title: The protective action of polyvinylpyrrolidone-Percoll during the cryopreservation of mouse 2-cell embryos and its effect on subsequent developmental potential post-thaw in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: The effects of cryopreservation, in media containing (FS3+) or omitting (FS3) polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in the form of Percoll (PVP-Percoll), on the survival of 2-cell mouse embryos was studied. Survival and zona pellucida disruption post-thaw, growth (assessed by in-vitro culture until the blastocyst stage) and development in vivo (assessed by implantation and living fetus rates and the birth of live progeny) were all investigated. Initial post-thaw survival showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between FS3+ (91.1 +/- 9.8%) and FS3 (84.5 +/- 6.6%). However, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the incidence of zona damage when the freezing solution contained PVP-Percoll compared to the control (3.6 +/- 1.0 and 8.7 +/- 0.6% respectively) and a statistically significant (P < 0.05) greater number of embryos developing in vitro to the blastocyst stage (84.8 +/- 7.1 and 72.3 +/- 6.1% respectively). The rates of implantation were not significantly different: 72.2 +/- 7.0% for FS3+ and 51.2 +/- 30.7% for the non-frozen control group. The percentage of live fetuses was also similar between the experimental and control groups: 27.4 +/- 10.6 and 24.3 +/- 11.3% respectively. We conclude that the presence of polymers can protect embryos against cryoinjury and that PVP in the form of PVP-Percoll provides a non-toxic alternative to PVP in its native form, during the cryopreservation of mouse 2-cell embryos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology, University of Hull, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Titterington
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D015925:Cryopreservation; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D046508:Culture Techniques; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011205:Povidone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; C016039:Percoll; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone