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The present studies were designed to determine the effect of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) during meiosis or after in vitro fertilization on early embryonic development of porcine embryos. The presence of purified ovine TIMP-1 in culture medium after in vitro fertilization did not affect the incidence of embryo cleavage or development to the blastocyst stage at 48 h or 6 days after insemination, respectively. In contrast, when various concentrations (1.25, 2.50 and 5.00 μg/ml) of purified ovine TIMP-1 were added to the culture medium during the second half (24 h) of oocyte maturation, normal cleavage rates (64 ± 3% at 1.25 μg/ml, 57 ± 5% at 2.50 μg/ml and 56 ± 1% at 5.00 μg/ml) were higher (p