COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS FOR PARTHENOGENETIC ACTIVATION OF BOVINE OOCYTES MATURED IN-VITRO

In vitro matured bovine oocytes were treated by three parthenogenetic activation methods. Basic treatment with Ca-ionophore and cytochalasin D was combined with cycloheximide (Group 2), electric impulse (Group 3), and cycloheximide and electric pulse (Group 1) treatments, respect ively. Survival and the in vitro development of parthenogenetic embryo s to hatched blastocyst stage were compared. Rates of the first cleava ge and morula development significantly differed among the treatment g roups. Further development rates of the treated embryos up to blastocy st stage did not differ. The best results were obtained by the combina tion of cycloheximide and electric treatments (Group 1; 14% blastocyst , 7% hatched blastocyst). The results suggest that the combined treatm ent for oocyte activation is the most efficient and should be applied for nuclear cloning procedures.