Skip to main content
Download PDF
  • Published:

Bisection of Bovine Morulae and Blastocysts from Superovulated Danish Dairy Cows

Bisektion of morula og blastocyststadier fra superovulerede køer

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 32, pages 47–53 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

Sixtyfour compacted morulae and blastocysts were bisected with a microscalpel. The majority of the demi-embryos (n= 122) were reinserted into separate zona pellucidae (ZP) before non-surgical transfer to 113 syncronized recipients, as singles (n = 98) (DE-S) or in pairs (n = 30) (DE-P). Thirty non-manipulated embryos (E) were transferred during the same period and served as controls. Pregnancies were diagnosed by rectal palpation 4–7 weeks after transfer. The pregnancy rates for DE-S, DE-P and E were 32%, 53% and 40%, respectively (P > 0.05). A substantial number of abortions were recorded between 50 and 250 days of pregnancy among the recipients with DE-S. The fetal survival rate for DE-S was reduced to 21% and significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the survival rates of DE-P (43%) and E (40%). The quality of DE and the presence of ZP did not significantly influence the results. No conclusive reasons for the fetal loss could be found but different possibilities are discussed.

Sammendrag

Fireogtres (64) kompakte morulae og blastocyster blev kløvet med en miroskalpel. Hovedparten (n-122) af demiembryonerne (DE) blev genindsat i separate zonae pellucidae (ZP), inden de blev transplanteret ikke-kirurgisk, enten enkeltvis (DE-S, n = 98) eller parvis (DE-P, n = 30) til 113 synkroniserede recipienter. Tredive (30) hele embryoner (E), som blev transplanteret indenfor samme periode, udgjorde kontrol gruppen. Drægtighed blev diagnosticeret ved rektal palpation 5-7 uger efter transplantationen. Drægtighedsprocenterne for DE-S, DE-P og E var henholdsvis 32%, 55% og 40% (P>0,05). Et væsentlig antal aborter blev iagttaget mellem 60. og 250. drægtighedsdag blandt DE-S, således at den føtale overlevelsesrate hos denne gruppe kun blev 21 %, hvilket var signifikant lavere (P<00.5) end overlevelsesraterne for DE-P (43%) og E (37%). Kvaliteten af DE og tilstedeværelsen af ZP påvirkede ikke resultaterne signifikant. Der blev ikke fundet konklusive årsager til aborterne, men forskellige muligheder diskuteres.

References

  • Allen WR, Pashen PL: Production of monozygotic (identical) horse twins by embryo manipulation. J. Reprod. Fert. 1984, 71, 507–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arave CW, Bunch TD, Mickelsen CH, Warnick K: Factors affecting survivability of transferred whole and demi-embryos in a commercial dairy herd. Theriogenology, 1987, 28, 373–383.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker RD, Shea BF: Commercial splitting of bovine embryos. Theriogenology, 1985, 23, 3–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brem G, Kräusslich H, Szilvassy B, Kruff B, Lampeter WW, Graff F: Zur Erzeugung eineiiger Rinderzwillinge durch Embryo-Mikrochirurgie. Berl. Münch. Tierärzl. Wschr, 1983, 96, 153–157.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brem G, Tenhumberg H, Szilvassy B, Kruff B: Künstliche Erzeugung eineiiger Zwillinge durch Mikrochirurgie von Rindermorulae und -blastocysten. Tierärztl. Umschau, 1985, 40, 50–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesné P, Colas G, Cognié Y, Guérin Y, Sévellec C: Lamb production using superovulation, embryo bisection and transfer. Theriogenology, 1987, 27, 751–757.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greve T: Bovine egg transplantation in Denmark. Royal Vet. & Agric. Univ., Inst. for Animal Reproduction. Thesis, Carl Fr. Mortensen A/S, Copenhagen, 1981.

  • Heyman Y: Factors affecting the survival of whole and half-embryos transferred in cattle. Theriogenology, 1985, 23, 63–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen P Holm, Picard L, Greve T, Østergård-Nielsen N, Caliesen H: Production of monozygotic twin calves by microsurgery (in danish/english abstract). Royal Vet. & Agric. Univ. Sterility Research Inst., Annual Report, 1985, 28, 9–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen P Holm, Hyttel P, Picard L: Transmission and scannning electron microscopy of bisected bovine compact morulas and early blastocysts. Proc. Annual Conference of the Society for the Study of Fertility, Aberdeen, UK, 1985, Abstract No. 12.

  • Lambeth VA, Looney CR, Voelkel SA, Jackson DA, Hill KG, Godke RA: Microsurgery on bovine embryos at the morula stage to produce monozygotic twin calves. Theriogenology, 1983, 20, 85–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leibo SP, Rall WF: Increase in production of pregnancies by bisection of bovine embryos. Theriogenology, 1987, 27, 245.

