Acta Vet. Brno 2026, 95: 127-134

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb202695020127

Does the dominant follicle affect ovum pick-up and in vitro embryo production outcomes?

Muhammed Furkan Ciftci1, Ömer Faruk Yesilkaya1, Maide Gölbası2, Ayse Sarı3, Sakine Ülküm Cizmeci1, Dursun Ali Dinc1

1Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Konya, Türkiye
2Muğla Sıtkı Kocman University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Muğla, Türkiye
3Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Konya, Türkiye

Received December 15, 2025
Accepted June 15, 2026

References

1. Aguila L, Treulen F, Therrien J, Felmer R, Valdivia M, Smith LC 2020: Oocyte selection for in vitro embryo production in bovine species: Noninvasive approaches for new challenges of oocyte competence. Animals 10: 2196 <https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122196>
2. Alkan KK, Satilmis F, Sonmez G, Deniz YE, Culha MH, Ciftci MF, Alkan H 2025: Putrescine supplementation improves the developmental competence of in vitro produced bovine embryos. Theriogenology 231: 133-143 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.10.017>
3. Azari-Dolatabad N, Benedetti C, Velez DA, Montoro AF, Sadeghi H, Residiwati G, Pascottini OB 2023: Oocyte developmental capacity is influenced by intrinsic ovarian factors in a bovine model for individual embryo production. Anim Reprod Sci 249: 107185 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107185>
4. Beg MA, Ginther OJ 2006: Follicle selection in cattle and horses: role of intrafollicular factors. Reproduction 132: 365-377 <https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.1.01233>
5. GA, Mapletoft RJ 2013: Evaluation and classification of bovine embryos. Anim Reprod 10: 344-348
6. Cobo AC, Requena A, Neuspiller F, Aragonés M, Mercader A, Navarro J, Pellicer A 1999: Maturation in vitro of human oocytes from unstimulated cycles: Selection of the optimal day for ovum retrieval based on follicular size. Hum Reprod 14: 1864-1868 <https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/14.7.1864>
7. Çiftçi MF, Yeşilkaya ÖF, Çizmeci SÜ, Gölbaşı M, Sarı A, Dinç DA 2025: Effect on OPU/IVEP success of different applications for synchronizing follicular waves prior to superstimulation in Holstein heifers. Arch Anim Breed 68: 101-107 <https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-68-101-2025>
8. Del Collado M, Andrade GM, Meirelles FV, da Silveira JC, Perecin F 2018: Contributions from the ovarian follicular environment to oocyte function. Anim Reprod 15: 261 <https://doi.org/10.21451/1984-3143-AR2018-0082>
9. Fernandes T, Adona PR, Guemra S, Bem THCD, Miranda MDS 2020: Oocyte recovery and in vitro embryo production in cows treated with a single dose of follicle-stimulating hormone. Turk J Vet Anim Sci 44: 151-155 <https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-1907-109>
10. Garcia-Guerra A, Wiltbank MC, Battista SE, Kirkpatrick BW, Sartori R 2018: Mechanisms regulating follicle selection in ruminants: lessons learned from multiple ovulation models. Anim Reprod 15: 660 <https://doi.org/10.21451/1984-3143-AR2018-0027>
11. Ghanem N, Hölker M, Rings F, Jennen D, Tholen E, Sirard MA, Tesfaye D 2007: Alterations in transcript abundance of bovine oocytes recovered at growth and dominance phases of the first follicular wave. BMC Dev Biol 7: 90 <https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-213X-7-90>
12. Hagemann LJ 1999: Influence of the dominant follicle on oocytes from subordinate follicles. Theriogenology 51: 449-459 <https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(98)00239-8>
13. Hayden CB, Sala RV, Absalón-Medina VA, Motta JC, Pereira D, Moreno JF, García-Guerra A 2022: Synchronization of follicle wave emergence before ovarian superstimulation with FSH and ovum pick-up improves in vitro embryo production in pregnant heifers. Theriogenology 188: 71-78 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.05.017>
14. Hendriksen PJM, Steenweg WNM, Harkema JC, Merton JS, Bevers MM, Vos PLAM, Dieleman SJ 2004: Effect of different stages of the follicular wave on in vitro developmental competence of bovine oocytes. Theriogenology 61: 909-920 <https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(03)00278-4>
15. Huang Y, Zhang H, Mei C, Yang M, Zhao S, Zhu H, Wang Y 2023: Phenotypic and genetic analyses of in vitro embryo production traits in Chinese Holstein cattle. Animals 13: 3539 <https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223539>
