Elevated non-esterified fatty acid concentrations during bovine oocyte maturation compromise early embryo physiology.

ABSTRACT: Elevated concentrations of serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), associated with maternal disorders such as obesity and type II diabetes, alter the ovarian follicular micro-environment and have been associated with subfertility arising from reduced oocyte developmental competence. We have asked whether elevated NEFA concentrations during oocyte maturation affect the development and physiology of zygotes formed from such oocytes, using the cow as a model. The zygotes were grown to blastocysts, which were evaluated for their quality in terms of cell number, apoptosis, expression of key genes, amino acid turnover and oxidative metabolism. Oocyte maturation under elevated NEFA concentrations resulted in blastocysts with significantly lower cell number, increased apoptotic cell ratio and alt

SUBMITTER: Van Hoeck V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3157355 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature