Survivability and subsequent development of vitrified early-stage mouse embryos after warming at different temperatures

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 591; pp. 50 - 53
• Main Authors: Taketsuru, Hiroaki, Tsukada, Yu-ichi, Kaneko, Takehito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 05-02-2022
• Subjects: Animals; Cryopreservation; Cryoprotective Agents - pharmacology; Embryo, Mammalian - physiology; Embryos; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mouse; Rapid warming; Temperature; Vitrification; Rapid warming; Mouse; Embryos; Vitrification
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.12.092

Cryopreservation of embryos is a useful method for stably preserving various strains for a long time, and the cryopreserved embryos can be used at any time by simple warming. However, the viability of cryopreserved embryos, particularly vitrification at an early stage, is low compared to that of fresh embryos. As the warming process during vitrification is known to affect the survivability and subsequent development of embryos, the present study aimed to examine the viability and subsequent development of vitrified early-stage mouse embryos after warming at different temperatures. The survival rate of pronuclear and 2-cell stage embryos warmed at 60 °C (97% and 88%, respectively) was significantly higher than that of the embryos warmed at 37 °C (46% and 48%, respectively). The pronuclear and 2-cell stage embryos warmed at 60 °C (86% and 100%) showed better development to the blastocyst stage than the embryos warmed at 37 °C (72% and 84%, respectively). The development of offspring of the surviving embryos was similar at both the warming temperatures. These results showed that the survivability and subsequent development of vitrified early-stage mouse embryos were obviously increased upon rapid warming. This improved warming process could be helpful for the maintenance and reproduction of genetic resources.
•Survivability of vitrified early-stage mouse embryos increased upon rapid warming.•Development of vitrified early-stage mouse embryos increased upon rapid warming.•Vitrified pronuclear and 2-cell stage embryos showed high survivability at 60 °C.•Normal offspring were obtained from the vitrified embryos warmed at 60 °C.•The improved warming process is helpful for maintenance of genetic resources.