Jian-Min Zhang1, Yan Sheng, Yong-Zhi Cao, Hong-Yan Wang, Zi-Jiang Chen. 1. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, China.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of vitrification and conventional freezing of whole ovaries. METHODS: Ovaries obtained from 5-year-old female bovines were cryopreserved by conventional freezing, rapid freezing and vitrification. The ovarian cortical strips were cryopreserved by conventional freezing. Follicular viability was assessed using the trypan blue test; the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles, hormones concentrations in the culture supernatants, and lactate dehyrogenase levels were measured. RESULTS: The efficacy of cryopreservation of whole ovaries by vitrification was higher than those by conventional freezing and rapid freezing. Conventional freezing of ovarian cortical strips was more effective than cryopreservation of whole ovaries by conventional freezing, rapid freezing, and vitrification. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrification seems to be more suitable than conventional freezing for cryopreservation of whole ovaries. However, further studies are required to improve the efficacy of vitrifying whole ovaries.
PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of vitrification and conventional freezing of whole ovaries. METHODS: Ovaries obtained from 5-year-old female bovines were cryopreserved by conventional freezing, rapid freezing and vitrification. The ovarian cortical strips were cryopreserved by conventional freezing. Follicular viability was assessed using the trypan blue test; the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles, hormones concentrations in the culture supernatants, and lactate dehyrogenase levels were measured. RESULTS: The efficacy of cryopreservation of whole ovaries by vitrification was higher than those by conventional freezing and rapid freezing. Conventional freezing of ovarian cortical strips was more effective than cryopreservation of whole ovaries by conventional freezing, rapid freezing, and vitrification. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrification seems to be more suitable than conventional freezing for cryopreservation of whole ovaries. However, further studies are required to improve the efficacy of vitrifying whole ovaries.