The effect of RU 486 at different concentrations (1, 5, 10, and 20 µg/ml) was studied on sperm-egg interaction in vitro in B6D2Ff mice. The in vitro fertilization rate of mouse ova decreased from 77.0% (control) to 50.0%, 28.7%, and 7.5% in the presence of RU 486 concentrations at 5, 10, and 20 µg/ml medium, respectively (p < 0.001). A concentration of 1 µg/ml did not affect the fertilization rate. A progesterone concentration at equal to or double the concentration RU 486 did not reverse the inhibitory effect of RU 486 on in vitro fertilization, which suggests a progesterone-independent mechanism. Exposure of spermatozoa (for 90 minutes) or ova (for 60 minutes) to RU 486 (20 µg/ml) followed by washing with RU 486-free medium before coincubation did not affect the fertilization rate. The presence or absence of cumulus cells did not change the inhibitory effect of RU 466 (20 µg/ml) on in vitro fertilization. RU 486 at 5 to 20 µg/ml medium was associated with perivitelline polyspermy in nonfertilized ova and enhanced perivitelline polyspermy in fertilized oval.

Con el presente trabajo se ha pretendido investigar la influencia de diversos factores relacionados con el cocultivo de los gametos porcinos, sobre los resultados de la fecundación" in vitro" (AV), fundamentalmente con la intención de mejorar la eficacia actual del sistema de AV en cuanto a la consecución de embriones viables (fecundaciones monospérmicas). Para ello, se han utilizado 129 hembras porcinas prepúberes a las que se indujo la ovulación mediante un tratamiento con 1250 U.I. de PMSG y 750 U.I. de HCG. El tratameinto empleado resultó eficaz para los fines perseguidos en un 80'62% de las hembras y el número medio de ovocitos recogidos fue de 19'07 + 1'52 por animal, utilizándose un total de 1984 ovocitos.En relación a las condiciones del sistema de fecundación, el primer factor investigado ha sido el tiempo de cocultivo, entendido como tiempo de contacto entre los gametos. En las dos experiencias realizadas, utilizando tiempos de 4, 6 u 8 horas (experiencia la), o de 1, 2, 3 ó 4 horas (experiencia lb), los mejores resultados se obtuvieron tras 4 horas de cocultivo, ya que los porcentajes de penetración de mantuvieron altos con respecto al máximo alcanzado a las 8 horas (82,68 vs. 93,96%), mientras que los de monospermia no disminuyeron excesivamente con respecto a los obtenidos con tiempos de cocultivo menores, teniendo en cuenta que la concentración de espermatozoides empleada fue intencionadamente elevada (12 x 105 esp/ml). El segundo factor analizado fue la concentración espermática. Se utilizaron concentraciones de 3, 6 y 12 x 105 esp vivos/ml, deduciéndose de los resultados que la mayor efectividad en nuestro sistema correspondía a la concentración de 6 x lO 5 esp/ml, ya que los porcentajes de penetración fueron significativamente diferentes a los obtenidos con la concentración espermática más alta (71'62% vs. 76'83%), y los porcentajes de monospermia tampoco se diferenciaron de los obtenidos con la concentración espermática más baja (62'26 vs. 68'08%). El tercer factor estudiado ha sido la influencia de la presencia o ausencia en el medio de cocultivo del "cumulus" expandido que acompaña al ovocito en la ovulación. Por los resultados obtenidos, se puede pensar que la presencia estas células junto con la correspondiente matriz intrecelular de ácido hialúrico es altamente beneficiosa para la mejora del rendimiento de la FIV debido a que los porcentajes de penetración en los ovocitos denudados (53'69 fueron menores (p<0'0l) que los obtenidos en los ovocitos con "cumulus" (69'10%), mientras que los porcentajes de monospermia fueron superios (p < 0'01) en el segundo caso (39'45% vs. 60'97%). Por último, se ha investigado el efecto de la reducción del volumen medio de cocultivo más comúnmente utilizado (2 mI) a otro menor (0'4 n obteniéndose resultados equivalentes en ambos casos para los porcentajes penetración, pero mayores porcentajes de monospermia (p<0'05) con volumen de 0'4 mI (57'53% vs. 78'12%). Del conjunto de los resultados se deduce que los porcentajes de penetración y polispermia en la AV porcina son consecuencia de la influencia de diferentes factores, entre los que se encuentran el tiempo de cocultivo, concentración espermática, la presencia del "cumulus oophorus" y el volumen de medio de cocultivo utilizados. / In the present work, we have investigated the influence of differen factors, related to porcine gametes coculture, on the results of "in vitro" fertilization (IVF). We have try to improve the efficiency of the current system to get viable embryos (monospermic fertilizations). 129 prepuberal gilts have been used after the induction of ovulation by administration of 1250 I.U. of PMSG followed, 55 hours later, by 750 I.U. of HCG. The results showed that the best moment for the recovery of oocytes was 44 h after HCC administration. In the same way, the treatment followed was effective for the required objectives in 80.62% of the studied females and the medium number of recovered oocytes was 19.07 + 1.52 per animal, giving a total number 01 1984 oocytes used. In relation with the conditions of the fertilization system, the first investigated factor was the coculture time, understanding it as contact time between gametes. To study the effect of this factor, two experiences were realized; fot the first one, 4, 6 or 8 hours of coculture time were used (experience lb) The best results were obtained at 4 hours of coculture, because the percentage of penetration was maintained high (82.68%) and, at the same time, the percentage of monospermy increased (p<O.Ol), although the sperm concentration employed was deliberately high (12 x lOS spx/ml). The second investigated factor was the sperm concentration. The results showed that, among the used concentrations (3, 6 and 12 x lO 5 alive spz/ml), the maximum effectiveness in our system was obtained for the concntration of 6 x lOS spz/ml, since the percentage of penetration was not signficatively different of that obtained with the highest sperm concentration The third studied factor was the influence of the presence or absence of the expanded ."cumulus", which is shed with the oocytes at the ovulation, in the coculture medium. The presence of these cells joined with the intercellular matrix of hialuronic acid was highly beneficious for the improvement of the IVF, because of the percentage of penetration with the denuded oocytes (53.69%) was lower (p<0.01) than that obtained with the .cumulus" enclosed oocytes (69.16%), and the percentage of monospermy was higher (p<0.01) at the second case (39.45% vs. 60.97%). Finally, the percentage of penetration and monspermy was investigated using two different coculture medium volume, one the commonly used by other authors (2 ml) and another minor volume (0.4 mI). The results showed that the percentage of monospermy was higher (p<0.01) with the 0.4 mI volume (57.53 vs.78312%). We may deduce from the total results that the percentages of and monospermy in porcine IVF are due to the influence of different factors, some of them being the coculture time, the sperm concentrarían, the presence of "cumulus". and the coculture medium volume.

