title: Short term maintenance of sheep preantral follicles in situ in 0.9% saline and Braun-Collins solution.
abstract: The present study has investigated the efficiency of 0.9% saline solution and Braun-Collins solution in the preservation of sheep preantral follicles in situ, at different temperatures and different incubation periods. The ovaries were divided into 19 fragments for each animal. One ovarian fragment was taken randomly and immediately fixed for histology (control-time zero). The other 18 ovarian fragments were randomly distributed in tubes containing 2ml of 0.9% saline solution or Braun-Collins solution at 4, 20 or 39 degrees C for 4, 12 or 24h. A total of 1629, 208 and 63 primordial, primary and secondary follicles were examined, respectively. Histological analysis showed that the storage of ovarian fragments in both solutions at 20 or 39 degrees C significantly reduced the percentage of morphologically normal preantral follicles (MNPF) when compared with the control, except after preservation in 0.9% saline solution at 20 degrees C for 4h. In contrast, the preservation at 4 degrees C, in both solutions, kept the percentage of MNPF similar to control values. In conclusion, this study shows for the first time that sheep preantral follicles can be preserved in situ successfully at 4 degrees C in 0.9% saline solution or Braun-Collins solution for up to 24h.
authors.affiliation: LAMOFOPA, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Veterinária, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana, 1700 Campus do Itaperi, CEP 60740-000, CE, Fortaleza, Brazil
authors.forename: E R.
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: A P.R.
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: C A.
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: F C.A.
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: M A.N.
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dode
authors.forename: J R.
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo