EFFECT OF FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE AND LUTEINIZING-HORMONE DURINGBOVINE IN-VITRO MATURATION ON DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWING IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND NUCLEAR TRANSFER

The effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) (0, 100, 10,000 IU/ml) and fol licle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (20 mug/ml) supplementation during in vitro maturation of slaughterhouse-derived oocytes on polar body forma tion and embryo development subsequent to in vitro fertilization and n uclear transfer were evaluated. Gonadotropin supplementation of matura tion medium in the presence of serum neither enhanced the proportion o f oocytes forming a polar body nor significantly affected development following in vitro fertilization or nuclear transfer, except at the hi ghest LH concentration. A very high concentration of LH (10,000 IU/ml) significantly decreased polar body formation, initial cleavage, and b lastocyst development (P < 0.05). (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.