Raman Microscopy Analysis of the Biochemical Changes in the Cytoplasm of Bovine Oocytes Induced by an In Vitro Maturation Process: Interference of the Zona Pellucida

JIMENEZ, LUIS EMANUEL; ROLDÁN?OLARTE, MARIELA; ÁLVAREZ, ROSA MARÍA SUSANA

ChemistrySelect

Wiley-VCH

Año: 2019 vol. 4 p. 3706 - 3716

2365-6549

Raman microscopy proved to be a rapid method for determining the quality of the cytoplasmic state of bovine oocytes as part of the evaluation and prediction of their competence for development and subsequent fertilization.A detailed biochemical characterization of the ooplasm was carried out after elimination of the interference of the glycoproteins of the zona pellucida by both spectral subtraction and enzymatic degradation. The spectra thus obtained allowed the identification of new spectral markers suitable to distinguish between immature and in vitro matured oocytes as well as the observation of several weak bands corresponding to the less abundant components such as carbohydrates and polynucleotides. This is the first study by Raman spectroscopy of bovine oocytes without the zona pellucida and constitutes the basis for future assessments of structural/maturational deficiencies that could compromise the success of fertilization.