In vitro culture of bovine embryos
AssigneeW. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
InventorsNeal L. First, Willard Eyestone
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Abstract
The disclosure herein describes a bovine embryo culture medium which includes epithelial cells from the oviduct of a donor animal. Additionally, a process for maturing immature bovine oocytes in an in vitro bovine culture medium containing epithelial cells from a donor oviduct is described. As an alternative to co-culture of the embryos with the epithelial cells, it is described how a culture medium can be conditioned for the culture of bovine embryos by the culture of epithelial cells therein which are later removed.
Claims36
A method for preparing an in vitro bovine embryo culture system comprising:
- (a) obtaining fresh bovine epithelial cells from the oviduct of a donor animal, and;
- (b) adding the epithelial cells to an animal cell culture medium, which medium alone is insufficient to culture a bovine embryo past the 8 to 16 cell stage, and
- (c) culturing the epithelial cells in the culture medium so that the medium becomes capable of maintaining the health and viability of the bovine embryos through the 8 to 16 cells stage.
A method for the in vitro development of bovine embryos to the blastocyst stage, comprising adding bovine embryos to a culture system, wherein the culture system comprises:
- a) fresh bovine epithelial cells from the oviduct of a donor animal, and
- b) a culture medium capable of maintaining the health and viability of the bovine embryos in co-culture with the epithelial cells.
A method for the in vitro culture of bovine embryos comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining epithelial cells from the oviduct of a donor animal,
- (b) adding the epithelial cells to an animal cell culture medium;
- (c) culturing the epithelial cells in the medium for a time sufficient to condition the medium for the culture of bovine embryos;
- (d) removing the epithelial cells from the conditioned medium;
- and
- (e) culturing bovine embryos in the conditioned medium to the blastocyst stage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.