embryo production in small ruminants: what is still missing?

embryo production (IVEP) is an extremely important tool for genetic improvement in livestock and it is the biotechnology that has grown the most recently. However, multiple ovulation followed by embryo transfer is still considered the leading biotechnology for embryo production in small ruminants. This review aimed to identify what is still missing for more efficient diffusion of IVEP in small ruminants, going through the IVEP steps and highlighting the main factors affecting the outcomes.

Luteinizing hormone secretion, ovulatory capacity, and oocyte quality in peripubertal Gir heifers.

Induction of puberty in cattle breeds that attain puberty in later stages, such as Gir, allows the earlier beginning of reproductive life and it might increase oocyte quality. Here, the ovulatory capacity of prepuberal Gir heifers was studied and its relationship to follicular growth, luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and oocyte quality was evaluated. Peripubertal Gir heifers were treated with a progesterone-based protocol and according to ovulatory response were separated into groups: not-ovulated (N-OV) and ovulated (OV).

The Simulated Physiological Oocyte Maturation (SPOM) system in domestic animals: A systematic review.

Simulated Physiological Oocyte Maturation (SPOM) mimics in vitro the physiological events of oocyte maturation. The system uses cAMP modulators in two steps (pre IVM and IVM) and has presented promising results that are arousing the curiosity of IVF programs in different animal species, generating several papers, adaptations, and controversies worldwide. This study systematically analyses the data in the literature on the use of SPOM and compares the outcomes to the original paper (Albuz et al.

Optical imaging of cleavage stage bovine embryos using hyperspectral and confocal approaches reveals metabolic differences between on-time and fast-developing embryos.

The assessment of embryo quality aims to enhance subsequent pregnancy and live birth outcomes. Metabolic analysis of embryos has immense potential in this regard. As a step towards this goal, here we assess the metabolism of bovine embryos using label-free optical imaging.

Role of cAMP modulator supplementations during oocyte in vitro maturation in domestic animals.

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important molecule in signal transduction within the cell, functioning as a second cell messenger of gonadotrophin stimulation. The concentration of cAMP in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) is known to be controlled through modulation of its synthesis by adenylyl cyclase (AC) and by degradation through the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes. One of the main obstacles for in vitro embryo production is the optimization of reproduction processes that occur in oocyte maturation.