgenic animal is through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) also known as cloning. This process involves using cells from a donor (which may have been gene edited) that are typically grown in culture and using their nuclear content to reconstruct a new zygote. To do this, the cell may be placed in the perivitelline space of an enucleated oocyte and activated artificially by a calcium-containing media and electrical pulse waves. While it is remarkable that this process works, it is highly inefficient. In pigs the success of transferred embryos becoming live born piglets is only 1-3%. The creation of more cloned pigs enables further study for the benefit of both A) biomedicine in the development of prognosis and treatments and B) agriculture, whether it be for disease resistance, feed efficiency, gas emissions, etc. Two decades of research has not drastically improved the cloning efficiency of most mammals. One of the main impediments to successful cloning is thought to be due to inefficient nuclear reprogramming and remodeling of the donor cell nucleus. In the following chapters we detail our efforts to improve nuclear reprogramming of porcine fetal fibroblasts by altering the metabolism to be more blastomere-like in nature. We used two methods to alter metabolism 1) pharmaceutical agents and 2) hypoxia. After treating donor cells both methods were used in nuclear transfer. Pharmaceutical agents did not improve in vitro development of gestational survival of clones. Hypoxia did improve in vitro development and we are currently awaiting results of gestation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
I. M. Saadeldin ◽  
B. H. Kim ◽  
B. Roibas da Torre ◽  
O. J. Koo ◽  
G. Jang ◽  
...  

Nuclear transfer (NT) has been used to produce many cloned offspring using several types of cells, including embryonic cells. Even though inner cell mass cells have been used as donor karyoplast for producing cloned animals, there are few studies using trophoblast. In mice, clones were born by nuclear transfer of trophoblasts from the expanded blastocyst into enucleated oocytes as a trial to show the totipotency of both inner cell mass and trophectoderm cells isolated from blastocysts (Tsunoda and Kato 1998 J. Reprod. Fertil. 113, 181–184). However, bovine trophoblast cell (TC) lines have not been used in NT to date. The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether TC as donor cell can be reprogrammed in bovine enucleated oocyte and determine the relative abundance of interferon tau (IFNτ) expression in the resulting cloned preimplantational embryos. Hatched blastocysts produced by IVF were used to isolate TCs on mouse embryonic fibroblasts treated with mitomycin C as feeder cells. TCs and adult fibroblasts (AF, control group for NT) were microinjected to perivitelline space of in vitro mature enucleated oocytes and electrically fused. Reconstructed embryos were chemically activated and cultured in a 2-step chemically defined medium. Levels of IFNτ expression in IVF-, TC-, and AF-derived blastocysts were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). IVF produced embryos were used as reference to analyze the linear progressive expression of IFNτ through mid-, expanded, and hatching blastocysts. As a result, TCs expressing IFNτ were successfully isolated and cultured on feeder layers. It grew as cell sheets of cuboidal epithelium with high proliferation capacity as a single colony originated from a small clump of cells measured 0.5 cm within 7 days of culture. TCs were reprogrammed in the enucleated oocytes to blastocyst with similar efficiency to AF (14.5% and 15.6%, respectively; P ≤ 0.05). RT-qPCR studies showed that IFNτ expression was higher in TC-derived blastocysts than IVF- and AF-derived blastocysts. Both IVF- and TC-derived blastocysts, showed progressive increase of IFNτ expression through the advancement of blastocyst development when it was compared to AF-derived blastocysts. In conclusion, using TCs expressing IFNτ as donor cell for bovine NT could increase the developmental competence of cloned embryos as indicated by progressive linear increase in IFNτ expression. This study was supported by grants from IPET (#109023-05-1-CG000), NRF (#M10625030005-10N250300510), MKE (#2009-67-10033839, #2009-67-10033805), and BK21 program. Saadeldin I. M. is supported by Islamic Development Bank (IDB) merit scholarship, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
R. Koppang ◽  
N. R. Mtango ◽  
M. Barcelo-Fimbres ◽  
J. P. Verstegen

Porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is limited to the same or next day surgical embryo transfer due to poor culture conditions in vitro. In this study, we aimed to overcome this problem by treating SCNT embryos with scriptaid, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDACi) that helps with epigenetic reprogramming of the somatic nuclei. Scriptaid was chosen over other HDACi because it has been shown to improve histone acetylation in the same pattern as that of IVF embryos as well as its low toxicity characteristic (Zhao et al. 2009 Biol. Reprod. 81, 525–530; Zhao et al. 2010 Cell Reprogram. 12, 75–78). An inbred miniature pig fetal fibroblast cell line that is known to give low blastocyst rate in culture was used as a source of donor cells transferred into enucleated oocytes. Traditional SCNT was performed; embryos were fused and chemically activated in 10 µM ionomycin for 5 min and 2 mM DMAP for 3 to 4 h before being transferred into scriptaid. Embryos were treated with 500 nM scriptaid (Zhao et al. 2010) for 18 h and the untreated group was used as control. A total of 806 oocytes were used in 8 replicates. The constructed embryos were cultured in modified porcine zygote medium 5 (mPZM-5) for 7 days at 39°C in 5% O2, 5% CO2, 90% N2 atmosphere. Cleavage rates were assessed at 2.5 days and blastocyst rates at Day 7 after activation. Data were analysed by ANOVA using GLM, and percentages were transformed using arcsin square root using Statistix 10 software (Tallahassee, FL, USA). There were no differences in cleavage rates for control group v. scriptaid (55.3 v. 49.9%; P > 0.1; Table 1). The blastocyst rate per construct showed remarkable increase in the scriptaid treated group compared with the control group (12.8 v. 2.2%; P < 0.01; Table 1). Similarly, a significant effect was observed for blastocyst per embryos cleaved where scriptaid had higher rates compared with control (25.8 v. 5.8%; P < 0.01). These results indicated that improving nuclear reprogramming of miniature porcine SCNT clones by scriptaid treatment enhanced blastocyst production during the in vitro culture of porcine embryos. Table 1.Mean (± s.e.m.) measures of embryonic development of SCNT embryos


2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
G. Kim ◽  
H. J. Oh ◽  
J. E. Park ◽  
M. J. Kim ◽  
E. J. Park ◽  
...  

Histocompatible tissue has been generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and the resultant tissues were not rejected by the immune system of the nucleus donors. In addition, many transgenic animals combined with SCNT have been produced. However, in vitro immunogenicity of transgenic cloned animals originated from the same donor cell with nontransgenic cloned animals has not been assessed until now. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro immunogenicity of cloned dogs with each other, between cloned dogs and transgenic cloned dogs and between transgenic cloned dogs with each other by mixed lymphocyte reaction. In this study, we used cloned beagles (BG1, 2) derived from SCNT using fetal fibroblasts (BF3). Serially, 4 transgenic cloned beagles (Ruppy 1–3, 5) were also genetically engineered from the same donor cell, BF3, with red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene inserted into their genome. We used 2 age-matched healthy female beagle dogs as control dogs. They have different 3 DLA types with all cloned dogs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 2 cloned beagles and 4 transgenic cloned beagles were isolated from whole bloods using Ficoll gradient solution. PBMC from each dog were mixed to auto PBMC, other transgenic cloned dogs and non-related control dogs under the experimental designs. All the mixtures were incubated at 37°C for 4 days, adding BrdU labeling reagent and re-incubated for 24 h. Results are expressed in absorbance mean value ± standard deviation of 450-nm wavelength read by microplate reader. Each cell combination was assayed in 8 replicates. In Experiment 1, PBMC of cloned beagles were combined with equal concentrations of another cloned beagle's PBMC. In Experiment 2, PBMC suspension of Ruppy 1–3, 5 were mixed with equal concentrations of another transgenic cloned beagle's PBMC suspension. In Experiment 3, PBMC suspensions of cloned beagles were mixed with PBMC suspensions of transgenic cloned beagles and reverse reaction was performed. Statistical analysis was performed by using Mann-Whitney U test. In Experiment 1, whereas the absorbance value of mixture of cloned dogs and control dogs shows apparent proliferation, auto mixture of each dog and allo-mixture of BG1 and BG2 show no proliferation (Table 1), indicating immunological factors exposed to PBMC in 2 cloned dogs were compatible. In Experiment 2 among transgenic cloned dogs, no evidence of proliferations in mixed allo-PBMC was shown (Table 1), suggesting in vitro immunogenicity between transgenic cloned dogs was also not shown. In Experiment 3 among cloned dogs and transgenic cloned dogs, no significant difference was found (Table 1). In conclusion, cloned dogs derived from SCNT shared immunological phenotype. Next, immunogenicity among transgenic cloned beagle dogs was not shown despite random insertion of a foreign gene. Lastly, cloned beagles and transgenic cloned beagles show lymphocyte antigen compatibility irrespective of having a foreign gene or not. Table 1.The absorbance values of mixed lymphocytes of 4 transgenic cloned dogs and 2 cloned dogs This study was supported by RNL BIO (#0468-20110001), IPET, MKE (#10033839-2011-13) and Natural Balance Korea.


2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
P. Q. Cong ◽  
E. S. Song ◽  
E. S. Kim ◽  
Z. H. Li ◽  
Y. J. Yi ◽  
...  

Pigs have become increasingly important in the field of biomedical research, and interest has grown in the use of transgenic cloned pigs as potential xenograft donors. The present study were carried out to investigate the effects of intensity of DC pulse, number of DC pulses, and equilibration before fusion/activation on developmental ability of porcine embryos derived from nuclear transfer. Porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in modified TCM-199 (mTCM-199) medium for 44 h at 38.5�C, 5% CO2 in air. After in vitro maturation (IVM), metaphase II oocytes were selected for enucleation. Porcine fetal fibroblasts were obtained from a porcine fetus on Day 35 of gestation as donor cells. Oocytes were enucleated by removing, with a micropipette, the first polar body along with adjacent cytoplasm containing the metaphase plate; then a donor cell was injected in contact with the cytoplasm of each oocyte. In experiment 1, several different fusion/activation intensities (two DC pulses of 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 kV cm-1 for 30 �s) were carried out to investigate the effect on the development of nuclear transfer embryos. In experiment 2, the reconstructed oocytes were fused and activated with 1, 2, or 3 DC pulses of 1.2 kV cm-1 for 30 �s. In experiment 3, reconstructed oocytes were equilibrated in mTCM-199 medium at 38.5�C, 5% CO2 for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h. After equilibration, the reconstructed oocytes were fused and activated with one DC pulse of 1.2 kV cm-1 for 30 �s in fusion medium. The reconstructed embryos were transferred into PZM-3 medium containing 0.3% BSA for further culture. The rates of embryo cleavage and development of blastocyst stage were evaluated at 48 h and 6-7 days, respectively. The cell numbers of blastocysts were counted by using Hoechst 33342 epifluorescence staining. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan


Zygote ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita P. Cervera ◽  
Fernando García-Ximénez

The present study in rabbits compared, in the first experiment, the effect of two commonly used oocyte ages, 13 h and 17 h after ovulation induction treatment, on the technical efficiency of somatic nuclear transfer steps, using fresh cumulus cells as nuclear donors. Recently ovulated metaphase II oocytes (13 h) showed higher fusion (13 h: 83% vs 17 h: 67%, p < 0.05) and in vitro development rates than in vivo slightly aged metaphase II oocytes (morula, 13 h: 74% vs 17 h: 25%, p < 0.05; blastocyst, 13 h: 16% vs 17 h: 8%; p < 0.05). In contrast, activation rate was higher in the 17 h group (13 h: 45% vs 17 h: 67%; p < 0.05). In a second experiment, using recently ovulated oocytes (13 h) as recipients, two donor cell types (from primary cultures of either cumulus cells or fetal fibroblasts) were tested to evaluate their effects on the efficiencies of the different technical steps of somatic nuclear transfer procedure. A better fusion rate was obtained when fetal fibroblasts were used as nuclear donors (cumulus cells: 45% vs fetal fibroblasts: 67%, p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were detected in cleavage rate regardless of the cell type used (cumulus cells: 44% vs fetal fibroblasts: 60%, p > 0.05). However, in vitro development to morula (cumulus cells: 41% vs fetal fibroblasts: 14%, p < 0.05) and to blastocyst stage (cumulus cells: 27% vs fetal fibroblasts: 3%, p < 0.05) were different between cell types.


Reproduction ◽  
2001 ◽  
pp. 801-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
JL Liu ◽  
MK Wang ◽  
QY Sun ◽  
XR Zhang ◽  
LK Jiang ◽  
...  

In mammals, preparation of donor cells for somatic nuclear transfer is very important because the character of the donor cell directly affects the efficiency and outcome of transfer. The protocols used most commonly for donor preparation are (i) disaggregating cells from fresh tissue 1-2 h before micromanipulation or (ii) trypsinizing cultured cells temporarily, after special treatments for 3-8 days (for example, serum starvation). In this study, a new simple protocol was designed, whereby the donor cells (cumulus cells) used in bovine somatic nuclear transfer were refrigerated. In brief, cultured cells at 80-100% confluency were detached using trypsin, washed by centrifugation, aliquoted into different vials and refrigerated at 4 degrees C. The density of viable cells was decreased after day 1 of refrigeration; however, the rate of decrease tended to slow down with increasing duration of refrigeration. Cells refrigerated for 15 days were seeded at a density of 5 x 10(4) ml(-1) and reached 70% confluency after day 2 of culture. Most cells had the normal number of chromosomes (2n = 60). Cells chilled at 4 degrees C for different durations were removed from refrigeration and immediately subjected to micromanipulation. The in vitro development of reconstructed embryos (fusion rates, cleavage rates, morula and blastocyst rates) indicated that there were no significant differences among treatment groups regardless of the duration of refrigeration (0-2 weeks) of the donor cells. Reconstructed embryos were transferred into the uteri of recipient cows. No significant differences were observed in established early pregnancies between embryos derived from the non-refrigerated donor cells and those derived from refrigerated donor cells. This study indicates that refrigeration of donor cells for 1-2 weeks is a feasible protocol for preparing donor cells for bovine somatic nuclear transfer, and does not compromise development in vitro and early development in vivo.


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