The development of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is based on the application of advanced molecular biology and cell biology techniques, including the analysis of gene expression, transcriptional profile and proteomics research of bovine oocytes and embryos. The aim of numerous experiments is to select candidate genes, whose expression and regulation affects the quality of oocytes and embryos. Currently, by using modern techniques of molecular biology it is possible to determine the quality of oocytes in terms of their capacity for maturation, fertilization and proper embryo development in preimplantation stages. However, the molecular genetics methods used for assessing the quality of gametes and embryos are invasive and lead to a partial or complete loss of cell viability. Therefore, it is very important now to search for new, non-invasive methods which would make it possible to analyze several parameters of cells without their destabilization. The lab-on-a-chip system based on the microfluidic technology and recent developments in microengineering constitutes a chemical or biotechnological laboratory in micro scale. The application of this system for the analysis of bovine oocyte and embryo quality represents a fusion between reproductive biology and optoelectronics. To date there has only been scarce research in this area, which has, nevertheless, demonstrated that the analyses based on this system are non-invasive and objective. The analysis of oocyte and embryo quality based on the lab-on-a-chip system, which reveals spectral characteristics of the cells may be an important element in research on their developmental potential. This article presents several aspects of the evaluation of bovine oocyte and embryo quality, including methods used for the analysis of cell developmental potential and competence.
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