Effect of Alpha-Tocopherol Supplementation in TCM199 Medium on In Vitro Maturation and Cleavage of Buffalo Oocytes

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of supplementing α-tocopherol at two different concentrations to the in vitro
maturation (IVM) medium (TCM 199 culture medium) on in vitro maturation and cleavage of buffalo oocytes. Ovaries were collected
from local slaughter house. Oocytes were collected by aspiration method and were matured in IVM medium (T0, control), IVM medium
supplemented with α-tocopherol @ 10 µg/ml (T1) and IVM medium supplemented with α-tocopherol @ 20 µg/ml (T2). The mean
cytoplasmic maturation rate was 82.39 ± 0.81, 88.81 ± 1.08, 81.67 ± 1.82 % and nuclear maturation rate was 62.50 ± 8.33, 87.50 ± 5.59,
66.66 ± 7.68 % in T0, T1 and T2 groups, respectively. The fertilized oocytes reaching 2-cell and 4-cell stages of cleavage for T0, T1 and T2
groups were 14.92 ± 1.52, 32.39 ± 1.01 and 16.39 ± 1.25 %, respectively. Significantly (p <0.05) higher level of cytoplasmic maturation
rate, nuclear maturation rate and cleavage rate was observed in IVM medium supplemented with α-tocopherol @10 µg/ml than other
two groups.