{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,3]],"date-time":"2026-10-03T03:40:15Z","timestamp":1790998815419,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,18]],"date-time":"2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758153600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007229","name":"Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GOA030-18"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GOA030-18"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007229","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003130","name":"Research Foundation Flanders","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1228821N"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1228821N"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003130","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003130","name":"Research Foundation Flanders","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["12A2H24N"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["12A2H24N"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003130","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>We evaluated the impact of follicular fluid-derived small extracellular vesicles (FF-sEVs) supplementation during oocyte maturation in vitro on bovine embryo outcomes, comparing group and individual culture systems.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Follicular fluid was aspirated from dominant follicles of four nulliparous Holstein heifers at 4.5 days post-ovulation. Small extracellular vesicles were isolated, characterized, and pooled to ensure balanced donor contribution. To confirm uptake, FF-sEVs were fluorescently labelled and co-cultured with cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) during <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> maturation. Fluorescent labelling confirmed FF-sEVs internalization by oocytes and granulosa cells. Next, COCs were matured <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> with FF-sEVs at varying concentrations (group system: 0, 5, 10, 25, 50\u202f\u03bcg\/mL; individual system: 0, 6.5, 12.5, 25\u202f\u03bcg\/mL), fertilized, and cultured. Blastocyst quality was assessed via differential-apoptotic staining.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>In group culture, the control group exhibited higher day 8 blastocyst rates compared to 10, 25, and 50\u202f\u03bcg\/mL FF-sEVs groups, while 5 \u03bcg\/mL FF-sEVs showed no difference. Blastocysts developed from oocytes matured in 25 and 50\u202f\u03bcg\/mL groups had reduced total cell numbers versus controls and groups matured in lower FF-sEVs concentrations. Conversely, individual maturation with 6.5\u202f\u03bcg\/mL FF-sEVs enhanced day 8 blastocyst rate, total cell counts, inner cell mass, and reduced apoptotic ratios compared to all other groups.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion and conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>We propose that intercellular communication in group cultures, potentially mediated by endogenous embryotropins (including sEVs), may mask FF-sEVs benefits. In individual systems, where such interactions are absent (or minimal), FF-sEVs significantly improved embryo competence. These findings underscore FF-sEVs as a promising tool to refine assisted reproductive technologies, contingent on culture conditions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1644542","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,18]],"date-time":"2025-09-18T04:14:05Z","timestamp":1758168845000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Follicular fluid-derived small extracellular vesicles during individual in vitro maturation improve blastocyst development"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Nima","family":"Azari-Dolatabad","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Davoud","family":"Eshghi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Camilla","family":"Benedetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Fernandez Montoro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Xie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabiola","family":"Le Graffric Molto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah E.","family":"Moorey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"An","family":"Hendrix","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Geert","family":"Opsomer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jo L. 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