en 36504564 <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Backgrounds:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of bioactive materials derived from Menstrual Blood Stem Cells (MenSCs) to the oocyte maturation medium may improve the quality of bovine embryos <em>in vitro</em>. </span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Methods:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> MenSCs were collected from 6 healthy women (between 26 and 36 years old) and after 3 days of culture, their bioactive materials were frozen. The bovine </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:white">Cumulus-Oocyte-Complexes</span> (COCs) were aspirated from ovarian slaughterhouse and the oocytes with more than three layers of cumulus cells were cultured <em>in vitro</em> in media supplemented with (treatment) and without (control) 10% MenSCs&rsquo; bioactive materials. After IVM/IVF, the presumptive zygotes were cultured for 8 days. </span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Results:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> The blastocyst rate on day 8 in treatment group was higher than control (40.2&plusmn;1.9 <em>vs.</em> 23&plusmn;4.2.3, p=0.001). The ratio of </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:white">Trophectoderm</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:white">&nbsp;(TE) and&nbsp;Inner Cell Mass (ICM)</span> (ICM/TE) cells was also greater in treatment group compared to control (30.3&plusmn;2 <em>vs.</em> 14.9&plusmn;1; p=0.001). The re-expansion of vitrified blastocysts, 24 hours after warming, in treatment group was higher than control (93.3&plusmn;2.5 <em>vs.</em> 66.2&plusmn;8.8; p=0.01). The expression of some genes related to pluripotency and implantation (<em>OCT4, CDX2</em>, and <em>IFNT</em>) were increased in treatment group compared to control (p&lt;0/05). </span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Conclusion:</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> In conclusion, the addition of MenSCs&rsquo; bioactive materials during <em>in vitro</em> maturation of bovine oocytes could improve the quantity and quality of bovine IVP embryos. Also, the expression of some genes associated with pluripotency and implantation in the blastocyst would be increased.</span></span></p> Bovine, Embryo, In vitro production, IVM, Menstrual blood stem cells 287 293 https://www.ajmb.org/En/Article.aspx?id=60516 https://www.ajmb.org/PDF/En/FullText/60516.pdf Mohammad SobhanAmini Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran91922Mohammad MehdiNaderi334AbolfazlShiraziReproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran82MehdiAminafsharDepartment of Animal Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran91923SaraBorjian BoroujeniReproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran337MostafaPournourali Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran91924AliMalekpour Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran91925