Intracytoplasmic sperm injection after vitrifcation of immature oocytes in follicular fluid increases bovine embryo production
Mezzalira, Joana ClaudiaOhlweile, Lain UrielKlein, NortonBrum, Daniela dos SantosLeivas, Fábio GallasMezzalira, Alceu
Background: Despite the low efficiency caused by its harmful effects, vitrification is the technique of choice for oocyte cryopeservation, especially at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. This enables the banking of female gametes without linkage to the male genotype. Follicular fluid (FF), in vivo, is known to provide an adequate environment to the immature oocyte. The intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), by the other hand, can be used to bypass any sperm penetration disorder, including the ones caused by cryopreservation. This study aimed to evaluate oocyte vitrification in FF based solution, and to asses ICSI efficiency in the fertilization of vitrified/warmed bovine GV oocytes. Material, Methods & Results: Follicles of 2-8 mm in diameter were aspirated from bovine ovaries obtained from a slaughterhouse, selected and maintained into FF from aspiration, until their allocation in the experimental groups. The FF used to prepare the vitrification solution was centrifuged, heat inactivated, filtered through a 0.22 mm pore and stored at -20°C. Oocyte vitrification was done into one of these three solutions: The standard solution TCM-Hepes (TH-Vitri) was compared to a totally FF based solution (FF-Vitri), and to a 50:50 (v/v) mix of both solutions (TH:FF-Vitri). Oocytes were submitted to in vitroembryo production in order to assess embryo production efficiency. A second set of experiments using the FF-Vitri solution compared IVF versus ICSI. With basis on cleaved structures, the morula + blastocyst rate obtained in the Fresh Control (43.9%) was similar to FF-Vitri (31.1%). Conversely, the TH-Vitri (15.7%) and the TH:FF-Vitri (20.4%) rates were significantly lower than the Fresh Control. ICSI showed a positive effect in comparison with IVF. The embryo development rate of Vitri-IVF (18.8%) was the lowest, whereas Vitri-ICSI (37.3%) was similar to the Fresh-IVF (43.9%), but lower than the Fresh-ICSI (57.8%).[...](AU)
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