16. Kanitz W 2003: Follicular dynamic and ovulation in cattle–a review. Arch Anim Breed 46: 187-198 <https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-46-187-2003>
17. Krishna NV, Rao MM, Veerabramhaiah K, Kumar RS, Raghavendra NS, Yasaswini D 2023: Effect of FSH stimulation prior to ovum pick-up on follicular dynamics, oocyte competence, and in vitro embryo production in Ongole cows (Bos indicus). J Anim Feed Sci 32: 354-362 <https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/162646/2023>
18. Latorraca LB, Galvão A, D’Augero JM, Kelsey G, Alrabiah NA, Fair T 2025: The dominant follicle: the final frontier in bovine oocyte development. Anim Reprod 22: e20250071 <https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-3143-ar2025-0071>
19. Lu C, Feng Y, Li Z, Shi D, Lu F 2025: Metabolic characteristics of follicular fluid in cows: A review. Anim Reprod Sci 279: 107872 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.107872>
20. Marei WF, De Bie J, Xhonneux I, Andries S, Britt JH, Leroy JL 2022: Metabolic and antioxidant status during transition is associated with changes in the granulosa cell transcriptome in the preovulatory follicle in high-producing dairy cows at the time of breeding. J Dairy Sci 105: 6956-6972 <https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21928>
21. McEvoy MJ, McAfee M, Hession JA, Creedon L 2022: A mathematical model of estradiol production from ultrasound data for bovine ovarian follicles. Cells 11: 3908 <https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11233908>
22. Mohammed AA, Al-Suwaiegh S, Al-Shaheen T 2019: Effects of follicular fluid components on oocyte maturation and embryo development in vivo and in vitro. Adv Anim Vet Sci 7: 346-355 <https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.aavs/2019/7.5.346.355>
23. Motta JC, Hayden CB, Sala RV, Ross PJ, García-Guerra A 2024: Advances in synchronization and superstimulation for OPU/IVEP: optimizing oocyte quantity and quality. Reprod Fertil Dev 37: 1-19
24. Petyim S, Båge R, Hallap T, Bergqvist AS, Rodrı́guez-Martı́nez H, Larsson B 2003: Two different schemes of twice-weekly ovum pick-up in dairy heifers: effect on oocyte recovery and ovarian function. Theriogenology 60: 175-188 <https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(02)01363-8>
25. Pytel AT, Żyżyńska-Galeńska K, Gajewski Z, Papis K 2024: Factors defining developmental competence of bovine oocytes collected for in vitro embryo production. Biol Reprod 111: 1-10 <https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioae065>
26. Read CC, Edwards L, Schrick N, Rhinehart JD, Payton RR, Campagna SR, Moorey SE 2021: Correlation between pre-ovulatory follicle diameter and follicular fluid metabolome profiles in lactating beef cows. Metabolites 11: 623 <https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11090623>
27. Romero S, Pella R, Escudero F, Pérez Y, García M, Orihuela P 2018: Occurrence of ovarian follicular dominance during stimulation for IVM impacts usable blastocyst yield. JBRA Assist Reprod 22: 56
28. Saleem M, Yousuf MR, Ghafoor A, Riaz A 2022: Effect of three schemes of ovum pick-up on the follicular dynamics, gene expression, and in-vitro developmental competence of oocytes in Sahiwal cattle. Reprod Domest Anim 57: 1230-1243 <https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.14198>
29. Sarvari A, Niasari-Naslaji A, Shirazi A, Heidari B, Boroujeni SB, Moradi MH, Dehghan MM 2024: Effect of intra-ovarian injection of mesenchymal stem cells or its conditioned media on repeated OPU-IVEP outcomes in Jersey heifers and its relationship with follicular fluid inflammatory markers. Avicenna J Med Biotechnol 16: 16
30. Stout TAE 2020: Clinical application of in vitro embryo production in the horse. J Equine Vet Sci 89: 103011 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103011>
31. Velazquez MA 2023: Nutritional strategies to promote bovine oocyte quality for ın vitro embryo production: Do they really work? Vet Sci 10: 604
32. Vennapureddy S, Arunakumari G, Reddy KC, Reddy KR, Ambica G 2022: Effect of FSH stimulation of ovaries on in vitro maturation of Sahiwal oocytes collected by ovum pick-up (OPU) method. Indian J Anim Res 58: 395-400
33. Watanabe YF, de Souza AH, Mingoti RD, Ferreira RM, Batista EOS, Dayan A, Baruselli PS 2017: Number of oocytes retrieved per donor during OPU and its relationship with in vitro embryo production and field fertility following embryo transfer. Anim Reprod 14: 635-644 <https://doi.org/10.21451/1984-3143-AR1008>
front cover
  • ISSN 0001-7213 (printed)
  • ISSN 1801-7576 (electronic)

Current issue

Archive