Utility of ultrasound stimulation for activation of pig oocytes matured in vitro

The present study was carried out to examine the development of pig oocytes after exposing to ultrasound under various conditions. When oocytes were exposed to ultrasound in the sorbitol medium, the blastocyst formation rate was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of oocytes exposed in HEPES-TLP-PVA. Optison, an echo-contrast microbubble, prevented the development into blastocysts of oocytes exposed to ultrasound in the sorbitol medium (P < 0.01). The mean number of cells in the blastocysts developed from oocytes exposed to ultrasound with 10% duty cycle was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that obtained by using ultrasound with 50% duty cycle. The blastocyst formation rate of oocytes exposed to ultrasound for 30 sec was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that exposed for 10 sec. There were no significant differences in the rates of oocytes developed to the blastocyst stage and the mean numbers of cells in the blastocysts among different intensities of ultrasound. The pronuclear formation and second polar body extrusion rates of oocytes exposed to ultrasound did not differ from eclectically activated oocytes. Although there was no significant difference in the blastocyst formation rates between different activation methods, the mean number of cells in the blastocysts developed from oocytes activated by exposing to ultrasound was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that obtained by applying electric pulses. The results of the present study showed that ultrasound stimulation can induce the nuclear activation and parthenogenetic development of pig oocytes matured in vitro.