Developmental and Molecular Effects of C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Supplementation in In Vitro Culture of Bovine Embryos.

The use of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in the interaction with the oocyte and in the temporary postponement of spontaneous meiosis resumption has already been well described. However, its action in pre-implantation developmental-stage embryos is yet to be understood. Thus, our study aimed to detect the presence of the canonical CNP receptor (natriuretic peptide receptor, NPR2) in germinal vesicle (GV)-, metaphase II (MII)-, presumptive zygote (PZ)-, morula (MO)-, and blastocyst (BL)-stage embryos and, later, to observe possible modulations on the embryos when co-cultured with CNP.

Evaluation of hCG as gonadotropic support to timed embryo transfer protocol in beef cattle.

This study compared the reproductive performance of embryo recipients treated with a timed embryo transfer (TET) protocol using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). On a random day of the estrous cycle (Day -10) indicus-taurus recipients (n = 341; 194 nulliparous and 147 multiparous cows) with a body condition score between 3.0 and 4.

Ovarian antral follicle populations and embryo production in cattle.

Reproductive biotechniques such as embryo production are important tools to increase the reproductive performance in cattle in a short time. In this context, the antral follicle count (AFC), which reflects the population of antral follicles present in an ovary, has been indicated as an important phenotypic characteristic related to female fertility and closely correlated to the performance of and embryo production (IVEP). A positive correlation was evidenced between AFC and oocyte retrieval by ovum pick up (OPU) sessions and and with the number of embryos produced.