title: Evaluation of the Cryotech Vitrification Kit for bovine embryos.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to assess commercially available Cryotech Vitrification Kit, in terms of survival, in vitro development and pregnancy rate for bovine embryos. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were recovered from ovaries obtained from slaughtered cows and then matured in vitro for 22 h. COCs were fertilized by sex-sorted sperm in IVF-mSOF and cultured in IVC-mSOF for 7 days to the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts were vitrified with the Cryotech Vitrification Kit(®) and then either warmed to check viability or transferred to synchronized heifers. We observed 100% survival of the in vitro produced blastocysts and obtained the same pregnancy rate (46.8%) as that obtained using fresh in vitro produced blastocysts. We thus conclude that the Cryotech vitrification method is a valid alternative to other vitrification or slow-cooling methods in the bovine species and that it is ready for livestock production.
authors.affiliation: Area of Biochemistry, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gutnisky
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cetica
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Dalvit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D058989:Vitrification
keywords: Bovine embryo IVP; Bovine embryo vitrification; Cryotech; Vitrification