title: Should we isolate human preantral follicles before or after cryopreservation of ovarian tissue?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the survival and growth potential of human preantral follicles isolated before and after cryopreservation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gynecology research unit in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six women aged 27 to 32 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six ovarian biopsy samples were cut into two equal parts, half subjected to slow-freezing followed by follicle isolation (cryo-iso group) and alginate-matrigel embedding, and half immediately processed for follicle isolation and alginate-matrigel embedding followed by slow-freezing (iso-cryo group) or used as fresh controls (fresh group).
  
  
  METHODS
  Follicle number, viability, diameter, and morphology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1,134 preantral follicles had been isolated from fresh biopsy samples and 1,132 from frozen specimens, the three groups were compared before and after 7 days of in vitro culture (IVC) in alginate-matrigel beads. No statistically significant differences in viability were found between the three groups before or after IVC, but follicle diameter increased in all three groups after IVC. Morphology analysis revealed well-preserved follicles in both the iso-cryo and cryo-iso groups after IVC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human preantral follicles can be successfully cryopreserved before or after isolation without impairing their ability to survive and grow in vitro. This could lead to development of new protocols for follicle cryopreservation, IVC, and grafting in clinical and research settings for fertility preservation.
authors: Pôle de Recherche en Gynécologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Vanacker
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Luyckx
authors: Christiani
authors: C
authors: Amorim
authors: Marie-Madeleine
authors: MM
authors: Dolmans
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Van Langendonckt
authors: Jacques
authors: J
authors: Donnez
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Camboni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001706:Biopsy; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D002470:Cell Survival; D003094:Collagen; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin; D009369:Neoplasms; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology*; D011509:Proteoglycans
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D003094:Collagen