Effects of oxygen tension on the development and quality of porcine in vitro fertilized embryos

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of oxygen tension during in vitro culture (IVC) of porcine oocytes/embryos on their development and quality using two different culture systems. Porcine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured (IVM) and fertilized (IVF) in vitro, and subsequently cultured for 6 days in a simple and economical portable incubator or a standard CO 2 incubator. While the same temperature (38.5 °C) and CO 2 concentration (5%) were used in the both systems, the portable incubator was operated in a negative air pressure (−300 mmHg) to create an O 2 level at 8–10% (low O 2 concentration), or in a positive air pressure (high O 2 concentration). To compare the two culture systems, IVM and IVF of COCs and subsequent IVC of in vitro produced (IVP) embryos were carried out in the portable incubator with a low O 2 concentration (Group I) or in the standard incubator with a high O 2 concentration (Group II). To assess the effect of O 2 concentration on IVC of IVP embryos, some oocytes that had been cultured in the standard incubator for IVM and IVF were subsequently cultured in the portable incubator with a low O 2 concentration (Group III) or a high O 2 concentration (Group IV). The occurrence of DNA fragmentation in the blastocysts produced under different culture conditions was examined by TUNEL staining to assess embryo quality. The rates of oocytes that reached MII and were penetrated by spermatozoa following IVF did not differ between the two incubation systems. In contrast, the proportions of development to blastocysts and the mean cell number of blastocysts in Group I were higher than those in Group II and Group IV. The index of DNA-fragmented nucleus in the blastocysts of Group I was significantly lower than that in the blastocysts of Group II. Therefore, low oxygen tension during IVM, IVF and IVC enhanced the subsequent development of IVP embryos to the blastocyst stage and improved their quality.