The objectives of this research were to study the influence of a reduced oxygen concentration during in vitro maturation (IVM) and examine the effect of follicular glucose concentration on bovine in vitro development and sex distribution. In the first experiment, abattoir-derived cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) were matured under 5% O2 or 20% O2. Secondly, COC were isolated and the glucose (G) concentration of each follicle was determined. COC were pooled in groups (G<1.1mMol or G≥1.1mMol) according to the glucose content before being subjected to in vitro production (IVP). Cleavage and development rates were assessed on days 3, 7 and 8 post insemination. Blastocysts of each group were sexed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Expanded blastocysts were stained to assess total cell numbers and live–dead cell ratio. Cleavage and development rates stayed similar after reducing the O2 concentration during IVM. The sex ratio of embryos generated from oocytes matured under 5% O2 was shifted in favour of the female (♀: 61.9%), whereas the sex ratio of embryos belonging to the IVM 20% O2 group did not differ significantly from the expected 50:50 ratio. Neither a ‘higher’ nor a ‘lower’ intrafollicular glucose concentration influenced cleavage and development rates, cell numbers or live–dead cell ratio. Eighty five per cent (G<1.1) and 63.6% (G≥1.1) of the analysed embryos were female. In summary, neither a reduced O2 concentration during IVM nor selection based on follicular glucose concentrations affected the morphological quality of embryos. Although the sex distribution was shifted in favour of female embryos in all three experimental groups, more male embryos could be seen in the G≥1.1 group compared with the G<1.1 group.

For Salmo salar, there is a lack of information on the morphology of the first blastomeres formed during embryonic development and which could be used as a diagnostic tool for the first stages of development. The purpose of this investigation, therefore, was to characterize morphometrically the first blastomeres of S. salar. From a pool of eggs incubated at 7.5°C, 100 microphotographs of blastodiscs were extracted and analyzed at different incubation periods: 12, 14, 16, 20 or 24 h. Blastodiscs were characterized morphologically after 16, 20 or 24 h incubation, and classified into symmetric or asymmetric groups according to their morphology. The ratio of length (L) versus width (W) of each blastomere was determined, to establish its symmetry. In addition, 20 microphotographs of blastodiscs of normal appearance were analysed morphologically (control blastodisc: CB) for comparison (20 or 24 h). Results show that the first cleavage ends after 16 h of development. Seven categories were established during blastomere characterization: 47% normal (G1); 27% with dispersed margins (G2); 10% unequal (G3); 9% ‘pie-shaped’ (G4); 3% amorphous (G5); 2% three equal blastomeres and one different one (G6); and 2% with eccentric cleavage (G7). Although the incidence of abnormal cleavage in S. salar is uncertain, there is a potential for some asymmetries to be corrected during embryogenesis to generate viable individuals. More studies are necessary to correlate these abnormal cleavage patterns with indicators of quality in the later stages of embryogenesis in this species, to establish a quality assessment tool for gametes and/or embryos in salmonid species.

The objective of this study was to assess the viability and cryotolerance of zebu embryos produced in vitro with or without the addition of fetal calf serum (FCS) and forskolin (F). Embryos produced in vivo were used as a control. Presumptive zygotes were cultured in modified synthetic oviductal fluid supplemented with amino acids (SOFaa), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and with (2.5%) or without (0%) FCS. On day 6 of growth, the embryos from each group were divided into treatments with or without 10 μM F to induce embryonic lipolysis, comprising a total of four experimental groups: 2.5% FCS, 0% FCS, 2.5% + F and 0% + F. For vitrification, embryos were exposed to vitrification solution 1 (5 M EG (ethylene glycol)) for 3 min and then transferred to vitrification solution 2 (7 M EG, 0.5 M galactose solution and 18% (w/v) Ficoll 70) before being introduced to liquid nitrogen. The presence of FCS in the culture medium resulted in the production of embryos with a similar rate of damaged cells compared with in vivo-produced embryos. After vitrification, the 2.5% FCS group had a significantly higher rate of damaged cells when compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The results of this experiment indicated that the omission of FCS and the addition of forskolin do not have deleterious effect on embryo production rates. In addition, embryos produced in the presence of FCS had greater sensitivity to cryopreservation, but this effect was reversed when forskolin was added to the medium, which improved embryo survival without affecting embryo development and quality after vitrification.

