EFFECT OF LUTEINIZING-HORMONE AND ESTRADIOL ON IN-VITRO MATURATION OFFOLLICULAR OOCYTES IN GOAT (CAPRA-HIRCUS)

In vitro maturation of goat follicular oocytes in TALP medium suppleme nted with variable concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) [5-20 mu g/ml] and estradiol [1 mu g/ml] was studied. Incubation of viable ooc ytes was carried out at 38.5 degrees C under liquid paraffin in 5% car bon dioxide/air mixture for 24 h. At 0 h all the oocytes were in germi nal vesicle (GV) stage, each with a good cumulus. The cumulus expansio n increased linearly with increasing concentrations of LH and a fixed concentration of estradiol [1 mu g/ml] at 24 h of incubation. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was observed in 28% of the oocytes at 5 mu g /ml concentration of LH and the same increased to 87% at 10 mu g/ml of LH with 13% oocytes at metaphase II. At 20 mu g/ml of LH, 45% of the oocytes were at metaphase II and the rest were at metaphase I. LH and estradiol seem to be important for acquisition of maturation competenc e in goat follicular oocytes.