  • Lindner GM, Wright RW jr.: Bovine embryo morphology and evaluation. Theriogenology, 1983, 20, 407–416.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meinecke-Tillmann S, Meinecke B: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Mikromanipulation embryonaler Furchungsstadien landwirtschaftlicher Nutztiere dargestellt am Modell artifiziell monozygoter Zwillinge beim Scharf. Zbl. Vet. Med. A, 1983, 30, 146–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MeylingA: National Veterinary Laboratory, Copenhagen. Personal communication.

  • Ozil JP, Heyman Y, Renard JP: Production of monozygotic twins by micromanipulation and cervical transfer in the cow. Vet. Rec, 1982, 110, 126–127.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozil JP: Production of identical twins by bisection of blastocysts in the cow. J. Reprod. Fert, 1983, 69, 463–468.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Philipsen H: Continued Investigations on Twin Pregnancies among Cattle, and Two Methods to Prevent Twin-birth. Proc. 3rd Int. Congress on Animal Reproduction, Cambridge, UK, 1956, pp. 90–94.

  • Philipsen H, Sørensen VW: The fine structure of the bovine placenta after experimental induced fetal death (in Danish/English abstract). Royal Vet. & Agric. Univ., Sterility Research Inst., Annual Report, 1972, pp. 147–160.

  • Picard L, Greve T, King WA, Betteridge, Jørgensen P Holm: Bisection of post-compaction bovine embryos: The difference in viability between the two monozygotic twins. Acta vet. scand. 1986, 27, 33–48.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rorie RW, McFarland CW, Overskel TL, Voelkel SA, Godke RA: A new method of splitting embryos without the use of a commercial micromanipulator unit. Theriogenology, 1985, 23, 244 (Abstr.).

  • Takeda T, Hallowell SV, McGayley AD, Hasler JF: Pregnancy rates with intact and split embryos transferred surgically and non-surgically. Theriogenology, 1986, 25, 204 (Abstr.).

  • Thatcher WW, hansen PJ, Bazer FW: Role of the conceptus in the establishment of pregnancy. Proc. 11th Int. Congress on Annual Reproduction and AI, Dublin, Ireland, 1988, pp. 45–54.

  • Trounson WO, Moore NW: Attempts to produce identical offspring in the sheep by mechanical division of the ovum. J. Biol. Sc. 1974, 27, 505–510.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Voelkel SA, Humes PE, Godke RA: Pregnancy Rates from Non-surgical Transfer of Micromanipulated Bovine Embryos, Proc. 10th Int. Congr. Anim. Reprod. & AI, Illinois, USA, 1984, pp. 251–253.

  • Warfield SJ, Siedel GE jr., Eisden P: Transfer of bovine demi-embryos without zona pellucidae. Theriogenology, 1986, 25, 212. (Abstr.).

  • Whittingham DG: Survival of mouse embryos after freezing and thawing.1 Nature, Lond, 1971, 233, 125.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willadsen SM: A method of culture of micromanipulated sheep embryos and its use to produce monozygotic twins. Nature, Lond., 1979, 227, 298–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willadsen SM: The viability of early cleavage stages containing half the normal number of blastomeres in the sheep. J. Reprod. Fert., 180, 59, 357–363.

  • Willadsen SM, Lehn-Jensen H, Fehilly CB, Newcomb R: The production of monozygotic twins in preselected parentage by micromanipulation of nonsurgically collected cow embryos. Theriogenology, 1981, 15, 23–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willadsen SM, Polge C: Attempts to produce monozygotic quardruplets in cattle by blastomere separation. Vet. Rec. 1981, 108, 211–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willadsen SM, Godke RA: A simple method for the production of identical sheep twins. Vet. Rec, 1984, 114, 240–243.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams TJ, Eisden RP, Siedel GE jr.: Identical twin bovine pregnancies derived from bisected embryos. Theriogenology, 1982, 17, 114 abstr.

  • Williams TJ, Eisden RP, Siedel GE jr.: Pregnancy rates with bisected bovine embryos. Theriogenology, 1984, 22, 521–531.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams TJ, Moore L: Quick-splitting of bovine embryos. Theriogenology, 1988, 29, 477–484.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embryotechnological Laboratory, Department of Research in Cattle and Sheep, National Institute of Animal Science and Department of Reproduction, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bulowsvej 13, DK-1870, Frederiksberg Copenhagen, Denmark

    Peter Holm, Torben Greve, Anders Bak & Mette Schmidt

Authors
  1. Peter Holm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Torben Greve
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anders Bak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mette Schmidt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Holm, P., Greve, T., Bak, A. et al. Bisection of Bovine Morulae and Blastocysts from Superovulated Danish Dairy Cows. Acta Vet Scand 32, 47–53 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546996

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546996

Keywords

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147