The dynamics of gene expression, lipid composition and DNA methylation reprogramming are different during in vitro maturation of pig oocytes obtained from prepubertal gilts and cycling sows.

This study aimed to characterize the gene expression, lipid composition and DNA methylation reprogramming during in vitro maturation (IVM) of pig oocytes with different developmental competencies. We used prepubertal gilts and cycling sows as a model to obtain oocytes with different levels of competency. We found that genes involved in lipid metabolism, SLC27A4, CPT2 and PLIN2, and DNA methylation, DNMT3A, TET1 and TET3, possessed altered transcript expression levels during IVM.

Effect of vitrification using the Cryotop method on the gene expression profile of in vitro-produced bovine embryos.

The present study analyzed the changes in gene expression induced by the Cryotop vitrification technique in bovine blastocyst-stage embryos, using Agilent EmbryoGENE microarray slides. Bovine in vitro-produced embryos were vitrified and compared with nonvitrified (control) embryos. After vitrification, embryos were warmed and cultured for an additional 4 hours.