Time-lapse imaging and software to monitor and predict embryonic health and viability

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Canadian cattle industry generates over $ 40 billion annually, through direct and indirect revenue. While the Canadian dairy industry is a key driver of our national economy and represents one of the largest agri-food industries in the country, Canada's export of red meat and livestock is the highest in the world. To maintain this competitive edge, improvements in the reproductive biotechnologies are imperative as they ensure faster multiplication of germplasm as well as higher productivity. ******The biggest question facing bovine embryologists today is, which embryo should I transfer back into a cow or which embryo should be assigned for preservation so that it is robust enough to face the hardship and rigours of cryopreservation? Unfortunately, there is still no definite answer for this question. Conventional methods of embryo selection are still dependent on morphological evaluation and this procedure is still related to higher levels of early embryonic failures and productivity losses in cattle. Invasive methods of embryo selection like embryo biopsy, embryo karyotyping etc. have been evaluated but their effect on improving the selection process is still highly debated. ******A new method of embryo selection, which combines assessment of morphology with cleavage kinetics has been recently developed and this method banks on assessing the timing of specific events such as pronuclear formation, syngamy, early cleavage events, cell cycle intervals, synchronicity of cell division and initiation of blastocyst formation through a non-invasive approach. This is done by culturing embryos in a personalized chamber with its own time-lapse imaging system so that timing of each morphogenetic event (cleavage, morula formation, blastocyst formation) can be monitored, documented and timing between these events (inter-cleavage intervals) can be analysed for each embryo. Application of this technique in human labs has yielded very promising results however, such a technique has not been applied for evaluation of bovine embryos as yet. We intend to be the first lab in the world to use this apparatus for bovine embryo evaluation and test if we can select embryos for their developmental competence, viability and health. The aim of this proposal therefore is to improve the current understanding of time-lapse monitoring in a bovine IVF laboratory and to discuss the evidence regarding morpho-kinetics as a predictive method for blastocyst formation, embryo viability and developmental competence in bovine. **