Mammals self-regulate their body size throughout development. In the uterus, embryos are properly regulated to be a specific size at birth. Previously, size and cell number in aggregated embryos, which were made from two or more morulae, and half embryos, which were halved at the 2-cell stage, have been analysed in vivo in preimplantation and post-implantation development in mice. Here, we examined whether or not the mouse embryo has the capacity to self-regulate growth using an in vitro culture system. To elucidate embryonic histology, cells were counted in aggregated or half embryos in comparison with control embryos. Both double- and triple-aggregated embryos contained more cells than did control embryos during all culture periods, and the relative growth ratios showed no growth inhibition in an in vitro culture system. Meanwhile, half embryos contained fewer cells than control embryos, but the number grew throughout the culture period. Our data suggest that the growth of aggregated embryos is not affected and continues in an in vitro culture system. On the other hand, the growth of half embryos accelerates and continues in an in vitro culture system. This situation, in turn, implied that post-implantation mouse embryos might have some potential to regulate their own growth and size as seen by using an in vitro culture system without uterus factors. In conclusion, our results indicated that embryos have some ways in which to regulate their own size in mouse early development.

Although vitrification is a useful technique for preservation of bovine oocytes, the yield of blastocysts derived from the vitrified oocytes is still low. We have recently reported a new type of cryoinjury, multiple aster formation, by which pronuclear migration and development of vitrified–warmed and in vitro-fertilized bovine oocytes are impaired. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glutathione (GSH) content of vitrified bovine oocytes on multiple aster formation and subsequent in vitro development. Treatment of bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes with β-mercaptoethanol (βME) and l-cysteine (Cys) during in vitro maturation resulted in 2.5-fold higher GSH content not only in fresh control but also in vitrified–warmed oocytes. The percentage of normally fertilized zygotes exhibiting sperm aster(s) was >95% in all four groups (with or without βME/Cys × fresh control or vitrified). The frequency of multiple aster formation in vitrified oocytes (three-fold higher than that in fresh control oocytes) was not affected by the increased level of intracellular GSH with βME/Cys. Consequently, the migration and development of pronuclei as well as the yield of blastocysts from vitrified–warmed oocytes (17 versus 41%) were not improved. In addition, there was no effect of increased GSH level on the yield of blastocysts in fresh control groups.

We investigated the effect mouse cumulus cells (mCCs) on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and developmental potential of bovine denuded germinal vesicle oocytes (DOs). Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs), DOs and DOs cocultured with either mCCs (DOs + mCCs) or bovine cumulus cells (bCCs; DOs + bCCs) were subjected to IVM. The meiosis II (MII) rates of DOs, glutathione (GSH) contents, zona pellucida (ZP) hardening and parthenogenetic blastocyst rates of MII oocytes were determined. The relative expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) in MII oocytes were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). mCCs significantly increased the MII rate of DOs from 53.5 ± 3.58% to 69.67 ± 4.72% (p < 0.05) but had no effect on the GSH content (2.17 ± 0.31 pmol/oocyte with mCCs, 2.14 ± 0.53 pmol/oocyte without mCCs). For the DOs + mCCs group, the BMP-15 and GDF-9 expression levels were significantly higher and the ZP dissolution time was significantly lower (162.49 ± 12.51 s) than that of the DOs group (213.95 ± 18.87 s; p < 0.05). The blastocyst rate of the DOs + mCCs group (32.56 ± 4.94%) was similar to that of the DOs group (31.75 ± 3.65%) but was significantly lower than that of the COCs group (43.52 ± 5.37%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, mCCs increased the MII rate of DOs and expression of certain genes in MII oocytes, and decreased the ZP hardening of MII oocytes, but could not improve their GSH content or developmental potential.

The choice of medium and supplements can affect meiotic regulation and may have an impact on the regulation of mammalian oocyte growth and embryonic cell function. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of oxygen concentration and endogenous lanosterol on the in vitro maturation (IVM) media without serum and based on recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin in prepubertal ewe oocytes. Firstly, the effect of varying oxygen concentrations (5% and 20%) during IVM in TCM-199 supplemented (4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 100 μM cysteamine, 0.3 mM sodium pyruvate, 0.1 UI/ml recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH; Gonal-F® 75 UI, Serono, Italy), 0.1 UI/ml recombinant leuteinizing hormone (r-LH; Lhadi® 75 UI, Serono, Italy) and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β) on subsequent nuclear maturation of oocytes examined under ultraviolet light following staining with bisbenzimide (Hoechst 33342) was investigated. Secondly, two concentrations of lanosterol (0, 10 and 50 μM) were added to the IVM medium. Nuclear maturation of oocytes was examined as previously. Lipid content in oocytes, an important indicator of cytoplasmic maturity, was also measured using Nile red fluorescent stain. The results showed that low oxygen concentration affected the nuclear maturation. Similarly, a significantly higher rate of meiosis resumption was observed with 10 μM (72.3%) of lanosterol compared with the control (51.8%) or 50 μM of lanosterol (59.4%). A significantly higher content of lipids was also observed with 10 and 50 μM of lanosterol (7.3 ± 0.2 × 106 and 7.4 ± 0.2 × 106 arbitrary units of fluorescence) compared with the control (6.7 ± 0.2 × 106 arbitrary units of fluorescence). The results indicate that 10 μM lanosterol during IVM in medium without serum and based on recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin has a positive effect on maturation of prepubertal ewe oocytes.

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) have the ability to self-renew and offer a pathway for genetic engineering of the male germ line. Cryopreservation of SSCs has potential value for the treatment of male infertility, spermatogonial transplantation, and so on. In order to investigate the cryopreservation effects of different cryoprotectants on murine SSCs, 0.2 M of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), trehalose and soybean lecithin were added to the cryoprotective medium, respectively, and the murine SSCs were frozen at −80°C or −196°C. The results indicated that the optimal recovery rates of murine SSCs in the cryoprotective medium supplemented with LDL, trehalose and soybean lecithin were 92.53, 76.35 and 75.48% at −80°C, respectively. Compared with freezing at −196°C, the optimum temperature for improvement of recovery rates of frozen murine SSCs, cryopreservation in three different cryoprotectants at −80°C, were 17.11, 6.68 and 10.44% respectively. The recovery rates of murine SSCs in the cryoprotective medium supplemented with 0.2 M LDL were significantly higher than that of other cryoprotectants (P < 0.05). Moreover, the recovery rates were demonstrated to be greater at −80°C compared with at −196°C (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 0.2 M of LDL could significantly protect murine SSCs at −80°C. In the freezing–thawing process, LDL is responsible for the cryopreservation of murine SSCs because it can form a protective film at the surface of membranes. However, more research is needed to evaluate and understand the precise role of LDL during the freezing–thawing of SSCs.

Cryopreservation of germplasm provides a promising method to preserve fish genetic material, which is of great importance in preservation of species diversity, aquaculture, and management of fish models used in biomedical research. In the present study, cryopreservation of Rhinelepis aspera embryos, a Brazilian endangered species, was studied for the first time using a short-term cooling protocol. Embryos at blastoporous closing stage were selected, placed in 6-ml glass vials and stored at −8°C for 6 h in 10 different cryoprotectant solutions: S1 (17.1% sucrose + 9% methanol); S2 (17.1% sucrose + 9% DMSO); S3 (8.5% sucrose + 8.5% glucose + 9% methanol); S4 (8.5% sucrose + 8.5% glucose + 9% DMSO); S5 (17.1% sucrose + 9% ethylene glycol); S6 (8.5% sucrose + 8.5% glucose + 9% ethylene glycol); S7 (17.1% sucrose + 4.5% methanol + 4.5% DMSO); S8 (17.1% sucrose + 4.5% methanol + 4.5% ethylene glycol); S9 (17.1% sucrose + 4.5% DMSO + 4.5% ethylene glycol); and S10 (100% water). Embryo viability was assessed by hatching rate, counting live larvae and number of failed eggs under a stereomicroscope. The results showed that only the cryoprotectant solutions that contained methanol associated to sucrose (S1, S7 and S8) provided partial protection of Rhinelepis aspera embryos from cold damage (over 50% hatching rate in S1), while the use of DMSO and ethylene glycol, isolated or in combination, resulted in no hatching rate. Further studies are needed in order to extend the storage time and to improve the hatching rate for the species.

