Effect of L. carnitine supplementation to in-vitro culture media on maturation of bovine oocytes and embryos development

Abstract EN

This study was conducted to investigate the role of L.

Carnitine in enhancing the developmental progress of in-vitro produced bovine embryos.

A total of 794 cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by the slicing method from the genitalia of unknown age and breed slaughtered cows.

The COCs were divided into four groups and matured in TCM-199 supplemented with four concentrations of L.

Carnitine (0.0mg/ml, 0.3mg/ml, 0.6mg/ml and 1.2mg/ml), a concentration for each group.

The results showed that the groups treated with 0.3 and 0.6 mg/ml recorded higher percentages of oocytes maturation (48.98% and 49.20% ) respectively with significant (P<0.01) differences compared with control and 1.2mg/ml.

Matured oocytes were fertilized by straws of frozen-thawed semen, and the resulted embryos were divided into four groups and cultured in media supplemented with the four concentrations of L.

Carnitine (0.0mg/ml, 0.3mg/ml, 0.6mg/ml, and 1.2mg/ml) in order to investigate its effect on embryos developmental progress.

Results showed that the concentrations (0.3 and 0.6 mg/ml) gave better percentages of embryo development (18.55% and 17.20% ) respectively with significant (P<0.05) differences when compared with control and 1.2mg/ml.

In conclusion, supplementation of in-vitro bovine oocytes maturation media and in-vitro embryo development media with 0.3 and 0.6 mg/ml of L.

Carnitine improved significantly oocyte maturation and embryo developmental progress.