P. Xia et al., EXPRESSION OF GLYCINE CLEAVAGE SYSTEM AND EFFECT OF GLYCINE ON IN-VITRO MATURATION, FERTILIZATION AND EARLY EMBRYONIC-DEVELOPMENT IN PIGS, Animal reproduction science, 38(1-2), 1995, pp. 155-165
Glycine is the amino acid with the highest concentration in sow oviduc
t fluid, uterine fluid and follicular fluid. In this study, the effect
of glycine on in vitro maturation, fertilization and early embryonic
development in pigs was evaluated. In addition, the expression of T-pr
otein, a component of the glycine cleavage enzyme system, was studied
in the oocytes, cumulus cells, granulosa cells and oviductal epithelia
l cells using the methods of reverse transcription-polymerase chain re
action (RT-PCR). The results showed that supplementation of porcine oo
cytes with glycine during in vitro maturation improved on the developm
ent of embryos in vitro. After fertilization, glycine also enhanced em
bryo cleavage rate in the presence, but not in the absence, of oviduct
al cells. PCR product corresponding to T-protein was found in uncultur
ed oocytes, cumulus cells, granulosa cells and oviductal epithelial ce
lls. These results indicate that glycine is an important amino acid fo
r the in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization and early embryonic de
velopment in pigs.