Advances in recombinant gonadotropin production for use in bovine superovulation

Bovine ovarian hyperstimulation is a process that currently relies on pituitary-derived follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to facilitate the maturation of multiple follicles to achieve dominance and eventual ovulation. The prevalence of this process, also called superovulation, has more than doubled in the past 10 years, but the efficiency of recovered transferable embryos has remained low at ~6 per collection. The use of pituitary-derived products presents other problems including contamination from other hormones, inconsistencies within and among batches, and the possibility of the spread of disease-transmitting agents. Recombinant gonadotropins have been engineered to yield varieties of FSH and luteinizing hormone from a myriad of heterologous hosts with the resulting products demonstrating various levels of biological activity. Research has also been devoted to alternative delivery methods to reduce the frequency of injections required in current superovulatory protocols. Together, recombinant gonadotropins and alternative delivery approaches potentially provide an economical alternative to the use of pituitary-derived products.