Effects of oocyte culture density on meiotic competence of canine oocytes

This study was conducted to determine a suitable ratio of oocytes to medium for in vitro maturation (IVM) of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) collected from bitches at anoestrus and dioestrus and to examine the meiotic competence of COCs cultured singly or in different group sizes. In the first experiment, different numbers of COCs (5, 10, 15 and 20 per drop) were cultured for 72 h in 100 microl drops of maturation medium. The meiotic competence of oocytes from ovaries at anoestrus was affected by the number of COCs incubated, whereas at dioestrus, the incubation number of COCs had no effect. In the second experiment, COCs were cultured singly or in different group sizes for 72 h by suitable oocyte density according to the reproductive cycle of the donor. In the anoestrous group, 1, 5 and 10 COCs were cultured in 10, 50 and 100 microl drops of the medium (10 microl per COC), respectively. In the dioestrous group, 1, 5 and 15 COCs were cultured in 7, 35 and 105 microl drops of the medium (7 microl per COC), respectively. There were no differences in the proportions of oocytes reaching metaphase II among the different group sizes in each stage of the reproductive cycle of the donor. The results indicate that the influence of oocyte density on the meiotic competence of oocytes differs according to the stage of the reproductive cycle of the donor. Moreover, the group sizes have no effect on the meiotic competence of oocytes cultured at suitable oocyte density according to the reproductive cycle of the donor.