El objetivo de este trabajo consistió en describir el papel del sistema plasminógeno/plasmina (PLG/PLA) en la fecundación bovina y porcina. Mediante fecundación in vitro, demostramos que la presencia de PLG ó PLA en el medio de coincubación de los gametos disminuía la penetración de los espermatozoides en los ovocitos y su unión a la zona pelúcida (ZP). Esta disminución no se debía a alteraciones de la funcionalidad espermática ni a cambios en la resistencia de la ZP a la proteolisis, sino a que la PLA provocaba la liberación de los espermatozoides adheridos a la ZP. Mediante inmunofluorescencia indirecta detectamos la presencia de PLG y sus activadores en la ZP y en el oolema de los ovocitos antes de la fecundación. Tras la fecundación, dicha presencia disminuyó o desapareció por completo, por lo que proponemos que el sistema PLG/PLA se activa durante la interacción espermatozoide-ovocito y contribuye a regular la polispermia. / The aim of this study was to describe the role of the plasminogen/plasmin system (PLG/PLA) in bovine and porcine fertilization. Through in vitro fertilization, we demonstrated that the presence of PLG or PLA in the incubation medium of gametes decreased penetration of oocytes and sperm binding to the zona pellucida (ZP). This decrease was not due to alterations in sperm function or changes in the ZP resistance to proteolysis, but the PLA caused the release of sperm previously bound to the ZP. By indirect immunofluorescence we detected the presence of PLG and its activators in the ZP and oolema of the oocytes before fertilization. After fertilization, this presence diminished or disappeared completely, so we propose that the PLG/PLA system is activated during sperm-oocyte interaction and contributes to the regulation of polyspermy.

La interacción entre gametos es crucial para la fecundación. La zona pelúcida (ZP) se considera responsable de bloquear la polispermia, pero in vitro estas funciones no son totalmente eficientes. La polispermia es frecuente en fecundación in vitro (FIV) en porcino y bovino, mientras que la interacción heteróloga espermatozoide-ovocito ha sido demostrada. Los objetivos fueron estudiar el bloqueo de la polispermia para mejorar los resultados de FIV e investigar las interacciones heterólogas entre espermatozoide humano y ovocito porcino. Los resultados demuestran que se produce endurecimiento de la ZP de ovocitos bovinos y porcinos de forma previa a la fecundación, utilizando DTSP o fluido oviductal bovino. Cuando se utilizan estos ovocitos en FIV aumenta la monospermia y el rendimiento final. En las interacciones heterólogas los espermatozoides humanos pueden unirse a ZP porcina y sufren la reacción acrosómica, pero no penetran los ovocitos sin ZP. En ICSI activan el ovocito y forman pronúcleos. / The interaction between gametes is crucial to fertilization. The zona pellucida (ZP) is responsible to block of polyspermy, but in vitro these functions are not efficient. The polyspermy is frequently in bovine and porcine in vitro fecundation. Besides the heterologous interaction between spermatozoa-oocyte had been described. The aims were study the block of polyspermy to improve the output of IVF and research the heterologous interactions between human spermatozoa and porcine oocyte.The results show that there is hardening of bovine and porcine ZP previously at fertilization, in vivo and using DTSP or bovine oviductal fluid. When these oocytes are used in IVF improve the monospermy and the output. In heterologus interactions the human spermatozoa could bind to porcine ZP and it triggers the acrosome reaction, but not penetration in ZP-free oocyte was observed. In ICSI the oocyte activation and

