昆明白小鼠1细胞胚胎体外培养系统的研究

研究发现在有或者没有磷酸盐的条件下,葡萄糖均抑制昆明白小鼠ｌ－４细胞期胚胎的体外发 育。在不含葡萄糖和磷酸盐的ＨＥＣＭ－ｌ中,桑椹率为４０．０５％（７４／１６８）,而对照Ｇ－ＨＥＣＭ－１仅为 ８．１４％（７／８６）;不含葡萄糖含有磷酸盐的ＣＺＢ中,桑椹率为６７．１１％（９３／１５２）,而对照ＴＡＬＰ仅 ６· ６７％（６／９０）。用不含葡萄糖而含有１． ０ｍｍｏ１／Ｌ谷氨酸肢和０． １１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＥＤＴＡ的ＣＺＢ液,与兔输 卵管上皮单层培养细胞（ＲＯＥＣ）协同培养小鼠１细胞胚,７３．３３％（１１０／１５０）胚胎发育至桑椹胚, 但没有观察到囊胚形成、用上述ＣＺＨＲＯＥＣ系统培养小鼠１细胞胚４８小时（３－４细胞）,再移入 ＴＣＭ１９９＋１０％ＦＣＳ＋ＲＯＥＣ系统,有７６．７４％（６７／８６）胚胎发育至桑椹胚,９６／小时后,４０．７０％ （３５／８６）发育至囊胚。     

猪胚胎热应激后耐低温性的变化

手术或屠宰采取措囊胚（Ｂ）、扩张囊胚（ＥＢ）。孵出囊胚（ＨＢ）,置于含１０％ＦＣＳ的ＧＩＴ液中进行４２℃水浴１０分钟的热应激和－７℃酒精糟１０分钟的低温感受试验。结果,热应激对猪胚的存活率及发育率均无影响（Ｐ＞０．０５）;而热应激提高了猪胚对低温的耐受程度,热应激的胚胎再经低温感受试验后,培养２４小时的ＥＢ（φ＜５０）、ＥＢ（φ≥５０）和ＨＢ的活细胞数分别较相应的对照组提高３５．５％、４１．３％和５１．１％,差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）,但在热应激处理液中添加了蛋白合成抑制剂者没有产生这一效果,此结果证明,热应激很可能诱发猪胚内产生抗低温的应激蛋白质,这为进一步研究猪胚胎冷冻和改进猪胚冷冻前处理提供了依据和可能途径。     

从C57BL/6J小鼠胚胎中分离ES细胞系(英文)

ＥＳ细胞（ＥｍｂｒｙｏｎｉｃＳｔｅｍＣｅｌｓ）是来源于小鼠早期胚胎的细胞系,它可以在体外大量培养而不失去其发育的多潜能性。ＥＳ细胞不仅可以用来制作转基因动物,而且能够作为载体进行基因打靶等多种研究。目前,国际上常用的胚胎干细胞系都是来源于１２９小鼠的胚胎。因而,有必要探讨用其它品系小鼠建立ＥＳ系。１９９１年,Ｌｅｄｅｒｍａｎｎ等人首次报道从Ｃ５７ＢＬ／６Ｊ小鼠胚胎中建成了ＥＳ细胞系,但是没有对建立的细胞系进行特性分析。国内柴桂萱等人虽然做了特性分析,但是他们所建细胞系的细胞直径较大,生长速度较慢,不同于常见的ＥＳ细胞系。我们从Ｃ５７ＢＬ／６Ｊ品系小鼠胚胎中共分离了四个ＥＳ细胞系,分别命名为ＣＥ１、ＣＥ２、ＣＥ３、ＣＥ４（Ｆｉｇ．１ａ＆ｂ）。这四个细胞系核型正常率均达到７０％以上。我们检查了ＣＥ２细胞的分化能力,当将ＣＥ２细胞注入同基因型小鼠的皮下后,获得的畸胎瘤（Ｆｉｇ．３）组织切片检查的结果表明：该细胞能够分化成多种组织（Ｆｉｇ．２）。我们也研究了ＥＳ细胞的嵌合能力,用ＩＣＲ小鼠胚胎作为受体胚胎,采用囊胚显微注射法构建嵌合鼠。在幸存的幼鼠中我们获得了来源于ＣＥ２细胞的嵌合鼠（Ｔａｂｌｅ１,Ｆｉｇ．４）。综     

