Research Paper Volume 14, Issue 14 pp 5628—5640

Figure 2. Effects of resveratrol treatment on fertility in aging mice. Ovulation was induced at proestrous stage after 47 weeks of resveratrol (Res) treatment by using hCG injection. At 15 hours after hCG administration, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were obtained from oviduct ampulla. COCs were inseminated with sperm collected from fertile male mice. At 16 hours after culture, 2-cell stage embryos were collected and allowed to develop to the blastocyst stage by additional 72 hours of culture. After embryo culture, blastocysts from each animal were transfer to independent recipient mouse. At 19 days after oocyte retrieval, Caesarian section was performed to count the number of implantation sites and live offspring. For young controls, ICR mice at 6 weeks of age were used. (A) Number of ovulated oocytes. The number of ovulated oocytes was determined by removal of cumulus cells surrounding oocytes after insemination under the stereomicroscope (n = 8 animals). (B) Fertilization rate (2-cell stage embryos/ovulated oocytes) (n = 6^*–8 animals, 33–115.2-cell stage embryos per groups). ^*, two mice in control group and one mouse in Res 22 weeks group did not ovulate. (C) Blastocyst formation rate (blastocysts/2-cell stage embryos) (n = 4^*–8 animals, 28–105 blastocysts per groups). ^*, oocytes retrieved from two mice in each control and Res 12 and 22 weeks group did not fertilize. (D) Implantation rate (implanted blastocysts/transferred blastocysts) (n = 4–7^* animals, 7–95 implanted blastocysts per groups). ^*, 2-cell stage embryos derived from one mouse in each Res 1 and 22 weeks group were arrested to develop prior blastocyst stage. (E) live offspring rate (live offspring/transferred blastocysts) (n = 4–7 animals, 3–61 live offspring per groups). (F) abortion rate (1- live offspring/transferred blastocysts). (G) representative images of live offspring and placentas from Res 22 weeks group. After Caesarian section, the offspring were nursed by foster mothers to evaluate their healthiness and mated at 8 weeks of age to confirm their fertility. (H) the offspring at 10 days after Caesarian section, (I) the offspring with pups. Bars represent means ± SE. a, b p < 0.05 vs. controls.