The in vitro and in vivo development of goat embryos produced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection using tail-cut spermatozoa

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a novel intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure, as well as the in vitro and in vivo developmental competence of goat embryos produced by ICSI. Oocyte-cumulus complexes recovered by LOPU from donors stimulated with gonadotrophins were matured in vitro. Fresh goat semen was used for ICSI following Percoll gradient washing. Tail-cut spermatozoa were microinjected into the ooplasm of goat oocytes using a piezo micropipette-driving system (PiezoDrill). In order to assess developmental competence, the ICSI-derived zygotes were cultured in one of two media systems (mTALP-mKSOM vs G1.3-G2.3) for in vitro development or were transferred into recipients for full-term development. The results suggest that cutting sperm tails using the oocyte-holding pipette coupled with the PiezoDrill is an efficient approach for goat ICSI in terms of oocyte survival, pronuclear development and initial cleavage. The mTALP-mKSOM culture system was more suitable for in vitro development of ICSI-derived goat embryos than G1.3-G2.3. This first report of full-term development of an ICSI-derived goat embryo suggests that ICSI can be applied to assisted reproduction in goats.