Use of a novel polydimethylsiloxane well insert to successfully mature, culture and identify single porcine oocytes and embryos

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) well-insert system for oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro embryo culture (IVC) in pigs. The PDMS well inserts, consisting of multiple microwells with connecting microchannels, resulted in equivalent blastocyst development compared with standard microdrop culture for IVC. These PDMS well inserts were then evaluated for IVM or IVC in a rocking versus static environment. The rocking environment during both oocyte IVM and embryo culture had detrimental effects on oocyte and embryo development compared with a static environment. Importantly, blastocyst development of oocytes and embryos cultured in the PDMS well inserts in the static environment was equivalent to that of standard microdrops. Further analysis of transcript abundance in blastocysts produced from these different environments revealed that the PDMS well-insert system may produce more viable embryos. In conclusion, this PDMS well-insert system can successfully mature oocytes and culture embryos in an individually-identifiable manner without compromising, and perhaps enhancing, developmental potential.