Effects of different voltages and pulse durations on caprine tetraploid embryo production

A study was aimed to optimize the electrofusion parameters for generation of caprine tetraploid in vitro fertilized embryos. Freshly recovered 2-cell goat in vitro fertilized embryos were submitted to electrofusion with varying voltages (1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 kV/cm) and time duration (2, 4 and 6 μ sec) combinations to produce tetraploid goat embryos. Fused embryos were cultured in RVCL (Research vitro cleave) media further for 8 to 12 days for subsequent embryo development. Fusion, cleavage and blastocyst rate at voltage 1.2kV/cm for 4 μ sec duration was significantly higher (P<0.05) than other groups. It was also observed that less than one third of electrofused embryos bore deviation from the expected ploidy. It was concluded that optimum condition for electrofusion of goat fertilized 2-cell embryos to produce goat tetraploid embryos is 1.2 kV/cm for 4 μ sec so as to get maximum number of fused and cleaved goat embryos.