Abstract
Embryos were collected from synchronized, PMSG-treated adult and prepuberal ewes 48 to 72 hr after the onset of estrus and placed in culture. Seven media under two gas atmospheres were evaluated for their ability to support the in vitro development of 117 and 118 two- to eight-cell stage embryos from adult and prepuberal ewes, respectively. Development of embryos was measured by a cleavage index based on the number of cells present at the cessation of culture. Significant differences (P<.01) were found among the media but not between gas atmospheres when development was evaluated by the cleavage index. Modified Eagles Medium (MEM), Tissue Culture Medium-199 (TCM-199), and Ham's F-10 Medium (HF-10), all supplemented with 10% (v/v) heat-treated fetal calf serum (HTFC) had cleavage indices for embryos from adult ewes of .39, .32 and .23, and for embryos from prepuberal ewes of .25, .13 and .23, respectively. Modified Brinster's Medium (BMOC-3), Synthetic Oviduct Fluid (SOF), and Whitten's Medium (WM) with 1 or 2 mg/ml (w/v) bovine serum albumin (BSA) had cleavage indices for embryos from adult ewes of 1.15, 1.80, 2.30 and 1.95, and for embryos collected from prepuberal ewes of .50, .83, .67 and .77, respectively. Copyright © 1976. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1976 by American Society of Animal Science.