In Vitro Embryo Production in Small Ruminants
Summary
In vitro embryo production (IVEP) in sheep and goats encompasses a sequence of biotechnological steps: recovery of oocytes, maturation of oocytes under controlled conditions, fertilisation with capacitated spermatozoa, culture of resulting embryos to the blastocyst stage and subsequent transfer or cryopreservation. Oocyte recovery may be performed on abattoir-derived ovaries or by minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LOPU) from live donors. The quality and developmental competence of oocytes are influenced by donor age, breed, seasonality and protocols for hormonal stimulation. Advances in culture media formulations and oxygen tension control have improved cleavage rates and blastocyst yields. Despite these gains, IVEP in small ruminants remains less routine than in cattle, owing to greater heterogeneity of oocyte sources and seasonal breeding patterns. Practical applications include accelerated genetic improvement of elite lines, conservation of endangered breeds and production of transgenic or genome-edited animals. Continued optimisation of oocyte recovery and embryo culture protocols promises to broaden commercial adoption and to support sustainable livestock production worldwide.
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In Vitro Embryo Production in Small Ruminants publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in in vitro embryo production in small ruminants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LOPU): A minimally invasive method for retrieving oocytes from live small ruminants using laparoscopy and aspiration under visual guidance.
Cumulus-oocyte complex (COC): The oocyte surrounded by cumulus cells, which support oocyte maturation and fertilisation competence.
In vitro maturation (IVM): The process by which immature oocytes are cultured to reach metaphase II under controlled laboratory conditions.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules derived from oxygen that can impair embryo development if not regulated by antioxidant systems.
Superovulation: Hormonal stimulation protocol designed to induce the development of multiple follicles and increase oocyte yield for IVEP.
Embryonic genome activation (EGA): The stage during early embryo development when control shifts from maternal RNA to transcription from the embryonic genome.
References
- Study on the Technology of Laparoscopic Ovum Pick-Up and In Vitro Embryo Production in Chongming Goats. Biology (2024).
- In vitro embryo production in small ruminants: what is still missing?. Animal Reproduction (2023).
- p66Shc in sheep preimplantation embryos: Expression and regulation of oxidative stress through the MnSOD-ROS metabolic pathway. Animal Bioscience (2023).
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