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Mathematical modelling of oxygen concentration in bovine and murine cumulus–oocyte complexes

¹ School of Mathematical Sciences and ² Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5000 SA, Australia

Correspondence should be addressed to J G Thompson; Email: jeremy.thompson{at}adelaide.edu.au

Immature oocytes benefit from nutrient modification of the follicular environment by the surrounding cumulus mass. However, the oxygen concentration that the oocyte may be exposed to could be lower than the antral follicular concentration due to the metabolism of surrounding cumulus cells. Using metabolic data previously determined, we have developed a mathematical model of O₂ diffusion across the bovine and murine cumulus–oocyte complex. From this we have determined that across a physiological range of external pO₂, less than 0.25% and 0.5% O₂ is removed by cumulus cells within the bovine and murine cumulus–oocyte complex respectively. Our model differs from others as it: incorporates a term that allows for nonlinear variation of the oxygen consumption rate with oxygen concentration; considers two regions (oocyte and cumulus) sharing a common boundary, both of which consume oxygen at different non linear rates. Cumulus cells therefore remove little O₂, thus sparing this essential gas for the oocyte, which is dependent on ATP generation via oxidative phosphorylation.