兔输卵管上皮细胞解除大鼠早期胚胎发育阻滞的研究

本研究利用兔输卵管上皮细胞,与异种动物大鼠的受精卵共培养,结果大量出现突破２细胞发育阻滞的现象。体外受精卵和体内受精卵的２细胞发育阻滞突破率分６２％和７３％;利用ＲＯＥＣ条件培养液培养大鼠的体外受精卵,２细胞发育阻滞的突破率达６８％,且能顺利发育至桑椹胚和囊胚。将ＲＯＥＣ直接培养在含＾３５Ｓ－甲硫氨酸的ＣＺＢ培养液中,经ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳及放射自显影,发现在该条件培液中出现了分子量分别为１     

两种冷冻保护剂对小鼠2-细胞胚冷冻效果的比较

乙二醇（ETG）和1,2-丙二醇（PROH）具有高细胞渗透性和低毒性特点,常被用于人及多种哺乳动物早期胚胎冷冻保存。为了比较ETG和PROH对小鼠2-细胞胚的冷冻保护效果,本试验分别采用这两种冷冻保护剂,对小鼠2-细胞胚进行冷冻保存,并采用冻后体外培养和囊胚移植进行冷冻效果检测。结果表明,PROH组胚胎解冻后胚胎存活率与ETG组无显著差异,但PROH组4-细胞胚发育率和囊胚发育率显著高于ETG组（82．7％vs．64．6％,61．2％vs．29．1％,P〈0．01）。囊胚移植结果表明,2-细胞胚胎冻存后能够发育为正常的后代,PROH组和ETG组的囊胚移植后妊娠产仔率无统计学差异（P〉0．05）,但均显著低于对照组（P〈0．05）。为了分析两组胚胎冻存后损伤情况,埘解冻后的胚胎细胞微丝进行检测,结果显示ETG组微丝受损的胚胎数高于PROH组。本研究结果证明采用PROH作为冷冻保护剂冷冻保存小鼠2-细胞胚的冻存效果优于ETG[动物学报54（6）：1098—1105,2008]。     

脐带血清在骨髓造血祖细胞培养中的效应

目的：探讨人脐带清（ＣＢＳ）在骨髓造血祖细胞培养中的效应。方法：用人骨髓细胞进行ＣＦＵ、ＧＭ、ＶＦＵ－Ｅ、ＢＦＵ－Ｅ、ＣＦＵ－ＧＥＭＭ培养。结果：ＣＢＳ能直接刺激骨髓细胞ＣＥＵ－ＧＭ的形成。与血型相同害无关。四人份以上的混合ＣＢＳ（ＭＣＢＳ）,刺激活性高且稳定。１０％ＭＣＢＳ相当于６５．６μｇ／Ｌ ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ、０．２３、０．３、０。．４６ｋＵ／Ｌ ＥｐＯ对ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ、ＣＦＵ－Ｅ、ＢＦＵ－Ｅ、Ｃ     

离子对反相HPLC测定小鼠骨髓BFU—E,CFU—E中PRPP合成酶活性

采用离子对反相高效液相色谱法（ＩＰｒＨＰＬＣ）的单液等度洗脱,测定了小鼠骨髓红系爆增性集落形成单位（ＢＦＵ－Ｅｓ）与红系集落形成单位（ＣＦＵ－Ｅｓ）的ＰＲＰＰ合成酶活性。方法学研究表明,加入离子对试剂硫酸氢四丁基铵（ＴＢＡＨＳ）后,ＡＤＰ谱峰分离完全,其反应增加量易于计算。本法的批内变异系数平均值为－２．３０％￣－１．０６％与１．０６％￣２．３０％,平均相对偏差为０．８１％￣１．７４％,回收率为９     

