title: Large equine blastocysts are damaged by vitrification procedures.
abstract: Viability following vitrification of equine blastocysts with different sizes was investigated in vitro. Twenty-four blastocysts were classified into three groups according to their diameters (< 200 microns, 200-300 microns and > 300 microns; n = 8 each). The solution used for vitrification was defined as EFS and contained 40% ethylene glycol, 18% Ficoll and 0.3 M sucrose in modified-phosphate-buffered saline (m-PBS). During pretreatment with 20% ethylene glycol in m-PBS for 20 min, the larger blastocysts responded to the osmotic pressure caused by 20% ethylene glycol more slowly than the smaller blastocysts. Single blastocysts were loaded into the EFS in 0.25-mL straws, left to stand for 1 min and vitrified in nitrogen vapour. After thawing for 20 s in water (20 degrees C), a fractured zona pellucida or capsule was seen in: 1 of 8 blastocysts < 200 microns in diameter; 1 of 8 blastocysts 200-300 microns in diameter; and 2 of 8 blastocysts > 300 microns in diameter. When the blastocysts were cultured for 48 h in TCM199 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2 in air, 7 of 8 (88%) blastocysts < 200 microns in diameter and 6 of 8 (75%) blastocysts 200-300 microns in diameter developed with re-expansion of the blastocoele. However, the developmental ability of blastocysts > 300 microns in diameter (2 of 8, 25%) was significantly lower than that of blastocysts < 200 microns in diameter (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production and Agricultural Economics, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hochi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oguri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D019855:Ethylene Glycol; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000196:embryology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D019855:Ethylene Glycol