Oocyte Maturation and in Vitro Fertilization in the Rhesus Monkey

  • Barry D. Bavister
Chapter
Part of the Serono Symposia, USA book series (SERONOSYMP)

Abstract

Normal embryonic development can only take place after fertilization of a normal oocyte. Assuming that there are no inherent defects in an oocyte, the milieu provided by the ovarian follicle determines whether or not a viable oocyte is produced. At present, we know very little about how oocyte maturation is regulated within the preovulatory follicle. Lack of information restricts our ability to obtain normal maturation of oocytes under controlled in vitro conditions. There are practical consequences of this situation. Incomplete or otherwise abnormal oocyte maturation may contribute to embryonic losses during pregnancy, and to failure of pregnancy following transfer of embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The practice of IVF, whether for research or for treatment of infertility, is compromised by inadequate knowledge about the control of oocyte maturation. Both in primates and in domesticated species, ovarian stimulation with exogenous gonadotropins is likely to result in the recovery of at least a few immature oocytes. Unless these can be brought to full maturity in vitro, they represent a loss of efficiency in the treatment cycle. In our research with gonadotropinstimulated monkeys, substantial numbers of immature but potentially viable oocytes are frequently recovered. Excised ovaries represent a potential windfall of oocytes, but these are of limited value in the absence of protocols for achieving full maturity in vitro.

Keywords

Rhesus Monkey Follicular Fluid Oocyte Maturation Cumulus Cell Germinal Vesicle 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Plenum Press, New York 1987

Authors and Affiliations

  • Barry D. Bavister
    • 1
  1. 1.Regional Primate Research CenterUniversity of WisconsinMadisonUSA

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