刺激大鼠视上核后电针“足三里”对蓝斑灌流液中去甲肾上腺素含量的影响

运用行为测痛结合蓝斑（ＬＣ）灌流液去甲肾上腺素（ＮＥ）的高压液相（ＨＰＬＣ）测定；观察 大鼠痛阈（ＰＴ）与ＬＣ灌流液中去甲肾上腺素含量变化间的相互关系，结果表明：（ｌ）视上核 （ＳＯＮ）内注射 １０μｍＬ－谷氨酸（Ｌ－ｇｌｕｔａｍｉｃａｃｉｄ， Ｌ－Ｇｌｕ）后 ３０分钟，大鼠ＰＴ较注射前增加１３３． ２± ２１．４％，此时ＬＣ 灌流液中ＮＥ含量从注射前的４３７．３±２０．４ｎｇ／ｍｌ降到２２９．２±１１．９ｎｇ／ｍｌ，注射 后６０分钟ＰＴ仍比注射前高８３．９±１４．７％，而灌流液中ＮＥ的含量为３２８．６±２８．０ｎｇ／ｍｌ，与人工 脑脊液（ＡＣＳＦ）对照组相比有非常明显的差别（Ｐ＜０．０５～０．００１）。（２） ＳＯＮ注射Ｌ－Ｇｌｕ后，电 针足三里３０分钟（Ｌ－ＧＩＵ＋ＥＡ组）增加到注射前的１８８．２±２３．９％，同ＡＣＳＦ电针组（ＡＣＳＦ＋ ＥＡ）的 ９４．９±７．１％相比有明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。此时ＬＣ灌流液中ＮＥ的含量虽较注射前都明显 降低、分别为１３７．６±７．５ｎｇ／ｍｌ和 １５１，１±１１．５ｎｇ／ｍｌ，但两者相比无明显差异。停针后３０分钟Ｌ－ Ｇｌｕ＋ＥＡ组的ＰＴ仍比注射前高１３３．８±２７．９％，明显高于     

应用蚀斑法和细胞病变法检测乙型脑炎减毒活疫苗病毒的比较

应用蚀斑法（ＰＦＵ）和细胞病变法（ＣＰＥ）检测乙型脑炎减毒活疫苗的病毒滴度,比较结果：①两种方法同时对同一批乙脑活疫苗进行１０次测定,ＣＰＥ滴定结果比ＰＦＵ滴定高１０Ｌｏｇ值,标准差Ｓ＝０１９６,变异系数ＣＶ％＝１９２％;②对不同批乙脑活疫苗检测,仍以ＣＰＥ法高于ＰＦＵ,差值Ｘ＝１２０,标准差Ｓ＝０３１,变异系数ＣＶ％＝２５６％;③ＰＦＵ法对同一批疫苗滴定３０次,乙脑活疫苗参考品滴定１８次,变异系数仅为１４８％和１２７％。结果表明,虽然ＣＰＥ法用于滴定乙脑活疫苗的滴度高于ＰＦＵ法,但蚀斑法系统误差小,重复性好,结果客观可靠,可避免ＣＰＥ法中由于细胞退化和工作人员主观判定造成的系统误差。     

优化mRNA翻译起始区提高人粒－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子在E．coli中的表达

人粒－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）是一种重要的造血生长因子．利用基因重组技术构建两个ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ的Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ表达菌株,一个为在不改变氨基酸顺序的前提下,对ｍＲＮＡ翻译起始区核苷酸顺序进行优化突变（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｍ））,另一个为未突变的对照（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｎ））．经酶切电泳、ＤＮＡ测序、ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ和Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ等分析鉴定,证明两者均能表达特异性的１４．６ｋＤｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ,但ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｍ）的表达水平较ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ（Ｎ）提高了１．２６倍,占菌体总蛋白的１６．９％．ｍＲＮＡ翻译起始区二级结构预测分析表明,优化突变后生成自由能ΔＧ从原来的－１０．２提高至－９．４Ｋｃａｌ,ＡＵＧ从部分配对状态变为非配对状态．     

Birth of offspring after transfer of Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) embryos cryopreserved by vitrification

