title: Cryogenic protection of oocytes with antifreeze proteins.
abstract: Proteins belonging to a family of compounds known as "antifreeze proteins" interact with oocytes and protect the oolemma from damage at cryogenic temperatures. Experiments were performed with pig oocytes rapidly cooled to cryogenic temperatures in vitrifying solutions with and without antifreeze proteins. Four different types of antifreeze polypeptides and glycoproteins were tested. The integrity of the oolemma was examined with Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA) staining and morphological examinations. Results show that the pig oocyte oolemma is a primary site of injury during exposure to low temperatures and that all the different proteins have a similar ability to interact with and protect the oolemma. Our results may be important in developing solutions for long-term preservation of oocytes at cryogenic temperatures (cryopreservation).
authors.affiliation: Instituto di Fisiologia Veterinaria, Facolta di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arav
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rubinsky
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005615:Freezing; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006023:Glycoproteins; C018506:diacetylfluorescein