Interactions between oocytes and cumulus cells during in vitro maturation of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes in a chemically defined medium: effect of denuded oocytes on cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation.
Appeltant R., Somfai T., Nakai M., Bodó S., Maes D., Kikuchi K., Van Soom A.
The aim of the present study was to clarify interactions between oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) on the level of cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation during IVM of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) in a chemically defined medium using a system that allows individual tracking of oocytes. Especially, the influence of oocyte-secreted factors was investigated by the aid of addition of denuded oocytes (DOs) as a possible approach to improve the IVM system. The basic maturation medium was porcine oocyte medium with addition of gonadotropins only during the first 20 hours of IVM. During IVM, COCs were kept fixed to the bottom of culture dish by adhesive Cell-Tak coating, which enabled individual tracking of COCs during IVM. Size changes in COCs during IVM were measured by digital image analysis. Cumulus expansion in a porcine oocyte medium of intact COCs increased in a typical manner until 20 hours and decreased in size subsequently until 48 hours of IVM (P 0.05) but did enhance cumulus expansion of oocytectomized complexes (P