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) has been used as a laboratory species in many fields of research, including neurology, oncology, and parasitology. Although the cryopreservation of embryos has become a useful means to protect valuable genetic resources, its application to the Mongolian gerbil has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo developmental competence of Mongolian gerbil embryos cryopreserved by vitrification. In vivo-fertilized embryos were vitrified on the day of collection using the ethylene glycol (EG)-based solutions EFS20 and EFS40, which contained 20% and 40% EG, respectively, in PB1 containing 30% (w/v) Ficoll 70 and 0.5 M sucrose. First, we compared one-step and two-step vitrification protocols. In the one-step method, the embryos were directly transferred into the vitrification solution (EFS40), whereas in the two-step method, the embryos were exposed serially to EFS20 and EFS40 and then vitrified. After liquefying (thawing), late two-cell embryos (collected on day 3) vitrified by the two-step method showed significantly better rates of in vitro development to the morula stage compared to those vitrified by the one-step method (65% vs. 5%, P < 0.0001). We then examined whether the same two-step method could be applied to early two-cell embryos (collected on day 2), four-cell embryos (day 4), morulae (day 5), and blastocysts (day 6). After liquefying, 87%-100% of the embryos were morphologically normal in all groups, and 23% and 96% developed to the compacted morula stage from early two- and four-cell embryos, respectively. After transfer into recipient females, 3% (4/123), 1% (1/102), 5% (4/73), and 10% (15/155) developed to full-term offspring from vitrified and liquefied early two-cell embryos, late two-cell embryos, morulae, and blastocysts, respectively. This demonstrates that Mongolian gerbil embryos can be safely cryopreserved using EG-based vitrification solutions.     

Vitrification of rat embryos at various developmental stages

The effect of developmental stage on the survival of cryopreserved rat embryos was examined. Wistar rat embryos at various developmental stages were vitrified by a 1-step method with EFS40, an ethylene glycol-based solution, or by a 2-step method with EFS20 and EFS40. After warming, the survival of the embryos was assessed by their morphology, their ability to develop to blastocysts (or expanded blastocysts for blastocysts) in culture, or their ability to develop to term after transfer. Most (91-100%) of the embryos recovered after vitrification were morphologically normal in all developmental stages. However, the developmental ability of 1-cell embryos was quite low; exposing them to EFS40 for just 0.5 min decreased the in vitro survival rate from 76 to 9%. The survival rates of 2-cell embryos and blastocysts, both in vitro and in vivo, were significantly higher with a 2-step vitrification process than with a 1-step vitrification process. Very high in vitro survival rates (94-100%) were obtained in 4- to 8-cell embryos and morulae in the 1-step method. Although survival rates in vivo of 4-cell (40%) and 8-cell (4%) embryos vitrified by the 1-step method were comparatively low, the values were similar to those obtained in non-vitrified fresh embryos. When morulae vitrified by the 1-step method were transferred to recipients, the in vivo survival rate (61%) was high, and not significantly different from that of fresh embryos (70%). These results show that rat embryos at the 2-cell to blastocyst stages can be vitrified with EFS40, and that the morula stage is the most feasible stage for embryo cryopreservation in this species.     

不同温度条件下小鼠囊胚OPS法玻璃化冷冻保存技术的研究

本实验采用OPS法在不同温度条件下对小鼠囊胚实施冷冻保存,研究用EDFS和EFS溶液冷冻保存囊胚的效率和提供不同温度下筛选玻璃化溶液的依据,为家畜和人类胚胎的冷冻保存建立模型。25℃室温和37℃恒温台条件下OPS一步法冷冻保存小鼠囊胚,EFS40和EDFS40冷冻组扩张囊胚率(92.31%,92.30%)与对照(97.26%)均无显著差异(P>0.05),但EDFS40孵化囊胚率(59.62%)显著低于对照组(83.56%)(P<0.05);二步法冷冻结果显示,采用EDFS30和EFS40均能高效保存小鼠囊胚,解冻后扩张囊胚率(95.69%和95.05%)和孵化率(80.48%和78.95%)与对照无显著差异(P>0.05)。当改为25℃室温不使用恒温台条件下,一步法冷冻的胚胎解冻后,仅EDFS40冷冻组扩张囊胚率和孵化囊胚率(85.96%和75.44%)与对照(96.05%和82.89%)无显著性差异(P>0.05);实施二步法冷冻的胚胎,解冻后EDFS30,EDFS40和EFS40组均获得理想效果,扩张囊胚率(92.03%-95.31%)及孵化囊胚率(67.19%-76.76%)与对照均无显著差异(96.05%和82.89%)(P>0.05)。据体外发育结果,选择最佳冷冻组胚胎移植给假孕4d的受体母鼠,其妊娠率和产仔率(90.90%和37.33%)与新鲜胚对照组(91.67%和42.33%)无显著差异(P>0.05)。结果证实,EDFS30、EDFS40和EFS40三种冷冻液在不同的温度条件和采用不同冷冻程序,均能成功保存小鼠囊胚。     

不同群系小鼠胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存技术的研究

利用 EFS40 ,二步法对近交系 C5 7BL/6、DBA/2和远交群 ICR小鼠囊胚玻璃化冷冻保存 ,并对冷冻后胚胎体内、外发育效果进行比较。结果表明 ,相同条件下鲜胚经培养 ,近交系 C5 7BL /6小鼠的囊胚发育率 ( 93% )与 ICR( 1 0 0 % )相比差异不显著 ( P>0 .0 5 ) ;而两近交系的囊胚孵化率明显低于 ICR( P<0 .0 1 )。 C5 7BL/6、DBA/2小鼠囊胚冷冻后发育率 ( 93% ,96% )和孵化率 ( 5 2 % ,46% )与各自对照组 ( 1 0 0 % ,1 0 0 %和 61 % ,62 % )相比均无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 ) ;并且与 ICR冷冻组发育率和孵化率 ( 94% ,5 3% )之间也无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 )。两近交系冻胚移植妊娠与各自对照组和 ICR冷冻组比较均无显著差异 ( P>0 .0 5 )。C5 7BL/6胚胎移植产仔率 ( 35 % )与对照组 ( 5 1 % )之间差异显著 ( P<0 .0 1 ) ,而 DBA/2胚胎移植产仔率 ( 4 7% )与对照组和 ICR冷冻组 ( 39% ,5 8% )相比差异不显著 ( P>0 .0 5 )。     

Conventional freezing, straw, and open-pulled straw vitrification of mouse two pronuclear (2-PN) stage embryos

Little is known on the cryopreservation of mouse pronuclear (PN) stage embryos. In the present experiment the mouse 2-PN stage embryos were cryopreserved by conventional freezing, straw, or open-pulled straw (OPS) vitrificaiton methods. The conventional freezing solution was 1.5 mol/L ethylene glycol (EG), and vitrification solutions were EFS30 (30% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose), EFS40 (40% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose), EDFS30 (15% EG, 15%dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], Ficoll, and sucrose), or EDFS40 (20% EG, 20%DMSO, Ficoll, and sucrose). The blastocyst rate of 2-PN stage embryos cryopreserved by conventional method (30.4%) was lower than those vitrified by straw method with EDFS (56.9% to 69.1%), by OPS method (66.0% to 85.7%), and that of control (80.8%) (P < 0.05). With a given vitrificaiton solution EFS30, EFS40, EDFS30, or EDFS40, the blastocyst rate of embryos vitrified by the OPS method (66.7%, 66.0%, 85.7%, or 76.9%) was higher than that of those vitrified by the straw method (46.8%, 43.8%, 69.1%, or 56.9%) (P < 0.05). When mouse 2-PN-stage embryos were vitrified with EDFS30 by straw or OPS method, the highest blastocyst rate was achieved (69.1% or 85.7%) and was similar to that of the control, respectively. The embryos transfer results revealed that the full-term development of blastocysts derived from 2-PN stage embryos vitrified by OPS method with EDFS30 (19.9%) was similar to that of the control (23.5%), and higher than that of those cryopreserved by conventional freezing (9.3%) (P < 0.05). The present research demonstrates that the OPS method, especially with EDFS30, is more effective in cryopreserving mouse 2-PN embryos.     

