Laparoscopic Ovum Pick-Up Followed by In Vitro Embryo Production and Transfer in Assisted Breeding Programs for Ruminants

Overview

Journal Animals (Basel)

Date 2021 Jan 22

PMID 33477298

Citations 11

Authors

Hernan Baldassarre

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The potential of laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LOPU) followed by in vitro embryo production (IVEP) as a tool for accelerated genetic programs in ruminants is reviewed in this article. In sheep and goats, the LOPU-IVEP platform offers the possibility of producing more offspring from elite females, as the procedure is minimally invasive and can be repeated more times and more frequently in the same animals compared with conventional surgical embryo recovery. On average, ~10 and ~14 viable oocytes are recovered by LOPU from sheep and goats, respectively, which results in 3-5 transferable embryos and >50% pregnancy rate after transfer. LOPU-IVEP has also been applied to prepubertal ruminants of 2-6 months of age, including bovine and buffalo calves. In dairy cattle, the technology has gained momentum in the past few years stemming from the development of genetic marker selection that has allowed predicting the production phenotype of dairy females from shortly after birth. In Holstein calves, we obtained an average of ~22 viable oocytes and ~20% transferable blastocyst rate, followed by >50% pregnancy rate after transfer, declaring the platform ready for commercial application. The present and future of this technology are discussed with a focus on improvements and research needed.

Citing Articles

Exploration of Conditions for the Scaled Application of Laparoscopic Ovum Pick-Up in Sheep and Comparison of Follicular Development Differences Among Breeds.

Li D, Wu X, Chen Y, Wu Y, Abudureyimu G, Liang H Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(5).

PMID: 40076614 PMC: 11901083. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26051989.

Study on the Technology of Laparoscopic Ovum Pick-Up and In Vitro Embryo Production in Chongming Goats.

Wu X, Li D, Chen Y, Wu Y, Abudureyimu G, Zhang W Biology (Basel). 2024; 13(9).

PMID: 39336126 PMC: 11428491. DOI: 10.3390/biology13090699.

Recent advancements to increase success in assisted reproductive technologies in cattle.

Mikkola M, Desmet K, Kommisrud E, Riegler M Anim Reprod. 2024; 21(3):e20240031.

PMID: 39176005 PMC: 11340803. DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2024-0031.

Bovine FRAS1: mRNA Expression Profile, Genetic Variations, and Significant Correlations with Ovarian Morphological Traits, Mature Follicle, and Corpus Luteum.

Zhu L, Shen S, Pan C, Lan X, Li J Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(4).

PMID: 38396565 PMC: 10886075. DOI: 10.3390/ani14040597.

Factors affecting the embryo production in buffalo (): A review.

Kumar S, Chaves M, da Silva A, Vale W, Rolim Filho S, Ferreira-Silva J Vet Med (Praha). 2024; 68(2):45-56.

PMID: 38332761 PMC: 10847820. DOI: 10.17221/48/2022-VETMED.

References

DAlessandro A, Martemucci G . Superovulatory response to gonadotrophin FSH/LH treatment and effect of progestin supplement to recipients on survival of transferred vitrified embryos in goats. Theriogenology. 2015; 85(2):296-301. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.09.038. View

Keefer C, Baldassarre H, Keyston R, Wang B, Bhatia B, Bilodeau A . Generation of dwarf goat (Capra hircus) clones following nuclear transfer with transfected and nontransfected fetal fibroblasts and in vitro-matured oocytes. Biol Reprod. 2001; 64(3):849-56. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod64.3.849. View

Roy F, Maurel M, Combes B, Vaiman D, Cribiu E, Lantier I . The negative effect of repeated equine chorionic gonadotropin treatment on subsequent fertility in Alpine goats is due to a humoral immune response involving the major histocompatibility complex. Biol Reprod. 1999; 60(4):805-13. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod60.4.805. View

Baldassarre H, Currin L, Michalovic L, Bellefleur A, Gutierrez K, Mondadori R . Interval of gonadotropin administration for in vitro embryo production from oocytes collected from Holstein calves between 2 and 6 months of age by repeated laparoscopy. Theriogenology. 2018; 116:64-70. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.05.005. View

Armstrong D, Kotaras P, Earl C . Advances in production of embryos in vitro from juvenile and prepubertal oocytes from the calf and lamb. Reprod Fertil Dev. 1997; 9(3):333-9. DOI: 10.1071/r96080. View

