ROLE OF SMART MEDIUM SUPPLEMENTED WITH FOLLICULAR FLUID IN IN VITRO MATURATION FOR SHEEP IMMATURE OOCYTES RECOVERED FROM XENOTRANSPLANTED OVARIAN TISSUE CORTEX.

Background:- Ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for fertility preservation, the original indication was to restore fertility to young women who undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer, and theyface serious consequences to their reproductive health and severely affect the ovarian follicular store.However, there is an increasing public awareness of its availability as a potential fertility preservation strategy for those at risk. Objective:- To assess in vitro maturation (IVM) for sheep oocytes recovered from immature follicles using SMART medium enriched with follicular fluid (FF) using xenotransplanted ovarian tissue cortex inside body of female mice injected with or without different hormonal stimulation protocols. Material and Methods:- Seventy five healthy and maturefemale mice were anesthesized and a small slit was made in the abdomen and peritoneum from one side of the body, follicular fluid (FF) was aspiratedfrom sheep ovarian follicles and small piece (2*2 mm in area and 1mm in thickness) of the sheep ovariantissue(OT) were transplanted to the inner side of the peritonium with the abdominal wall, then femalemice were classified into two groups. Group A: control.Group B:underhormonal programs.For stimulation follicular development intraperitoneally injection with PMSG 15 IU daily for 3 days, and PMSG 10 IU with HCG 10 IU in the fourth day, in the fifth day HCG 10 IU was given only.After 6days, the sheep ovarian cortex was recovered from mice then oocytes were collected by slicing for in vitro maturation (IVM) and classified into three groups. Group1: oocytes with SMART medium alone (control group).Group2: oocytes with SMART medium enriched with 5% F.F. and lastly Group3: oocytes with SMART medium supplied with 10% F.F. Follicular growth, quality ofretrieved ova and histological changes fortransplanted OT were assessed. Results:- The results of this study demonstrated significant (P <0.05) differences in the number of oocytes between group G2 as compared to groupG1, as control group, (p = 0.024) in group A, Furthermore, group G3 revealed highly significant differences (p< 0.001) were assessed among each two groups of the present study. In group B, the numbers of retrieved ova have significant differences for the group G2 and group G1, as control group, in the present study where (p = 0.036), (p = 0.048) respectively, when compared to groups G3 with group G1. A high significant between group G2 comparing G3 (P <0.001) was noticed. Conclusions:- From results of the present study it was concluded that an in vitro maturation for sheep oocytes is possible from xenotransplanted ovarian cortex tissue within mouse peritonium. Further histobiochemical studies are recommended to investigate role of apoptosis in the production of sheep oocytes recovered from xenotransplanted ovarian cortex.