Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jul;35(7):1161-1168.
doi: 10.1007/s10815-018-1210-9. Epub 2018 May 25.

A new, simple, automatic vitrification device: preliminary results with murine and bovine oocytes and embryos

Amir Arav  1 , Yehudit Natan  2 , Dorit Kalo  3   4 , Alisa Komsky-Elbaz  3   4 , Zvika Roth  3   4 , Paolo Emanuele Levi-Setti  5 , Milton Leong  6 , Pasquale Patrizio  2   7
Affiliations

A new, simple, automatic vitrification device: preliminary results with murine and bovine oocytes and embryos

Amir Arav et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: This paper reports the use of a novel automatic vitrification device (Sarah, Fertilesafe, Israel) for cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos.

Methods: Mice oocytes (n = 40) and embryos (8 cells, n = 35 and blastocysts, n = 165), bovine embryos (2PN, n = 35), and MII oocytes (n = 84) were vitrified using this automated device. A total of 42 (2 cells) mice embryos, 20 (2PN) bovine embryos, and 150 MII bovine oocytes were used as fresh controls and grown to blastocysts. Upon rewarming, all were assessed for viability, cleavage, blastocyst, and hatching rates.

Results: Ninety-five % (38/40) of the mice MII oocytes regained isotonic volumes and all (100%) the surviving were viable. Rewarmed 8-cell mice embryos had 95% (33/35) blastulation rate and 80% (28/35) hatched. Rewarmed mice blastocysts had 97% survival rate (160/165) and 81% (135/165) hatched. Fresh control mice embryos had 100% (42/42) blastulation and 73% (21/42) hatching rates. Bovine embryos' survival was 100% with 54% (19/35) cleavage and 9% (3/35) blastulation rate. Fresh control bovine embryos had 65% (13/20) cleavage and 20% (4/20) blastulation rate. Vitrified bovine oocytes had 100% survival (84/84), 73% (61/84) cleavage, and 7% (6/84) blastocysts' rates; fresh control had 83% (125/150) cleavage and 11% (17/150) blastocysts' rates.

Conclusion: This novel automatic vitrification device is capable to produce high survival rates of oocytes and embryos. We anticipate that as the demand for vitrification of gametes, embryos, and reproductive tissues increases worldwide, the availability of an automated vitrification device will become indispensable for standardization, simplification, and reproducibility of the entire process.

Keywords: Automation; Cryopreservation; Embryos; Oocytes; Vitrification.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Two pictures of the Sarah device. a The closed device with its LCD screen and b the open device showing the rotating metal plate with the solutions and LN container as well as the robotic handle with the straws
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A picture of the special capsule attached to a 0.25-ml straw
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A graph of the cooling and warming rates measure using a thermocouple connected to the straw next to the capsule. The X axis is the time in milliseconds and the Y axis is the temperature in Celsius. The cooling and warming rates were calculated according to following equation: C.R. = [ΔT°C/Δt (ms)] × 1000 × 60 = °C/min
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
a Mice oocytes prior to vitrification using Sarah. b Oocytes after warming, revealing two damaged oocytes (pointed by arrows). c Fresh mice blastocysts and d blastocysts that were vitrified using Sarah
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Bovine oocytes after vitrification and warming using Sarah
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. American Society for Reproductive Medicine Mature oocyte cryopreservation: a guideline. Practice committees of American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Fertil Steril. 2013;99:37–43. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.09.028. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cobo A, Garcia-Velasco JA, Domingo J, Remohi J, Pellicer A. Is vitrification of oocytes useful for fertility preservation for age-related fertility decline and in cancer patients? Fertil Steril. 2013;99:1485–1495. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.02.050. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rudick B, Opper N, Paulson R, Bendikson K, Chung K. The status of oocyte cryopreservation in the United States. Fertil Steril. 2010;94:2642–2646. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.04.079. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rienzi L, Gracia C, Maggiulli R, LaBarbera AR, Kaser DJ, Ubaldi FM, Vanderpoel S, Racowsky C. Oocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance. Hum Reprod Update. 2017;23(2):139–155. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arav A. Cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos. Theriogenology. 2014;81(1):96–102. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.09.011. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources