Human exhaled air can efficiently support maturation of porcine oocytes and subsequent early embryonic development.

Air phase is an indispensable environmental factor affecting oocyte maturation and early embryo development. Human exhaled air was previously proved to be a reliable and inexpensive atmosphere that sustains normal early development of mouse and bovine embryos. However, whether human exhaled air can support maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes is not yet known. To evaluate the feasibility of maturing oocytes in human exhaled air, we examined oocyte morphology, expression, nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. We found that cumulus expansion status, expression levels of important for cumulus expansion and the rate of first polar body emission were similar among human exhaled air, 5% O or 20% O in air after IVM of 44 h. Furthermore, the percentage of metaphase II (MII) oocytes showing normal cortical and sub-membranous localization of cortical granules and diffused mitochondrial distribution patterns is comparable among groups. The cleavage, blastocyst rate and total cell number were not apparently different for parthenogenetic activated and somatic cloned embryos derived from MII oocytes matured in three air phases, suggesting oocytes matured in human exhaled air obtain normal developmental competence. Taken together, human exhaled air can efficiently support maturation of porcine oocytes and subsequent early embryonic development.