Egg activation, which includes cortical granule exocytosis, resumption and completion of meiosis and pronuclear formation culminates in the first mitotic cleavage. However, the mechanism through which the fertilizing sperm induces this phenomenon is still controversial. We investigated the effect of the microinjection of homologous sperm soluble fractions obtained by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) from reacted sperm (without acrosome) and non-reacted sperm on the activation of Rhinella arenarum oocytes matured in vitro. The FPLC-purified sperm fraction obtained from reacted or non-reacted sperm is able to induce oocyte activation when it is microinjected. This fraction has a 24 kDa protein and showed phospholipase C (PLC) activity in vitro, which was inhibited by D-609 but not by n-butanol or neomycin, suggesting that it is a PLC that is specific for phosphatidylcholine (PC-PLC). The assays conducted using inhibitors of inositol triphosphate (IP3) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs) indicate that the fraction with biological activity would act mainly through the cADPr (cyclic ADP ribose) pathway. Moreover, protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition blocks the activation produced by the same fraction. Immunocytochemical studies indicate that this PC-PLC can be found throughout the sperm head.

In this study, the developmental ability of cloned embryos using gilt versus sow oocytes was evaluated under the hypothesis that the efficiency of nuclear transfer using gilt oocytes was lower than that of sow oocytes, but that it could be optimized. Five experiments were performed with routine production of cloned embryos with sow oocytes serving as the control. Results showed that: Experiment 1: Blastocyst rates of cloned embryos with gilt oocytes was about half compared with control. Experiment 2: An extended maturation time of 48 h used for gilt oocytes resulted in lower blastocyst rates after cloning. Experiment 3: Development of cloned embryos with gilt oocytes was improved by co-culture with sow oocytes. Experiment 4: After maturation of gilt oocytes using follicular fluid from gilt instead of sow, the oocytes were sorted into large and small oocytes, and after cloning, blastocyst rates were higher using large gilt oocytes compared with small oocytes; however, the rate remained lower compared with control. Experiment 5: Six sow recipients received a total of 503 morulae and blastocysts cloned from gilt oocytes (four recipients) and 190 cloned from sow oocytes (two recipients). All recipients became pregnant and went to term, resulting in 26 (gilt oocytes) and six (sow oocytes) piglets. In conclusion, results confirmed that nuclear transfer efficiency was higher using sow versus gilt oocytes, but the use of gilt oocytes can be optimized by sorting after ooplasm size following maturation and by maturing gilt and sow oocytes together.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration, equilibration time, and oocyte pre-treatment with cytochalasin B (CCB) on subsequent development of vitrified-warmed ovine immature (GVCOCs) and matured (MII) oocytes with (MIICOCs) or without cumulus cells (MIIDOs). In Experiment 1, the effects of FBS concentrations (10 and 20%) during the vitrification-warming procedure were examined. Survival rates after warming were not different between GVCOCs, MIICOCs and MIIDOs oocytes. After in vitro fertilization, rate of cleaved embryos in MIICOCs group at the presence of 20%FBS was higher than MIIDOs and GVCOCs groups. In Experiment 2, the effects of equilibration times (5, 7, and 10 min) were examined. There was no difference in survival rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes equilibrated at different times. Although, the rate of cleavage in MIICOCs and MIIDOs oocytes equilibrated for 10 and 7 min, respectively, was higher than 5 min equilibrated MIIDOs and 7 and 10 min equilibrated GVCOCs oocytes. In Experiment 3, the effects of oocyte pre-treatment with CCB were examined. Despite the insignificant difference in survival rate of vitrified-warmed ovine immature and matured oocytes, the rates of cleavage in CCB pretreated groups were significantly lower than untreated groups. Moreover, the blastocysts were only derived from those cumulus enclosed vitrified-warmed germinal vesicle (GV) and MII oocytes that had been exposed to 10% FBS in the absence of CCB. In conclusion, the presence of cumulus cells, 10% FBS, and the omission of CCB were beneficial for post-warming development of vitrified ovine oocytes.

