Cryopreservation of animal oocytes and embryos: Current progress and future prospects

Cryopreservation describes techniques that permit freezing and subsequent warming of biological samples without loss of viability. The application of cryopreservation in assisted reproductive technology encompasses the freezing of gametes, embryos, and primordial germ cells. Whilst some protocols st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theriogenology 2016-10, Vol.86 (7), p.1637-1644
Main Authors: Mandawala, A.A., Harvey, S.C., Roy, T.K., Fowler, K.E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bovine
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation - methods
Cryopreservation - veterinary
Embryo
Embryo, Mammalian - physiology
Freezing
Humans
Oocyte
Porcine
Vitrification
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Summary:Cryopreservation describes techniques that permit freezing and subsequent warming of biological samples without loss of viability. The application of cryopreservation in assisted reproductive technology encompasses the freezing of gametes, embryos, and primordial germ cells. Whilst some protocols still rely on slow-freezing techniques, most now use vitrification, or ultra-rapid freezing, for both oocytes and embryos due to an associated decreased risk of damage caused by the lack of ice crystal formation, unlike in slow-freezing techniques. Vitrification has demonstrated its use in many applications, not only following IVF procedures in human embryology clinics but also following in vitro production of embryos in agriculturally important, or endangered animal species, before embryo transfer. Here, we review the various cryopreservation and vitrification technologies that are used in both humans and other animals and discuss the most recent innovations in vitrification with a particular emphasis on their applicability to animal embryology.
ISSN:0093-691X
1879-3231
DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.07.018