In Vitro Maturation and fertilization of Camel oocytes

Abstract

Selection and genetic manipulation cause loss of genetic biodiversity leading to a decrease in disease resistance, reproductive ability and adaptability to the changing environment. The application of modem biotechnology gives rise to many ethical considerations relating to animal health, welfare and integrity on one hand and human, biological and environmental issues on the other.

Assisted reproductive technologies such as artificial insemination, superovulation, embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been introduced to overcome the reproductive inefficiencies, thus contributing to increased genetic gain. Successful IVF technology in dromedary camels has the potential to overcome several problems, including sterility due to oviductal abnormalities and the low yield of embryos collected after superovulation.

In addition, IVF technology in the dromedary will Improve our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of fertilization and early embryo development and promote the development.of other technologies, including cryopreservation of oocytes, embryo sexing, somatic cloning and transgenesis. The present study is a first step to develop a reliable technique for in vitro maturation and fertilization of camel oocytes, that could regularly provide a large number of normally fertilized oocytes for further biotechnological applications.