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Improving Embryo Quality By Reducing Adverse Effects Of Lipids
Published: Mon, 05 Sep 2005
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Research Note Full Title
Lipid and antioxidant effects on developmental competence of avian and mammalian embryos
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To supply growth factors and other nutrients, laboratory production of ruminant embryos has relied upon ill-defined culture media supplements such as serum. Serum has undesirable effects. In the presence of serum, embryos accumulate lipids which makes preservation by freezing difficult. More importantly in serum, embryos are predisposed to abnormal development and early degeneration probably as a result of oxidative damage.
Objectives
To improve understanding of lipid accumulation in embryos and therefore to improve culture conditions in order to reduce oxidative damage to embryos to eventually lead to more reliable and safer production of embryos for the agricultural industry.
Outcomes
Achievements
During the project, techniques for measuring fatty acids in the different lipid classes in embryos have been refined so that reliable measurements can now be made on less than 10 embryos. Similarly specific reporter molecules have been used to visualise and measure the lipids and peroxide status of individual embryos.
The oocyte contained substantially more saturated fatty acids than its associated supporting cells and the developing embryo more saturated fatty acids than the oocyte, indicating a mechanism exists to protect the embryo from the unsaturated fatty acids which cause oxidative damage (see figure). Supporting this, laboratory culture of embryos in serum caused accumulation of lipid and an associated impairment of function suggestive of oxidative damage (see figure).
Further, when embryos were cultured specifically in the presence of either a saturated fatty acid or the polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), DHA was toxic to embryos causing developmental arrest and increased oxidative damage. Finally, addition of antioxidants such as vitamin E to culture sustained embryo development in the presence of both serum and DHA and reduced the extent of programmed cell death, apoptosis.