In vitro Fertilization and Embryo Production in Dromedary Camel Using Epididymal Spermatozoa

The general objective of this study was to produce dromedary embiyos from cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) that were matured, fertilized and cultured in vitro. The aspirated COCs with a compact cumulus cells and evenly granulated ooplasm were selected and cultured at 38.5°C, in an atmosphere of 5% C02 and maximum humidity (95%) for 36h. After 36 h of culture, matured COCs were inseminated with epididymal spermatozoa stored at 4°C for different days. Inseminated oocytes were cultured in different media and in different monolayers. Although the penetration, fertilization and the cleavage rates were similar for oocytes inseminated with epididymal spermatozoa stored for 0, 4 and 6 days, more blastocysts were obtained from oocytes that inseminated with epididymal spermatozoa at day 0 as compared with those inseminated with 6-days stored epididymal spermatozoa (16.33 vs 1.25%, respectively). Culture of camel oocytes in potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOMaa) augmented blastocyst development as compared with synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFaa) media (11.29 vs 1.19%, respectively). Furthermore, more blastocyst stage was obtained from oocytes co-cultured with oviductal versus granulosa and uterine cells (15.59 vs 7.27 and 2.63%, respectively, P < 0.05). In conclusion, dromedary epididymal spermatozoa can survive storage at 4°C for 4 days in tris-lactose egg yolk extender and maintain their fertilizing potentials. KSOMaa culture media with oviductal cell monolayer appeared to be the most suitable conditions for in vitro dromedary camel embiyo production.