| Objective: In customary assisted reproductive technology (ART), oocyte culture occurs in static micro drops of Petri
dishes with vast media volume; while, the in vivo condition is dynamic. In this study, we aimed to improve the maturation
efficiency of mammalian oocytes by designing an optimal microchamber array to obtain the integration of oocyte
trapping and maturation within a microfluidic device and evaluate the role of microfluidic culture condition in lipid
peroxidation level of the culture medium, in vitro matured oocytes apoptosis, and its comparison with the conventional
static system.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental research, immature oocytes were collected from ovaries of the Naval
Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice. Oocytes were randomly laid in static and dynamic (passive & active) in
vitro maturation culture medium for 24 hours. The lipid peroxidation level in oocyte culture media was assessed by
measuring the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the rate of apoptosis in in vitro matured oocytes was
assessed by the TUNEL assay after a-24 hour maturation period.
Results: The MDA concentration in both dynamic oocyte maturation media were significantly lower than the static
medium (0.003 and 0.002 vs. 0.13 μmol/L, P<0.01). Moreover, the rate of apoptosis in matured oocytes after a-24 hour
maturation period was significantly lower in passive dynamic and active dynamic groups compared with the static group
(16%, 15% vs. 35%, P<0.01).
Conclusions: The dynamic culture for in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) improves the viability of IVM oocytes in
comparison with the static culture condition. |