In Vitro Embryo Development in Feline Models
Summary
In vitro embryo development in feline models has emerged as a cornerstone of reproductive research, combining assisted fertilisation techniques with controlled culture environments to elucidate the cellular and molecular events that underpin early mammalian development. Domestic and wild feline oocytes undergo maturation, fertilisation and preimplantation culture outside the maternal environment, yielding blastocysts for downstream analysis. These systems facilitate optimisation of culture media, cryopreservation protocols and biomarker discovery. Recent advances include the refinement of in vitro maturation conditions, evaluation of zona pellucida integrity, and application of proteomic approaches to profile blastocyst composition and secreted factors. Insights gleaned from feline models have direct relevance to the conservation of endangered felid species and provide a comparative framework for improving human assisted reproductive technologies. By bridging fundamental embryology with applied conservation efforts, feline in vitro embryo development studies continue to expand our understanding of oocyte competence, embryo viability and the interplay between the microenvironment and developmental potential.
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In Vitro Embryo Development in Feline Models publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in in vitro embryo development in feline models across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
In vitro fertilisation (IVF): The process of combining oocytes and sperm outside the body to achieve fertilisation under controlled laboratory conditions.
Blastocyst: A developmental stage of an embryo, typically five to seven days after fertilisation, characterised by an inner cell mass and a fluid-filled cavity.
Zona pellucida: The glycoprotein coat surrounding mammalian oocytes and early embryos, critical for species-specific sperm binding and protection during development.
Proteomic analysis: A large-scale study of the full complement of proteins expressed by a cell, tissue or organism at a given time.
Vitrification: A rapid cryopreservation technique that solidifies cells into an ice-free glass-like state to minimise ice crystal formation.
Meiotic competence: The ability of an oocyte to resume and complete meiosis, reaching a stage capable of successful fertilisation and subsequent embryonic development.
References
- Proteomic Analysis of Domestic Cat Blastocysts and Their Secretome Produced in an In Vitro Culture System without the Presence of the Zona Pellucida. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
- The Effect of Choline Salt Addition to Trehalose Solution for Long-Term Storage of Dried and Viable Nuclei from Fully Grown Oocytes. Bioengineering (2023).
- Oocyte Meiotic Competence in the Domestic Cat Model: Novel Roles for Nuclear Proteins BRD2 and NPM1. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (2021).
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