Abstract

Carbohydrates are among the most influential of the numerous components of culture medium that affect metabolism and developmental potential. Glucose, lactate and pyruvate are required for the growth of oocytes and other follicular cellsin vitro. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different concentrations of glucose, lactate and pyruvate on promoting DNA synthesis of granulosa cells in a serum-free medium. Effects of glucose (0.75, 1.5 or 3 mM), pyruvate (0.1 or 0.33 mM) and L-lactate (3, 6 or 12 mM) concentrations in the maturation medium on the relative granulosa cell growth during metaphase II (MII) were examined in a 3 × 2 × 3 factorial design. The greatest relative granulosa cell growth response (p<0.05) was observed in the presence of 1.5 mM glucose and 0.33 mM pyruvate or in 6 mM lactate and 0.33 mM pyruvate. Increasing pyruvate concentrations from 0.1 to 0.33 mM resulted in an increase in DNA synthesis in granulosa cells. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that increasing glucose and pyruvate concentrations in the maturation medium increased the growth of goat granulosa cells.

Key word: Energy substrate, granulosa cell growth, methyl-³H-thymidine, goat.