Pre- and Peri-/Post-Compaction Follistatin Treatment Increases In Vitro Production of Cattle Embryos.

ABSTRACT: Our previous studies demonstrated that maternal (oocyte derived) follistatin (FST) expression is positively associated with bovine oocyte competence and exogenous follistatin treatment during the pre-compaction period of development (d 1-3 post insemination) is stimulatory to bovine early embryogenesis in vitro [blastocyst rates and cell numbers/allocation to trophectoderm (TE)]. In the present study, bovine embryos were treated with exogenous follistatin during d 1-3, d 4-7 and d 1-7 post insemination to test the hypothesis that embryotropic effects of exogenous follistatin are specific to the pre-compaction period (d 1-3) of early embryogenesis. Follistatin treatment during d 4-7 (peri-/post-compaction period) of embryo culture increased proportion of embryos reaching blastocyst and expa

SUBMITTER: Zhenhua G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5266319 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature