Treatment of cryopreserved bovine sperm with calcium ionophore A23187 increases in vitro embryo production.

After ejaculation, mammalian sperm undergo a series of molecular events conducive to the acquisition of fertilizing competence. These events are collectively known as capacitation and involve acrosomal responsiveness and a vigorous sperm motility called hyperactivation. When mimicked in the laboratory, capacitating bovine sperm medium contains bicarbonate, calcium, albumin and heparin, among other components.

The Simulated Physiological Oocyte Maturation (SPOM) System Enhances Cytoplasmic Maturation and Oocyte Competence in Cattle.

In vitro embryo production is a widely applied technique that allows the expansion of genetics and accelerated breeding programs. However, in cattle, this technique still needs improvement in order to reach quality and pregnancy rates comparable to in vivo-derived embryos. One of the limitations of this technique is related to in vitro maturation, where a heterogeneous population of oocytes is harvested from follicles and cultured in vitro in the presence of gonadotropic hormones to induce maturation.