The effects of melatonin on in vitro oocyte competence and embryo development in sheep

A. CASAO; J.A. ABECIA; J. A. CEBRIÁN-PEREZ; T. MUIÑO-BLANCO; M. I. VAZQUEZ; F. FORCADA

SPANISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

SPANISH NATL INST AGRICULTURAL & FOOD RESEARCH & TECHNOLO

Año: 2010 vol. 8 p. 35 - 41

1695-971X

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of melatonin on the in vitro maturation and fertilization of sheepoocytes, and on the in vitro culture of the embryos. Oocytes from sheep ovaries collected at the slaughterhouse weredivided into four groups, two of which were treated with either 10–5 M (M5) or 10–6 M (M6) melatonin, while the othertwo groups served as untreated controls (C5 and C6). After in vitro fertilization with fresh ram semen, the embryosproduced in each group were divided into two sets, one cultured with melatonin (M5M, C5M, M6M and C6M), andthe other without melatonin (M5C, C5C, M6C, and C6C). A melatonin concentration of 10–6 M increased maturationrate (82.5% vs. 73.7% for M6 and C6, respectively; P < 0.05) and tended to improve cleavage rate 36 hours after invitro fertilization (79.4% vs. 72.6% for M6 and C6, respectively, P = 0.08). A higher melatonin concentration (10–5 M)did not have significant effects on those parameters. Blastocyst rates on day 8 did not differ significantly among groups.