Efficiency of equilibrium cooling and vitrification procedures for the cryopreservation of ovarian tissue: comparative analysis between human and animal models.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficiency of equilibrium cooling and vitrification for cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue and to determine the best experimental model for developing new protocols.


METHODS
Experimental prospective study.


METHODS
An academic research environment.


METHODS
Human ovarian biopsy specimens were obtained from three women undergoing operative laparoscopy for ovarian cyst enucleation. Adult cow and pig ovaries, collected at the abattoir.


METHODS
Ovarian tissue fragments of three individuals for each species were cryopreserved by using two protocols, either for equilibrium cooling or vitrification.


METHODS
Comparison between fresh and cryopreserved tissue of primordial, primary, and secondary follicle morphology, graded in three classes.


RESULTS
Human and bovine follicles responded in the same way to the two equilibrium cooling protocols, whereas pig tissue was more cryoresistant. Both vitrification protocols caused extensive damage to the tissue of all species. Human tissue showed a response to vitrification that was different from that of both animal species.


CONCLUSIONS
Bovine is a good animal model for the development of human ovarian tissue cryopreservation protocols by equilibrium cooling procedures. Vitrification is less efficient than equilibrium cooling, and at present, neither bovine nor pig can be considered relevant animal models for human tissue.
Gandolfi
Fulvio
F
Department of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. fulvio.gandolfi@unimi.it
Paffoni
Alessio
A
Papasso Brambilla
Elide
E
Bonetti
Silvia
S
Brevini
Tiziana A L
TA
Ragni
Guido
G
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*