COMPARATIVE GLUCOSE AND FRUCTOSE INCORPORATION AND CONVERSION BY IN-VITRO PRODUCED BOVINE EMBRYOS

We have investigated the quality of bovine IVM/IVF embryos co-cultured on Vero cells. Blastocyst cell numbers are very similar to those obta ined in vivo, and higher than those obtained by co-culture with oviduc t cells. The metabolism and conversion of fructose and glucose are not equivalent even though carbon dioxide production is similar and incre asing from morula to blastocyst. Formation of free amino acids and inc orporation into proteins are higher and faster for glucose than for fr uctose, but this conversion is rather stable with embryonic growth. Mo reover, the by-products formed are not the same. Glucose at physiologi cal concentrations (i.e. 2 mM) seems to be a more appropriate fuel for the burst of embryonic development at the blastocyst stage in prepara tion for hatching.