Successful vitrification of bovine blastocysts,derived by in vitro maturation and fertilization

Bovine blastocysts were produced through maturation, fertilization, and development in vitro. For vitrification, solutions designated EFS, GFS, and PFS were prepared; these were 40% ethylene glycol, 40% glycerol, and 40% propylene glycol, respectively, diluted in modified phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 30% Ficoll + 0.5 M sucrose. The embryos were exposed to the solutions in one step at room temperature, kept in the solutions for various times, vitrified in liquid nitrogen, and warmed rapidly. When the embryos were vitrified in EFS solution after 1 or 2 min exposure, the postwarming survival rate, assessed by the reexpansion of the blastocoel, was 74–77%. However, when the exposure time was extended to 3 min or longer, this rate dropped to 7–0%. This reduction was attributed to the toxicity of ethylene glycol. Of the embryos vitrified in GFS solution, 53% survived when they were cooled after 1 min exposure; as the duration of the exposure increased, the survival rate increased, reaching a peak (72%) at 4 min. The rate then decreased gradually with exposure time. In PFS solution, embryos surviving after vitrification were recovered only with 1 min exposure (33%), reflecting the high toxicity of propylene glycol. After vitrification in EFS or GFS solution, two embryos were nonsurgically transferred into each of 14 recipient animals. Of the 14 recipients, ten (71%) became pregnant; two resulted in early stillbirths, four recipients delivered twins (four alive and four stillborn), and two delivered single live calves, demonstrating the effectiveness of this simple vitrification method for the cryopreservation of in-vitro-produced bovine blastocysts. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Vitrification of mouse oocytes and embryos at various stages of development in an ethylene glycol-based solution by a simple method

Mouse oocytes and embryos at various developmental stages were exposed directly to an ethylene glycol-based vitrification solution (EFS) for 2 or 5 minutes at 20 degrees C. They were then vitrified at -196 degrees C and were warmed rapidly. At the germinal vesicle stage, the proportion of morphologically normal oocytes was 36 to 39% if they had cumulus cells, whereas in cumulus-removed immature oocytes and in ovulated oocytes it was only 2 to 4%. This low survival was attributed to the harmful action of ethylene glycol. After fertilization, on the other hand, the post-warming survival rate of 1-cell zygotes, as assessed by cleavage to the 2-cell stage, increased markedly (62%). As the developmental stage proceeded, higher proportions of vitrified embryos developed to expanded blastocysts; the rates increased up to 77 and 80% in 2-cell and 4-cell embryos, respectively. For embryos at the 8-cell, morula and early blastocyst stages, the proportion of embryos developed after vitrification (90 to 95%) was not significantly different from that of the untreated embryos (95 to 100%) when the period of exposure to EFS solution was 2 minutes. As the blastocoel began to enlarge, however, survival began to decrease again, with rates of 79 and 57% in blastocysts and expanded blastocysts, respectively. After the cryopreserved 2-cell, 4-cell and 8-cell embryos as well as morulae and blastocysts were transferred to recipients, 43 to 57% of the recipients became pregnant, and 48 to 60% of these various stage embryos developed into live young.     

Vitrification of two-cell rat embryos derived from immature hypothyroid rdw rats by in vitro fertilization in ethylene glycol-based solutions

Two-cell embryos derived from immature rdw rats by in vitro fertilization (IVF) were vitrified in ethylene glycol-based solutions. Embryos exposed to EFS20 before being vitrified in EFS40 exhibited improved viability in vitro. All embryos exposed to EFS20 for 1-3 min before vitrification in EFS40 were morphologically normal. However, 2-3 min of exposure to EFS20 increased the number of embryos that developed beyond the four-cell stage. More embryos exposed to EFS20 for 2-3 min developed to morulae (63-64%) and blastocysts (34-38%) than those exposed for 1 min (35 and 10%, respectively). After transfer, 33% of embryos exposed to EFS20 for 3 min and vitrified in EFS40 developed to term compared to 29% of fresh embryos. Fifteen (47%) of live young were homozygous rdw and all of the others were heterozygous rats. The present study demonstrated that vitrification in EFS solution can be routinely used to cryopreserve rat two-cell IVF-embryos with no loss of viability.     

