The quantitation of bovine embryo viability using a bioluminescent assay for lactate dehydrogenase

Forty-seven bovine embryos, ranging from the four-cell to expanded blastocyst stage, with grades ranging from excellent to poor, were collected non-surgically from superovulated Holstein heifers. A viability assay based on the measurement of bioluminescent emission from the media surrounding an embryo was tested. This assay measured the activity of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released into the media by the embryos. Lactate dehydrogenase has been reported to be released into media by nonviable embryos. The assay used is simple, rapid and nonsubjective, requiring approximately 5 min to complete. The LDH assay proved to be a practical method for distinguishing between nonviable and viable embryos. Viability was determined by the observation of embryo development in culture following the LDH assay. The activity of LDH in the media of nonviable embryos was consistently higher than for viable embryos (P<0.001), with no overlap between the two groups. Thus, the LDH assay was shown to be a reliable test of embryo viability.