Vitrification is a common technique for cryopreserving oocytes or embryos. However, manual vitrification is tedious and labor-intensive, and can be subject to variations caused by human factors. To address these challenges, we developed an automated vitrification-thawing system (AVTS) based on a cryo-handle. Our study firstly assessed the efficiency of cryoprotectant exchange through comparing the osmolalities of fresh and collected solutions during automated vitrification and thawing, and evaluated the cooling and warming rates of the cryo-handle. We also compared mouse oocyte survival, fertilization and embryo development after thawing and ICSI, and the development of re-frozen cleavage embryos between manual operation and automated system. The results showed that the osmolalities of collected samples were within normal range and comparable to fresh solutions. Furthermore, the automated system could obtain the reliable cooling and warming rates. Particularly, there were no significant differences in oocyte survival rates, fertilization rates, and subsequent embryo development and its quality between two procedures. Our findings suggest that AVTS has no impact on osmolalities of vitrification and thawing solutions, ensuring the proper exchange of cryoprotectants. The cryo-handle also shows the ability to achieve reliable cooling and warming rates, which benefits for the cryopreservation and thawing process. Moreover, the results from mouse oocytes and embryos indicate that automated system has effectively maintained the survival and fertilization of frozen oocytes and supported subsequent embryo development. Therefore, the automated vitrification and thawing system will inevitably represent a superior alternative to manual operation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1330684 | DOI Listing |
Cryobiology
January 2025
Specialized Surgical Hospital "Doctor Malinov", 46, Gotse Delchev blvd., 1860 Sofia, Bulgaria.
The cryopreservation of human spermatozoa is an integral part of cryobiology, aiming to support the in-vitro fertilization. The latter relies on the availability of as much as possible reproductively active spermatozoa, whose number after thawing decreases due to the accompanied freezing injury and the cytotoxicity of cryoprotectants. An innovative option to circumvent these obstacles is to make the freezing interface non-wettable, by coating it with rapeseed oil soot possessing intrinsic cryoprotective properties, delaying the ice formation and possibly providing identical rates of intracellular dehydration and extracellular crystallization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHum Reprod
December 2024
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Higher Education Joint Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Study Question: Is there a difference in the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) after fresh testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) compared with the use of either pre-frozen sperm or oocyte freezing for couples experiencing ejaculation failure on the day of oocyte retrieval?
Summary Answer: After adjusting for confounding factors, the use of pre-frozen sperm or the freezing and thawing of oocytes appeared to be as effective as TESA in achieving CLBRs for couples experiencing temporary ejaculation failure.
What Is Known Already: Male patients may be concerned about experiencing temporary ejaculation failure on the day of their partner's oocyte retrieval, in which case they may choose surgical sperm retrieval, oocyte freezing on the day, or have their sperm frozen in advance. However, the clinical efficacy of these three options has not yet been evaluated.
Study Question: Does one-step warming (OW), a simplified embryo warming protocol, adversely affect survival and developmental potential in vitrified cleavage or blastocyst stage embryos compared to standard multi-step warming (SW)?
Summary Answer: OW showed no detrimental effects on survival and developmental potential compared to SW in cleavage and blastocyst stage embryos.
What Is Known Already: While standard embryo warming protocols involve a multi-step procedure using a stepwise osmotic solution to avoid a rapid influx of water into the embryo, recent studies suggest that eliminating the stepwise warming process does not reduce embryo survival and embryo transfer outcomes. However, previous reports have focused primarily on pregnancy rates, and a more detailed analysis of the effects of rapid osmotic pressure changes on embryos is necessary to standardize the protocol.
BMC Womens Health
December 2024
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different vitrification methods and slow freezing in terms of the recovery of endocrine function, follicular morphology and proliferation, apoptosis of stromal cells, and angiogenesis after heterotopic transplantation of human ovarian tissue.
Methods: Ovarian tissue from young women aged 29 to 40 was subjected to two vitrification methods and one slow freezing method. The thawed ovarian tissue was then transplanted into nude mice and divided into three groups (VF1 group, VF2 group, SF group) according to the different freezing methods.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth
December 2024
Kameda IVF Clinic Makuhari, Makuhari, 261-8501, Japan.
Background: In freeze-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, hormone replacement treatment (HRT) is crucial for implantation and pregnancy maintenance. HRT typically continues until the 10th week of pregnancy owing to a luteoplacental shift, although a definitive HRT regimen remains undetermined. We present the case of a woman who underwent FET during an HRT cycle and ceased HRT after a negative pregnancy test at 3 weeks and 5 days, who went on to deliver a healthy baby.
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