Figure 4

Monkey oocyte maturation and fertilization in vitro. Panels A-B. Cumulus-denuded oocytes (6-15 oocytes/animal; n = 4 animals) retrieved at the GV stage were maintained in culture with either vehicle or PGE2. A. Stage of oocyte nuclear maturation was assessed after 30 hours in culture as either GV intact, germinal vesicle break down (GVBD), or meiosis II (MII). B. Fertilization was expressed relative to the total number of oocytes which reached the MII stage by the morning after sperm addition. Panels C-D. Oocytes with intact cumulus (10-12 oocytes/animal; n = 3 animals) were cultured with vehicle or PGE2; cumulus was removed for assessment of nuclear maturation and fertilization. C. Stage of oocyte nuclear maturation was assessed after 30 hours in culture. D. Fertilization was expressed relative to the total number of oocytes which reached the MII stage by the morning after sperm addition. In Panels A-D, black bars represent vehicle-treated oocytes and grey bars represent PGE2-treated oocytes. Data in Panels A and C were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test. In Panel C, groups with different letters are different. In Panels A and C, vehicle is different from PGE2 treatment as determined by paired t-test and indicated by an asterisk (*). Data in Panels B and D were analyzed by paired t-test, and differences are indicated by an asterisk (*). Data are expressed as a percentage (mean + SEM) of the total number of oocytes in each treatment group for each animal (cohort). For all tests, significance is assumed at p < 0.05. Representative monkey embryo obtained from an oocyte treated in culture with PGE2 (Panel E).