ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular heat shock (HS). For this, 48 animals were treated according to the experimental groups (G1: not exposed to HS and untreated; G2: exposed to HS and untreated; G3: not exposed to HS and treated with GTE; G4: exposed to HS and treated with GTE). Subgroups of rats were euthanized on days 15, 30, and 60 to recover the spermatozoa. The total motility (TM), vigor, spermatic morphology and concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity (ACi) were analyzed. The TM was higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4 on day 30, and higher in G4 on day 60. The overall means of TM and vigor were higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as TM on day 60. For the morphology, G2 and G4 were lower than G1 and G3 on day 15, and G4 was lower than G1 and G3 on day 30. Moreover, in G1 and G3 morphology was higher on days 15 and 30, and in G4 it was lower on day 30, with the overall means being higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as on days 15 and 60 compared to day 30. The overall mean of ACi, on day 30, was lower than on days 15 and 60 for all the groups. Therefore, HS is shown to be widely deleterious to the gametes, and the daily administration of 100 mg/kg green tea extract does not improve the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular HS, although it leads to better recovery of spermatic motility and morphology at 60 days.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to replace fetal bovine serum (FBS) with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for in vitro production of bovine embryos. The maturation media (TCM-199 medium) for the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was supplemented with 5% (G5) and 10% (G10) PRP or 10% FBS (GC). After fertilization, the presumed zygotes were randomly distributed in culture medium supplemented with 5% (G5) and 10% (G10) PRP or 10% FBS (GC) for 7 days. Cumulus cell (CC) expansion was greater (P < 0.05) in the GC (88.9%) group than in G5 (34.1%) or G10 (50.0%). Nevertheless, the expansion of CCs in group G10 was greater than in G5 (P < 0.05). Cleavage was higher in group G5 (86.0%) than in G10 (79.0%) (P < 0.05) and did not differ from group GC (82.0%). The percentage of blastocysts in group G5 (50.0%) was higher than in CG (40.2%) and G10 (34.2%) (P < 0.05). In addition, the number of blastomeres was higher in G5 (159.0 ± 4.18) than in GC (132.4 ± 4.11) and in G10 (127.1 ± 5.88) (P < 0.05). The addition of PRP into the oocytes maturation medium is not beneficial. On the other hand, the PRP addition into the embryo culture medium at 5% concentration is recommended where it increased the quantity and quality of in vitro-produced bovine embryos.