Para reducir la incidencia de las penetraciones polispérmicas en los sistemas de fecundación in vitro porcina (FIV), los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron estudiar: 1) el efecto de tres volúmenes de medio de coincubación (2, 1 y 0'1 ml) y tres números de ovocitos (50, 30 y 15), inseminados con 6 x 105 espermatozoides /ml (primera experiencia) y 2000:1 espermatozoides:ovocito (segunda experiencia); 2) el efecto de la presencia de células del cumulus durante la FIV de ovocitos inseminados con diferentes ratios espermatozoides:ovocito (2000:1; 3000:1; 4000:1, 6000:1 y 8000:1), en 0'1 ml de medio de fecundación, con 30 ovocitos. Ovocitos madurados in vitro y denudados inseminados con 2000 espermatozoides por ovocito fueron el grupo control; y 3) el efecto de tiempos cortos de coincubación ovocitos-espermatozoides durante la FIV (10, 30 y 60 min) sobre la eficiencia de la FIV porcina. / To decrease the high incidence of polyspermy penetration of porcine oocytes fertilized in vitro (IVF), the aim of this study was to evaluate: 1) the effect of three volume of co-incubation medium (2, 1 and 0.1 ml) and three number of oocytes (50, 30 and 15), inseminated with 6 x l05 sperm/ml (first experience) and 2000:1 spermatozoa:oocyte (second experience); 2) the effect of cumulus cells during IVF of oocytes inseminated with different espermatozoa:oocytes rates (2000: 1, 3000: 1, 4000: 1, 6000: 1 and 8000: 1), in 0.1 ml of volume of IVF medium, with 30 oocytes. Denuded matured oocytes inseminated with 2000 spermatozoa:oocyte were the control group; and 3) the effect of short-times that oocytes are exposed to the sperm during IVF (10, 30 and 60 min) on the efficiency of pig IVF.

<p>    </p> <p>When mammalian eggs are fertilized, they undergo an egg-to-embryo transition during which different egg activation events take place. Egg activation events include the establishment of blocks to polyspermy, which prevent multiple sperm from fertilizing an egg. One of these blocks to polyspermy occurs at the level of the egg plasma membrane (the membrane block to polyspermy). Previous work in our lab provides evidence that the mammalian membrane block to polyspermy is mediated by sperm-induced calcium signaling and the egg’s actomyosin cytoskeleton (McAvey et al., 2002). This thesis research builds upon this foundation, testing hypotheses about two specific effector molecules, one involved in calcium signaling and one with the actin cytoskeleton, and also developing the use of an actin probe for live-cell imaging, with the goal of imaging actin dynamics in eggs undergoing fertilization. Specifically, we examined the calcium effector molecule Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent-protein kinase IIg (<strong>CaMKII</strong>g), based on previous studies showing that CaMKII plays a role in the membrane block (Gardner et al., 2007) and that the g isoform of CaMKII is necessary and sufficient for eggs to complete meiosis (Backs et al., 2010). We tested the hypothesis that CaMKIIg would mediate the membrane block to polyspermy but found that egg activation driven by expression of a constitutively active form of CaMKIIg was not sufficient to establish the membrane block. Our studies of the actin cytoskeleton focused on the Arp2/3 complex as a candidate. We tested the hypothesis that Arp2/3, which mediates actin filament branching, was involved in membrane block establishment, building on the finding that disruption of actin with the drug cytochalasin D impairs the membrane block (McAvey et al., 2022). These studies used the Arp2/3 inhibitor CK666, predicting that we would see increased sperm incorporation in CK666-treated eggs. However, an assay of sperm incorporation over time indicated that Arp2/3 may not play a significant role in the membrane block to polyspermy, although follow-up studies will be beneficial. Lastly, the actin probe SiR- Actin was assessed for use on oocytes undergoing live-cell imaging during meiosis I and II. Oocytes were treated with differing concentrations of SiR-Actin and live cell imaged while maturing through meiosis I or completing meiosis II. Higher doses and longer exposure to SiR- Actin caused abnormalities in oocytes during meiosis I but not in eggs completing meiosis II. Together, this work sets the stage of a range of future studies into the mammalian membrane block to polyspermy. </p>