Effect of human granulosa cell co-culture using standard culture media on the maturation and fertilization potential of immature human oocytes
Received 20 December 2006; received in revised form 27 April 2007; accepted 11 June 2007. published online 22 October 2007.
Objective
To determine whether culture of immature human oocytes with and without autologous cumulus cells (CC) in standard culture medium would provide additional oocytes for use in IVF procedures.
Design
Prospective study.
Setting
Hospital-based IVF practice.
Patient(s)
Sixty-one women undergoing 62 IVF–embryo transfer procedures between August 2004 and June 2005.
Intervention(s)
None.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Oocyte maturation after culture with and without CC, oocyte fertilization, and zygote cleavage.
Result(s)
Culture with CC did not alter the maturation rate for metaphase I (M I) oocytes to the metaphase II (M II) stage. Germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes cultured with CC matured at a significantly higher rate than did GV oocytes cultured without CC. Although acceptable fertilization rates were obtained (62.1%), “usable” embryo yield was very low (13.0%).
Conclusion(s)
This study demonstrated good maturation of M I oocytes but poor maturation of GV oocytes in standard culture medium. Of the immature oocytes that did mature, were fertilized, and cleaved to embryos, only a very small number were actually suitable for patient use. Therefore, these extended culturing techniques were inefficient in maturing and providing additional oocytes/embryos for patient use. The use of specialized in vitro maturation medium may improve the utility of this process.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Greenville Hospital System University Medical Group, Greenville, South Carolina
Reprint requests: Jane E. Johnson, M.S., Greenville Hospital System University Medical Group, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, 890 W. Faris Road, Suite 470, Greenville, SC 29605 (FAX: 864-455-8492).
Presented, in part, at “The First Seven Days: From Gametes to Blastocysts to Stem Cells” sponsored by Biosymposia, Tampa, Florida, April 26–28, 2006.
Presented, in part, at the annual meeting of the American Board of Bioanalysts, Tampa, Florida, May 12–14, 2005.
ABSTRACT