We aimed in this study to assess whether serum-decreased bovine cumulus–oocyte complex (COC) steroidogenesis during in vitro maturation (IVM) is caused by deficient androgen milieu. For this approach, bovine COCs were cultured in serum-supplemented IVM medium in the presence or absence of 1 μM androstenedione. After 24 h of culture, medium was collected and analyzed for its content of estradiol-17β (E2) and progesterone (P4). Medium E2 content markedly increased after incubation of COCs with androstenedione (17.52 ± 1.86 ng/ml to the androgen group; 0.32 ± 0.05 ng/ml to the non-androgen group). No significant difference in the P4 content was detected despite the presence of androstenedione (21.83 ± 1.61 ng/ml to the androgen group; 21.73 ± 1.67 ng/ml to the non-androgen group). Our data provide compelling evidence that bovine COCs steroidogenesis remains functional during culture in serum-supplemented medium and suggest that serum-induced decreased COCs estradiol secretion is caused by deficiency of an aromatizable androgen source.

It has been reported that the number and quality of in vitro produced embryos is season related. This study was conducted to assess the effect of season on cleavage, blastocyst and lambing rates of in vitro produced ovine embryos during 3 years of collection data. Ovaries of Sarda sheep were collected from a slaughterhouse. In total, 5035 oocytes were recovered and matured in TCM-199 with 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 100 μM cysteamine, 0.3 mM Na pyruvate, 0.1 UI/ml recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH), 0.1 UI/ml recombinant luteinising hormone (r-LH), and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β. Matured oocytes were fertilized with fresh semen in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) with 20% heat inactivated estrous sheep serum. The presumptive zygotes were cultured for 6–7 days (blastocyst stage) in SOF medium supplemented with 1% Basel Medium Eagle (BME), 1% Minimum Essential Medium, 1 mM glutamine and 8 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA. The embryos produced were vitrified and a total of 165 blastocysts (80 from the breeding season and 85 from the anoestrous season) were transferred in pairs into recipient ewes during the reproductive period. There were no significant differences in cleavage rates between seasons in any of the 3 years examined (84% versus 83%, 81% versus 80% and 80% versus 79%, respectively). The blastocyst rate varied significantly between seasons in 2005 and 2007 (P < 0.05), and in 2006 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in pregnancy and lambing rates between embryos during anoestrous versus during the breeding season. In conclusion, only the blastocyst rate appeared to have been affected by season, possibly due to variation in the number of developmentally competent oocytes.

Oogenesis is a highly complex process that requires the exquisite temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression at multiple levels. Skin–embryo–brain–oocyte homeobox (Sebox) gene encodes a transcription factor that is highly expressed in germinal vesicle stage oocytes and that plays an essential role in early embryogenesis at the 2-cell stage in the mouse. As Sebox is also expressed in mouse fetal ovaries, the aim of the present study was to study its role during the early oogenesis in vitro. Expression of Sebox was low in 15.5 to 17.5 days post coitum (dpc) ovaries, showed a peak at 18.5 dpc and then its expression decreased dramatically in newborn ovaries. Sebox expression was efficiently knocked down (>80%) in fetal mouse ovary explants in culture using RNAi technology. When fetal ovary explants were transfected with Sebox-specific RNAi, the number of oocytes at germinal vesicle stage and showing a diameter of 40–70 μm was decreased significantly to 75% after 7 days of culture relative to the negative control, and to 22.4% after 10 days of culture, thus indicating that Sebox plays an important role in the early oogenesis in mice.

