Zhukova AS, Lopukhov AV.

Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2025. Vol. 108. No. 4. Р. 86-94.

doi:10.33284/2658-3135-108-4-86

Original article

Effect of different concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 2 on the maturation and quality

of bovine oocytes under in vitro conditions

 

Anastasia S Zhukova1, Alexander V Lopukhov2

1,2Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, Dubrovitsy, Russia

1anastasia.s.belyaeva@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1155-014X

2vubi_myaso@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1284-1486

Abstract. Since fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is involved in vivo in the regulation of meiosis, it may be utilized to improve oocyte quality under in vitro conditions. In the present study, the effect of FGF2 on the in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes, their subsequent embryonic development following artificial activation, and the quality of the resulting embryos was evaluated. Oocytes collected from ovarian follicles were cultured either in a control medium or in the presence of FGF2 at various concentrations (5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 ng/mL). Then matured oocytes were artificially activated and cultured for embryonic development. FGF2 did not affect oocyte maturation or cleavage following activation. However, a concentration-dependent effect of FGF2 on oocyte development to the blastocyst stage and on blastocyst quality was observed. In the control group, the blastocyst rate was 19.6 ± 1.81%. The addition of FGF2 at concentrations of 20 and 40 ng/mL increased this rate by 10.2% and 11.5%, respectively (P≤0.05). Moreover, FGF2 increased the number of nuclei in blastocysts (P≤0.05) at all concentrations except 5 ng/mL. Thus, FGF2 at concentrations of 20 and 40 ng/mL can be recommended for optimizing in vitro maturation conditions of bovine oocytes. Nevertheless, these findings are preliminary, and further studies are required to expand the range of evaluated parameters and confirm the observed effects

Keywords: bovine oocytes, in vitro maturation, fibroblast growth factor 2, embryonic development

Acknowledgments: the work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project     No. 24-16-00261.

For citation: Zhukova AS, Lopukhov AV. Effect of different concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 2 on the maturation and quality of bovine oocytes under in vitro conditions. Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2025;108(4):86-94. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33284/2658-3135-108-4-86

References

 

  1. Shedova EN, Singina GN, Uzbekova S, Uzbekov R, Lukanina VA, Tsyndrina EV Effect of extracellular vesicles of follicular origin during in vitro maturation and ageing of bovine oocytes on embryo development after in vitro fertilization. Sel'skokhozyaistvennaya Biologiya [Agricultural Biology]. 2022;57(6):1178-1187. doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2022.6.1178rus doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2022.6.1178eng
  2. Singina GN, Chinarov RYu, Shedova EN, Lukanina VA, Zhukova AS. Results of oocyte isolation and obtaining IVP embryos from heifers of Istoben breed depending on OPU regimen. Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2024;107(4):283-294. doi:33284/2658-3135-107-4-283
  3. Singina GN, Lopukhov AV, Shedova EN. In vitro development of cloned embryo in cattle in relation with fusion and activation parameters. Sel'skokhozyaistvennaya Biologiya [Agricultural Biology]. 2020; 55(2):295-305. doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2020.2.295rus doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2020.2.295eng
  4. Barros RG, Lima PF, Soares ACS, Sanches L, Price CA, Buratini J. Fibroblast growth factor 2 regulates cumulus differentiation under the control of the oocyte. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. 2019;36(5):905-913. doi: 10.1007/s10815-019-01436-7
  5. Chandra V, Sharma GT. In vitro strategies to enhance oocyte developmental competence. Frontiers in Bioscience (Scholar edition). 2020;12(1):116-136. doi: 10.2741/S543
  6. Du C, Davis JS, Chen C, Li Z, Cao Y, Sun H, Shao BS, Lin YX, Wang YS, Yang LG, Hua GH. FGF2/FGFR signaling promotes cumulus-oocyte complex maturation in vitro. Reproduction. 2021;161(2):205-214. doi: 10.1530/REP-20-0264
  7. Holubcová Z, Kyjovská D, Martonová M, Páralová D, Klenková T, Kloudová S. Human egg maturity  assessment  and  its  clinical  Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2019;150. doi: 10.3791/60058
  8. Jiang Y, He Y, Pan X, Wang P, Yuan X, Ma B. Advances in oocyte maturation in vivo and  in  vitro in mammals. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(10):9059. doi: 10.3390/ijms24109059
  9. Kanke T, Fujii W, Naito K, Sugiura K. Effect of fibroblast growth factor signaling on cumulus  expansion  in  mice in vitro. Molecular Reproduction and Development. 2022;89(7):281-289. doi: 10.1002/mrd.23616
  10. Kumar S, Singla SK, Manik R, Palta P, Chauhan MS. Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) on cumulus cell expansion, in vitro embryo production and gene expression in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Reproductive Biology. 2020;20(4):501-511. doi: 10.1016/j.repbio.2020.08.003
  11. Menchaca A. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and genome editing to support a sustainable livestock. Animal Reproduction. 2023;20(2):e20230074. doi: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2023-0074
  12. Mikkola M, Desmet KLJ, Kommisrud E, Riegler MA. Recent advancements to increase success in  assisted reproductive technologies in cattle. Animal Reproduction. 2024;21(3):e20240031. doi: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2024-0031
  13. Mondal S, Mor A, Reddy IJ, Nandi S, Parameswaragupta PS. Effect of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and insulin transferrin selenium (ITS) on in vitro maturation, fertilization and embryo development in sheep. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology. 2015;58(4):521-525. doi: 10.1590/S1516-8913201500059
  14. Rosenbaum Bartkova A,  Nemcova  L,  Strejcek F, Gad A, Kinterova V, Morovic M, Benc M, Prochazka R, Laurincik J. Impact of media supplements FGF2, LIF and IGF1 on the genome activity of porcine embryos produced in vitro. Scientific Reports. 2024;14(1):7081. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-57865-7
  15. Stoecklein KS, Ortega MS, Spate LD, Murphy CN, Prather RS. Improved cryopreservation of in vitro produced bovine embryos using FGF2, LIF, and IGF1. PLoS One. 2021;16(2):e0243727. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243727
  16. Vailes MT, McCoski SR,  Wooldridge LK, Reese ST, Pohler KG, Roper D.A, Mercadante VR, Ealy AD. Post-transfer outcomes in cultured bovine embryos supplemented with epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, and insulin-like growth factor 1. Theriogenology. 2019;124:1- doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.09.023
  17. Yuan Y, Spate LD,  Redel BK,  Tian Y, Zhou J, Prather RS, Roberts RM. Quadrupling efficiency  in  production  of  genetically  modified  pigs through improved oocyte maturation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2017;114(29):E5796- doi: 10.1073/pnas.1703998114
  18. Zhang K, Ealy AD. Supplementing fibroblast growth factor 2 during bovine oocyte in vitro maturation promotes subsequent embryonic development. Open Journal of Animal Sciences. 2012;02(02):119- doi: 10.4236/ojas.2012.22017

Information about the authors:

Anastasia S Zhukova, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Senior Researcher, Head of the Laboratory of Embryonic Technologies, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, 60 Dubrovitsy village, Podolsk City district, Moscow region, 142132, mobile: 8-9165740148.

Alexander V Lopukhov, Researcher, Laboratory of Embryonic Technologies, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, 60 Dubrovitsy village, Podolsk City district, Moscow region, 142132, mobile: 8-9151499074.

The article was submitted 26.10.2025; approved after reviewing 17.11.2025; accepted for publication 15.12.2025.

Download