title: Successful slush nitrogen vitrification of human ovarian tissue.
abstract: To study whether slush nitrogen vitrification improves the preservation of human ovarian tissue.
  
  
  
  Control vs. treatment study.
  
  
  
  University research laboratory.
  
  
  
  Ovarian biopsies collected from nine women (aged 14-35 years) during laparoscopic surgery for benign gynecologic conditions.
  
  
  
  None.
  
  
  
  Ovarian cortical strips of 2 × 5 × 1 mm were vitrified with liquid or slush nitrogen. Fresh and vitrified cortical strips were analyzed for cryodamage and viability under light, confocal, and transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  
  Compared with liquid nitrogen, vitrification with slush nitrogen preserves [1] follicle quality (grade 1 follicles: fresh control, 50%; liquid nitrogen, 27%; slush nitrogen, 48%); [2] granulosa cell ultrastructure (intact cells: fresh control, 92%; liquid nitrogen, 45%; slush nitrogen, 73%), stromal cell ultrastructure (intact cells: fresh control, 59.8%; liquid nitrogen, 24%; slush nitrogen, 48.7%), and DNA integrity (TUNEL-positive cells: fresh control, 0.5%; liquid nitrogen, 2.3%; slush nitrogen, 0.4%); and [3] oocyte, granulosa, and stromal cell viability (oocyte: fresh control, 90%; liquid nitrogen, 63%; slush nitrogen, 87%; granulosa cells: fresh control, 93%; liquid nitrogen, 53%; slush nitrogen, 81%; stromal cells: fresh control, 63%; liquid nitrogen, 30%; slush nitrogen, 52%).
  
  
  
  The histology, ultrastructure, and viability of follicles and stromal cells are better preserved after vitrification with slush nitrogen compared with liquid nitrogen.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: riccardo.talevi@unina.it.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Talevi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Unità di Fisiopatologia della Riproduzione e Sterilità di Coppia, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giuseppe Moscati, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristofaro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Stefano
authors.affiliation: Iatropolis, Genesis Day Surgery Sterilità della Coppia, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudhakaran
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gualtieri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058989:Vitrification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: DNA fragmentation; follicle; histology; ovarian cryopreservation; ultrastructure