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a recently identified meiotic inhibitor in mice. However, it has not been investigated in porcine oocytes to date. This study aimed to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of CNP against germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in porcine oocyte meiotic resumption. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed intense natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) immunoreactivity in the oocyte surrounded cumulus cells in the follicles. Furthermore, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed the expression of npr2 mRNA only in cumulus cells but not in oocytes, suggesting that cumulus cells are the targets of CNP. When cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) or denuded oocytes (DOs) were cultured with various concentrations of CNP (10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 nM), inhibitory effect was observed in the COC group, but not in the DO group, confirming that CNP indirectly inhibits GVBD via cumulus cells. This evidence is the first indication that the CNP-NPR2 pathway is involved in meiotic arrest in porcine oocytes. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of oocyte-derived paracrine factor (ODPF) on npr2 mRNA expression level in cumulus cells by evaluating changes in mRNA expression in oocytectomised COCs (OXCs) by real-time PCR. A significant decrease in npr2 mRNA expression level was observed in OXCs, whereas mRNA expression level was restored in OXCs with DOs, indicating that ODPF participates in the regulation of npr2 expression in porcine cumulus cells.

Immature oocytes synthesize a variety of proteins that include the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH). Brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) is a vital blue dye that assesses intracellular activity of G6PDH, an indirect measure of oocyte maturation. The objective was to evaluate the BCB test as a criterion to assess developmental competence of equine oocytes and to determine if equine growth hormone (eGH) enhanced in vitro maturation (IVM) of equine oocyte. Cumulus–oocytes complexes (COCs) were recovered by aspirating follicles <30 mm in diameter from abattoir-derived ovaries and were evaluated morphologically. Thereafter, COCs were exposed to BCB (26 μM) for 90 min at 39°C and selected based on the colour of their cytoplasm (BCB positive/BCB+ or BCB negative/BCB–). The COCs were allocated as follows: (a) IVM medium; (b) eGH group; (c) BCB–/IVM; (d) BCB+/IVM; (e) BCB–/eGH; and (f) BCB+/eGH. Then, COCs were cultured in vitro for 30 h, at 39°C in a 5%CO2 humidified air atmosphere. Cumulus-free oocytes were incubated in 10 μg/ml of bis-benzamide for 20 min at 39°C and nuclear maturation was evaluated with epifluorescence microscopy. Of the 39 COCs selected morphologically and subjected to BCB staining, 18/39 (46.2%) were classified as BCB+ and 21/39 (53.8%) as BCB– (P > 0.05). Maturation was not affected significantly by BCB classification, but the maturation rate was higher for oocytes that had been exposed to exogenous eGH versus controls (16/28, 57.1% versus 8/26, 30.8%, P < 0.05). In the present study, the BCB test was not useful for predicting competent equine oocytes prior to IVM. However, eGH enhanced equine oocyte maturation in vitro.

The mRNAs accumulated in oocytes provide support for embryo development until embryo genomic activation. We hypothesized that the maternal mRNA stock present in bovine oocytes is associated with embryo development until the blastocyst stage. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed the transcriptome of the oocyte and correlated the results with the embryo development. Our goal was to identify genes expressed in the oocyte that correlate with its ability to develop to the blastocyst stage. A fraction of oocyte cytoplasm was biopsied using micro-aspiration and stored for further expression analysis. Oocytes were activated chemically, cultured individually and classified according to their capacity to develop in vitro to the blastocyst stage. Microarray analysis was performed on mRNA extracted from the oocyte cytoplasm fractions and correlated with its ability to develop to the blastocyst stage (good quality oocyte) or arrest at the 8–16-cell stage (bad quality oocyte). The expression of 4320 annotated genes was detected in the fractions of cytoplasm that had been collected from oocytes matured in vitro. Gene ontology classification revealed that enriched gene expression of genes was associated with certain biological processes: ‘RNA processing’, ‘translation’ and ‘mRNA metabolic process’. Genes that are important to the molecular functions of ‘RNA binding’ and ‘translation factor activity, RNA binding’ were also enriched in oocytes. We identified 29 genes with differential expression between the two groups of oocytes compared (good versus bad quality). The content of mRNAs expressed in metaphase II oocytes influences the activation of the embryonic genome and enables further develop to the blastocyst stage.