Faster-developing buffalo embryos produced in vitro demonstrate higher quality, enhanced pregnancy rates, and...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Reproductive Biology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• In vitro embryo production (IVEP) is crucial for livestock genetic improvement but requires optimization.
• Embryo developmental kinetics during in vitro culture (IVC) vary, necessitating identification of developmental potential and biological mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare developmental competence and pregnancy outcomes of buffalo embryos reaching blastocyst stage on days 5, 6, and 7 post-insemination.
• To evaluate transcriptomic profiles of fast-developing (Day 5) versus slow-developing (Day 7) embryos.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of blastocyst development rates on days 5, 6, and 7.
• Morphological and cell count analyses of blastocysts.
• Transcriptomic profiling of Day 5 and Day 7 blastocysts.

Main Results:

• Significantly higher blastocyst development rates and morphological quality (Code 1) on Day 5 compared to Days 6 and 7.
• Day 5 blastocysts had more cells and significantly higher pregnancy rates (36.5%) than Day 7 blastocysts (9.8%).
• Transcriptomic analysis identified differentially expressed genes related to cell proliferation and CTNNB1-mediated cell adhesion in Day 5 blastocysts.

Conclusions:

• Rapidly developing Day 5 blastocysts possess superior developmental potential and implantation capacity, indicated by higher cell counts and specific gene expression.
• This study provides a basis for selecting superior embryos in buffalo embryo transfer programs.
• Findings offer insights for optimizing IVC protocols to enhance livestock reproductive efficiency.