Currin L, Michalovic L, Bellefleur A, Gutierrez K, Glanzner W, Schuermann Y . The effect of age and length of gonadotropin stimulation on the in vitro embryo development of Holstein calf oocytes. Theriogenology. 2017; 104:87-93. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.08.011. View

Baldassarre H, Bordignon V . Laparoscopic ovum pick-up for embryo production from dairy bovine and buffalo calves. Anim Reprod. 2021; 15(3):191-196. PMC: 8202233. DOI: 10.21451/1984-3143-AR2018-0057. View

Cognie Y, Poulin N, Locatelli Y, Mermillod P . State-of-the-art production, conservation and transfer of in-vitro-produced embryos in small ruminants. Reprod Fertil Dev. 2004; 16(4):437-45. DOI: 10.10371/RD04029. View

Majerus V, Lequarre A, Ferguson E, Kaidi S, Massip A, Dessy F . Characterization of embryos derived from calf oocytes: kinetics of cleavage, cell allocation to inner cell mass, and trophectoderm and lipid metabolism. Mol Reprod Dev. 2000; 57(4):346-52. DOI: 10.1002/1098-2795(200012)57:4<346::AID-MRD6>3.0.CO;2-M. View

10.

Baldassarre H, Karatzas C . Advanced assisted reproduction technologies (ART) in goats. Anim Reprod Sci. 2004; 82-83:255-66. DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.04.027. View

11.

Younis A, Zuelke K, Harper K, Oliveira M, Brackett B . In vitro fertilization of goat oocytes. Biol Reprod. 1991; 44(6):1177-82. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod44.6.1177. View

12.

Armstrong D, Holm P, Irvine B, Petersen B, Stubbings R, Mclean D . Pregnancies and live birth from in vitro fertilization of calf oocytes collected by laparoscopic follicular aspiration. Theriogenology. 1992; 38(4):667-78. DOI: 10.1016/0093-691x(92)90029-q. View

13.

Khatir H, Lonergan P, Touze J, Mermillod P . The characterization of bovine embryos obtained from prepubertal calf oocytes and their viability after non surgical embryo transfer. Theriogenology. 2000; 50(8):1201-10. DOI: 10.1016/s0093-691x(98)00220-9. View

14.

Kauffold J, Amer H, Bergfeld U, Weber W, Sobiraj A . The in vitro developmental competence of oocytes from juvenile calves is related to follicular diameter. J Reprod Dev. 2005; 51(3):325-32. DOI: 10.1262/jrd.17002. View

15.

Ponsart C, Bourhis D, Knijn H, Fritz S, Guyader-Joly C, Otter T . Reproductive technologies and genomic selection in dairy cattle. Reprod Fertil Dev. 2013; 26(1):12-21. DOI: 10.1071/RD13328. View

16.

Lonergan P, Monaghan P, Rizos D, Boland M, Gordon I . Effect of follicle size on bovine oocyte quality and developmental competence following maturation, fertilization, and culture in vitro. Mol Reprod Dev. 1994; 37(1):48-53. DOI: 10.1002/mrd.1080370107. View

17.

de Carvalho J, de Carvalho N, Bayeux B, Watanabe Y, Watanabe O, Mingoti R . Superstimulation prior to the ovum pick-up improves the in vitro embryo production in nulliparous, primiparous and multiparous buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) donors. Theriogenology. 2019; 138:164-168. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.07.003. View

18.

Damiani P, Fissore R, Cibelli J, Long C, Balise J, Robl J . Evaluation of developmental competence, nuclear and ooplasmic maturation of calf oocytes. Mol Reprod Dev. 1996; 45(4):521-34. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2795(199612)45:4<521::AID-MRD15>3.0.CO;2-Z. View

19.

Stangl M, Kuhholzer B, Besenfelder U, Brem G . Repeated endoscopic ovum pick-up in sheep. Theriogenology. 2000; 52(4):709-16. DOI: 10.1016/S0093-691X(99)00164-8. View

20.

Guignot F, Bouttier A, Baril G, Salvetti P, Pignon P, Beckers J . Improved vitrification method allowing direct transfer of goat embryos. Theriogenology. 2006; 66(4):1004-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.02.040. View