title: Application of hollow fiber vitrification for cryopreservation of bovine early cleavage stage embryos and porcine morula-blastomeres.
abstract: A novel hollow fiber vitrification (HFV) method was applied to materials that have previously been difficult to cryopreserve, thereby expanding the potential application of this method. The results showed that zona-free porcine morulae and their isolated blastomeres remained viable even after vitrification. The rate of development to blastocysts after vitrification was similar for zona-free and zona-intact morulae (21/23, 91.3% for both). Vitrified blastomeres had a developmental potential equal to that of non-vitrified blastomeres (blastocyst formation rate after reaggregation: 16/17, 94.1% for both). The HFV method was also effective for the cryopreservation of in vitro matured/fertilized bovine embryos at the 2- to 4-cell, 8- to 16-cell and morula stages. The blastocyst formation rates of vitrified embryos (66.1-82.5%) were similar to those of non-vitrified embryos (74.5-82.5%). These results indicate that this novel HFV method is an effective tool for embryo cryopreservation that can enhance current practices in reproductive biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uchikura
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsunari
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Shota
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatae
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagashima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002417:Cattle; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000166:cytology; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D009028:Morula / Q000166:cytology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D058989:Vitrification