EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON INVITRO MATURATION OF PORCINE OOCYTES .1. EFFECTS OF MEDIUM, ENERGY-SOURCE AND PROTEIN-SOURCE ON INVITRO MATURATIONRATE

Effects of culture medium energy and protein source on in vitro matura tion of cumulus-intact procine oocytes were examined. The bicarbonate buffered Whittens medium was superior to the PB1 medium buffered with phosphate salts in supporting in vitro maturation. However, modificati on of energy source of the PB1 medium by reducing Na-pyruvate concentr ation and adding lactate salts gave also high maturation rate. The sup plementation of Whittens medium with 1 g and 3 g BSA/l as a protein so urce significantly increased incidence of maturation and improved hand ling of oocytes. There was no significant difference in the ability of low concentration (1 g/l) and high concentration (3 g/l) of BSA in cu lture medium to support maturation.