Cathepsin-L Secreted by High-Quality Bovine Embryos Exerts an Embryotrophic Effect In Vitro.

ABSTRACT: While human in vitro embryo production is generally performed individually, animal models have shown that culturing embryos in groups improves blastocyst yield and quality. Paracrine embryotrophins could be responsible for this improved embryo development, but their identity remains largely unknown. We hypothesize that supplementation of embryotrophic proteins to a culture medium could be the key to improve individual embryo production. In this study, proteomics screening of culture media conditioned by bovine embryos revealed cathepsin-L as being secreted by both excellent- and good-quality embryos, while being absent in the medium conditioned by poor-quality embryos. The embryotrophic role of cathepsin-L was explored in vitro, whereby bovine zygotes were cultured individually for 8 days

SUBMITTER: Raes A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10094850 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature