Antioxidant supplementation during in vitro maturation

Abstract

During in vitro maturation (IVM), oocytes are exposed to different situations from in vivo which may cause oxidative stress. Supplementation of antioxidants to the culture media is effective in as antioxidant defences against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antioxidant is safe, it has some side effects. This is reviewed in this paper. Studies reported, supplementation antioxidant with different dose showed different effects. Double-edged effects of exogenous antioxidants on cellular responses during in vitro maturation depending potentially on their concentrations. Physiologic doses leading to beneficial effects whereas high doses may result in harmful effects.

Keywords

• antioxidant, in vitro maturation, infertility, oocyte, reactive oxygen species (ros)