Vitrification of Mouse Embryos at Various Stages by Open-Pulled Straw (OPS) Method

This study was performed to pursue the optimal condition for the cryopreservation of mouse morulae by a two-step OPS method and to investigate the feasibility of the optimal condition for vitrification of embryos at other developmental stages. First, the mouse morulae were vitrified in OPS using one-step procedure—that is, embryos were vitrified after direct exposure to EDFS30 (15% ethylene glycol (EG), 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Ficoll and sucrose), or two-step method—that is, embryos were first pretreated in 10%E+10%D (10% EG and 10% DMSO in mPBS) for 30 sec, then exposed to EDFS30 for 15 to 60 sec, respectively. After vitrification and warming, the embryos were morphologically evaluated and assessed by their development to blastocysts, expanded/hatched blastocysts, or to term after transfer. The result showed that all the vitrified-warmed morulae had similar blastocyst rate compared to that of control (91.7% vs. 100%), and the highest developmental rate to expanded blastocysts (100%) or hatched blastocysts (62.3%) was observed when the morulae were pretreated with 10%E+10%D for 0.5 min, exposed to EDFS30 for 25 sec before vitrification and warming in 0.5 M sucrose for 5 min. After transfer, the survival rate (33.1%) in vivo of the vitrified morulae was higher (P > 0.05) than that of the fresh embryos (24.6%). Secondly, embryos at different stages were cryopreserved and thawed following the above program. Most (93.4 to 100%) of the embryos recovered after vitrification were morphologically normal at all the developmental stages. The blastocyst rates of the vitrified one-cell (52.5 to 66.7%) and the two-cell (63.3 to 68.9%) embryos were lower (P < 0.05) than those of the vitrified four-cell embryos (81.7 to 86.4%), the eight-cell embryos (90.0 to 93.3%), morulae (96.7 to 100%), and the expanded blastocysts rate (98.3 to 100.0%) of the vitrified early blastocysts. The highest survival rate in vivo of vitrified embryos were from the early blastocysts (40.4%), which was similar to that of fresh embryos (48.6%). The data demonstrate that the optimal protocol for the cryopreservation of morulae was suitable for the four-cell embryos to early blastocyst stages and that the early blastocyst stage is the most feasible stage for mouse embryo cryopreservation under our experimental conditions.     

Vitrification of mouse embryos at various stages by open-pulled straw (OPS) method

This study was performed to pursue the optimal condition for the cryopreservation of mouse morulae by a two-step OPS method and to investigate the feasibility of the optimal condition for vitrification of embryos at other developmental stages. First, the mouse morulae were vitrified in OPS using one-step procedure-that is, embryos were vitrified after direct exposure to EDFS30 (15% ethylene glycol (EG), 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Ficoll and sucrose), or two-step method-that is, embryos were first pretreated in 10%E + 10%D (10% EG and 10% DMSO in mPBS) for 30 sec, then exposed to EDFS30 for 15 to 60 sec, respectively. After vitrification and warming, the embryos were morphologically evaluated and assessed by their development to blastocysts, expanded/hatched blastocysts, or to term after transfer. The result showed that all the vitrified-warmed morulae had similar blastocyst rate compared to that of control (91.7% vs. 100%), and the highest developmental rate to expanded blastocysts (100%) or hatched blastocysts (62.3%) was observed when the morulae were pretreated with 10%E + 10%D for 0.5 min, exposed to EDFS30for 25 sec before vitrification and warming in 0.5 M sucrose for 5 min. After transfer, the survival rate (33.1%) in vivo of the vitrified morulae was higher (P > 0.05) than that of the fresh embryos (24.6%). Secondly, embryos at different stages were cryopreserved and thawed following the above program. Most (93.4 to 100%) of the embryos recovered after vitrification were morphologically normal at all the developmental stages. The blastocyst rates of the vitrified one-cell (52.5 to 66.7%) and the two-cell (63.3 to 68.9%) embryos were lower (P < 0.05) than those of the vitrified four-cell embryos (81.7 to 86.4%), the eight-cell embryos (90.0 to 93.3%), morulae (96.7 to 100%), and the expanded blastocysts rate (98.3 to 100.0%) of the vitrified early blastocysts. The highest survival rate in vivo of vitrified embryos were from the early blastocysts (40.4%), which was similar to that of fresh embryos (48.6%). The data demonstrate that the optimal protocol for the cryopreservation of morulae was suitable for the four-cell embryos to early blastocyst stages and that the early blastocyst stage is the most feasible stage for mouse embryo cryopreservation under our experimental conditions.