Stimulation of early embryonic development in cattle by coculture with surfactant

Purpose: Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of Surfacten, a bovine p ulmonary surfactant, on the maturation of in vitro bovine ova. Methods: We used Surfacten as a supplement to the coculture media both at t he onset of coculture and after cleavage in bovine ova had been determined. The controls received no Surfacten. Results: The maturation rate in bovine embryos to the blastocyst stage stat istically improved (P < 0.05) in the series in which Surfacten was added to the media at the onset of coculture, compared with the controls and the se ries in which Surfacten was added after cleavage had been determined. Conclusions: Surfacten, a commercially available surfactant which is a natu rally occurring phospholipid that dramatically increases in the cervical mu cus and the ampullaris of the oviduct at or near the time of ovulation, imp roves the maturation of bovine embryos in vitro by making the coculture med ium approach the conditions found in the oviducts.