Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on January 29, 2004
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Human Reproduction, Vol. 19, No. 3, 666-669,
March 2004
© 2004 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Mouse embryos generated from frozenthawed oocytes can successfully survive a second cryopreservation
In Vitro Fertilization Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: In Vitro Fertilization Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, P.O.Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. e-mail: Revel{at}md.huji.ac.il
BACKGROUND: To determine whether mouse embryos generated from frozenthawed oocytes can successfully survive a second cryopreservation. METHODS: Immature C57BL6*BALB/c female mice underwent superovulation and the collected oocytes were divided into three groups. Group A oocytes (n = 107) underwent IVF. Group B oocytes (n = 167) underwent IVF and embryos generated were then cryopreserved. Group C oocytes (n = 94) were cryopreserved, thawed and underwent IVF. Twofour-cell stage embryos were re-cryopreserved and thawed. Embryos from all groups were then cultured to the blastocyst stage. RESULTS: Cleavage rates to the 24-cell stage were 78, 71 and 46% for groups A, B and C respectively. Blastulation rates from 24 cell-stage embryos were 37/83 (45%), 27/118 (23%) and 8/35 (23%) for groups A, B and C respectively. Development to blastocysts was observed in 37/107 oocytes (35%), 27/167 oocytes (16%) and only 8/94 oocytes (9%) for groups A, B and C respectively. CONCLUSION: Oocyte cryopreservation results in reduced fertilization rates. Embryo cryopreservation reduces blastulation rates by half regardless of whether the oocytes were fertilized fresh or frozenthawed. Nevertheless, embryos generated from cryopreserved oocytes can survive cryopreservation and develop to the blastocyst stage at rates comparable with embryos obtained from fresh oocytes.
Key words: blastocyst/cryopreservation/IVF/mouse/oocyte