TEACHING
COURSE STRUCTURE
Online lectures
- Spermiogram and micorsopy (2 hours). Lecturer Prof Peter Chenoweth
- Advanced sperm analysis (4 hours). Lecturer Prof Diego Bucci
- "In vitro" embryo production 1 (3 hours). Lecturer Prof Barbara Merlo
- "In vitro" embryo production 2 (3 hours). Lecturer Prof Eleonora Iacono
Laboratory activities
- Advanced sperm analysis (12 hours). Prof Diego Bucci
- "In vitro" embryo production 1 (12 hours). Prof Barbara Merlo
- "In vitro" embryo production 2 (12 hours). prof Eleonora Iacono
E-learning
Insights and exercises on practice and lectures. Prof Diego Bucci
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The objective of this course is to develop and update basic and advancedknowledge of the veterinarian, the tecnician specialist in animal production, thebiologist and the biotechnologist in the field of advanced semen analysis andmanipulation of gametes, with particular attention to the following thematicareas: advanced spermiogram through the use of computerized systems for thedetermination of the concentration and motility; microscopic evaluation ofsperm morphology; flow cytometric analysis; in vitro embryo production usingthe bovine species as a model (ex vivo oocyte collection, in vitro maturation,conventional in vitro fertilization, in vitro culture of embryos).
Lectures
At the end of the teaching the student will acquire knowledge relating to the functioning of the instruments, the techniques of laboratory analysis and the techniques of interpretation of the data produced by the instruments for semen analysis lectures. At the end of "in vitro embryo production" lectures, the student will know oocyte pick up techniques in the veterinary field, oocyte classification and selection ; in vitro maturation with particular reference to the processes that occur during this phase and to the preparation of the media used. The student will aslo know methods of preparation of the semen for in vitro fertilization, conventional in vitro fertilization technique, in vitro embryo culture, and the embryo classification with particular reference to the recognition of the development stages and the evaluation of the qualitative degree of the embryos .
Laboratory practices
At the end of the practices the student will acquire:
- competences and skills related to advanced analysis of semen using computerized methods, CASA for motility and cytofluorimetric analysis of various sperm parameters.
- competences and skills related to ex vivo oocyte pick up methods and in vitro maturation using the bovine model. In particular, the teaching will be focuse on the acquisition of skills for oocyte collection from bovine ovaries using different techniques, searching and selecting oocytes for in vitro maturation, preparation of plates for maturation and morphological evaluation
- competences and skills relating to sperm preparation methods for in vitro fertilization and in vitro embryo culture using the bovine as a model. In particular, the teaching will be focused on selection of spermatozoa for in vitro fertilization with different methods, preparation of wells for co-incubation of gametes, culture of presumed zygotes, preparation of culture plates and morpho-qualitative evaluation of the embryos.
E-learning
At the end of the teaching module the student will acquire knowledge drawn from the most up-to-date scientific bibliography concerning the general topics of the course. Furthermore, the student will acquire skills related to the preparation of a cytofluorimetric analysis of seminal material and the interpretation of the results with analysis software. Finally, the student will acquire skills to carry out a morpho-qualitative evaluation of embryos.