Carboxylated ε-poly-L-lysine, a cryoprotective agent, is an effective partner of ethylene glycol for the vitrification of embryos at various preimplantation stages.

It has been known that different protocols are used for embryo preservation at different stages due to different sensitivity to the physical and physiological stress caused by vitrification. In this study, we developed a common vitrification protocol using carboxlated ε-poly-l-lysine (COOH-PLL), a new cryoprotective agent for the vitrification of mouse embryos at different stages. The IVF-derived Crl:CD1(ICR) x B6D2F1/Crl pronuclear, 2-cell, 4-cell, and 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stage embryos were vitrified with 15% (v/v) ethylene glycol (EG) and 10% (w/v) COOH-PLL (E15P15) or 15% (v/v) EG and 15% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (E15D15) using the minimal volume cooling method.

Generation of live offspring from vitrified mouse oocytes of C57BL/6J strain.

In mammals, unfertilized oocytes are one of the most available stages for cryopreservation because the cryopreserved oocytes can be used for assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. However, it has generally been reported that the fertility and developmental ability of the oocytes are reduced by cryopreservation. C57BL/6J mice, an inbred strain, are used extensively for the production of transgenic and knockout mice.

High developmental rates of mouse oocytes cryopreserved by an optimized vitrification protocol: the effects of cryoprotectants, calcium and cumulus cells.

Unfertilized oocytes are one of the most desired germ cell stages for cryopreservation because these cryopreserved oocytes can be used for assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. However, in general, the fertility and developmental ability of cryopreserved oocytes are still low. The aim of the present study was to improve vitrification of mouse oocytes.