Effect of inclusion of serum and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor on secretion of interferon-tau during the in vitro culture of ovine embryos.

In each of three experiments, in vitro-matured and -fertilised zygotes were cultured to Day 7 post insemination in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF). In Experiment 1, zygotes were cultured in groups in either SOF plus albumin (SOFA) or serum (SOFS) and then blastocysts were cultured individually for a further 24 h without a change of media. In Experiment 2, zygotes were cultured in groups using a 2 x 2 factorial design in SOFA or SOFS, with or without recombinant ovine granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF; 5 ng mL(-1)).