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Objectives: To mature dromedary camel oocytes for using them in an IVF system.
Design: Interventional study.
Animals: Ovaries from dromedary camels in local slaughterhouses.
Procedure: Removing varies from camels in a local slaughterhouse, carrying them to the laboratory in warm saline solution, aspiration of follicles, isolation and transferring of oocytes into TCM-199 and Ham’s F10 supplemented with 0-10% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS), culturing oocytes for up to 24h in a C02 incubator. After culture oocytes were denuded and put into PBS containing 0.1% hyaluronidase and passing through a fine pipette. Oocytes were then mounted onto slide glass and fixed and stained for evidence of maturation.
Statistical analysis: ANOVA and when a significance different was seen, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test.
Results: When oocytes from fresh ovaries were culture in Ham’s F10 without protein, only 17.65% of them reached to MIT. However, significantly (P<0.05) higher oocytes reached to MIT in 5 and 10% FCS (36.84% and 33.33% for 5 and 10% FBS respectively), which were not dose dependent. When cool stored ovaries were used for oocyte maturation, 14.54% of oocytes reached to Mu. In protein- free medium However, significantly (P<0.05) higher oocytes reached to MI! in 5 and 10% FCS (25.86% and 33.3:3% for 5 and 10% FBS respectively). Although increasing the protein increased the maturation rates, the difference was not significant.
Conclusion: Under the present condition it seems that cool stored ovaries could be used for in vitro maturation of camel oocytes. J.Fac.Vet.Med. Univ. Tehran. 60,2:143- 148,2005.