DEVELOPMENT OF IN-VITRO PRODUCED CAPRINE EMBRYOS IN VARIOUS CULTURE SYSTEMS

The efficacy of various culture systems was studied. for the development of in-vitro produced Caprine embryos. For this purpose, 2 to 4 cell stage caprine embryos matured and fertilized under in vitro conditions were cultured with four culture systems (cumulus cell monolayers, oviductal cell monolayers, chick embryo and rabbit peritoneal fluid) and a control system (TCM-199 + FCS) for about 5 days. The maximum development rate of 48.67 +/- 4.08 per cent was obtained when rPF (rabbit peritoneal fluid) was used as the culture system, while none of the 2-4 cell stage embryos reached the morulae/blastocyst stage in the control group. The development rates obtained in other groups were 18.67 +/- 3.18, 28.00 +/- 3.67 and 45.00 +/- 6.42 per cent, when embryos were cultured with cumulus cell monolayers, oviductal cell monolayers and in the fertile chicken eggs amniotic cavity, respectively. It was, thus, concluded that rPF was found to be the most effective culture system for the development of caprine embryos.