Fertilization in vitro of Saimiri sciureus follicular oocytes.

An in vitro fertilization system was developed for the squirrel monkey. Oocytes recovered from follicles of gonadotropin-treated females and cultured in vitro with spermatozoa resulted in fertilized ova capable of developing to the four-cell stage in culture. In total, 264 follicular oocytes were recovered from 922 follicles in 38 Saimiri sciureus. Seventy-nine developed to the first polar body stage, and 32 of the 79 were fertilized in vitro.