Parthenogenetic activation by electric stimulus of bovine oocytes matured in vitro

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for parthenogenetic activation of in vitro-matured bovine oocytes by electric stimulus in vitro. Oocytes were assigned to a factorial treatment structure with direct current ranging from 0.5 to 1 KW/cm for 25 to 100musec and single or double pulses. The optimal conditions for activation were found to be direct current pulses of 1 KV for 25 musec x 2, under which 84% of stimulated oocytes formed one (70%), two (13%) or three (2%) pronuclei. When the stimulated oocytes were incubated in a culture medium containing cytochalasin B, 80% of the oocytes formed two pronuclei. A proportion of the parthenogenetic oocytes developed to the two-cell stage or higher (27%, 83 312 ) in vitro; however, this was significantly (P<0.001) lower than that of the oocytes fertilized in vitro (46%, 736 1608 ).