title: Comparative study between slow freezing and vitrification of mouse embryos using different cryoprotectants.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different cryoprotectants and different cryopreservation protocols on the development of mouse eight-cell embryos. Mouse eight-cell embryos were cryopreserved by using propylene glycerol (PROH), ethylene glycerol (EG), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or glycerol (G) as cryoprotectant with slow-freezing or Vit-Master vitrification protocol. After thawing, the survival rate, blastocyst formation rate and blastocyst hatching rate of the embryos were compared. When the mouse eight-cell embryos were cryopreserved by the slow-freezing, the survival rate, the blastocyst formation rate and the blastocyst hatching rate of the embryos with PROH were significantly higher than those of DMSO and G (p < 0.05, respectively), but not significantly different among those of DMSO, G and EG (p > 0.05, respectively), and not significantly different between those of PROH and EG (p > 0.05, respectively). When the mouse eight-cell embryos were cryopreserved by Vit-Master vitrification, the survival rate, the blastocyst formation rate and the blastocyst hatching rate of the embryos with EG were significantly higher than those of PROH, DMSO and G (p < 0.05, respectively). Yet, there were no significant differences among those of PROH, DMSO and G (p > 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, PROH was the optimal cryoprotectant for the cryopreservation of mouse eight-cell embryos by slow-freezing protocol. EG was the optimal cryoprotectant for the cryopresevation of mouse eight-cell embryos by Vit-Master vitrification protocol, which may be commonly used in clinical and laboratory practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: W-X
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M-J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: L-M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Y-P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: J-H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D005990:Glycerol; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide