Clinical grade vitrification of human ovarian tissue: an ultrastructural analysis of follicles and stroma in vitrified tissue

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Mona Sheikhi1,*, Kjell Hultenby2, Boel Niklasson1, Monalill Lundqvist1 and Outi Hovatta1

1Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical, Science, Technology and Intervention, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden

2Division of Clinical Research Centre, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden *Correspondence address. Tel: +46-8-5858-0000; Fax: +46-8-58587250; E-mail: mona.sheikhi{at}karolinska.seReceived March 17, 2010. Revision received November 10, 2010. Accepted November 22, 2010. BACKGROUND Cancer therapy is one of many conditions which may diminish the ovarian reserve. Banking of human ovarian tissue has become an option for the preservation of female fertility. We have shown that vitrification is an excellent method to cryopreserve ovarian tissue. To carry out vitrification in a clinical setting, we have developed a clinical grade closed system to avoid direct contact of ovarian tissue with liquid nitrogen.

METHODS Ovarian tissue was obtained by biopsy from 12 consenting women undergoing Caesarean section. Tissues were vitrified in cryotubes, using dimethyl sulphoxide, 1,2-propanediol, ethylene glycol and polyvinylpyrrolidon as cryoprotectants. Non-vitrified and warmed-vitrified tissue was compared by light and electron microscopic morphology of the follicles within the tissues.

RESULTS We did not see any differences in the light or electron microscopic ultrastructure of oocytes between non-vitrified and vitrified tissues. No irreversible subcellular alterations in vitrified tissues were seen.

CONCLUSIONS The ultrastructure of follicles within the vitrified human ovarian tissue was well preserved using cryotube in a closed vitrification system to avoid direct contact of liquid nitrogen. The system is compatible with the European tissue directive.

© The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This ArticleHum. Reprod. (2011) 26 (3): 594-603. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deq357 First published online: January 8, 2011

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Efficacy of oocyte vitrification combined with blastocyst stage transfer in an egg donation program

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Javier I. García*, Luis Noriega-Portella and Luis Noriega-Hoces

Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, PRANOR Group of Assisted Reproduction, Concebir Clinic, Los Olivos 364, San Isidro, Lima, Peru *Correspondence address. Tel: +51-1-422-5246; E-mail: jgarciaf{at}hotmail.comReceived May 18, 2010. Revision received November 29, 2010. Accepted January 7, 2011. BACKGROUND A successful oocyte vitrification program is important for women with various indications for assisted reproduction technology. The objective of this study was to report the outcome of vitrification of oocytes, obtained through an oocyte donation program, by evaluating the embryo development, pregnancy and implantation rates (IRs) after blastocyst transfer.

METHODS A total of 1098 oocytes were obtained from 78 donors. There were 312 oocytes used in the study group (vitrified oocytes) and 786 used in the control group (fresh oocytes). There were 34 recipients who received blastocysts obtained from vitrified oocytes and 58 recipients who received blastocysts from fresh oocytes. The fertilization rate, cleavage rate, embryo quality, pregnancy rate (PR) and IR were compared between groups.

RESULTS Vitrified oocytes showed a survival rate of 89.4%. There was no difference in the fertilization rate (76.1 and 87.5%), Day 2 cleavage rate (96.3 and 98.0%) or blastocyst formation rate (41.3 and 45.3%) for the study and control groups, respectively. PRs, IRs and miscarriages rates (MRs) were similar for the study group compared with the control group (PR: 61.8 versus 60.0%; IR: 43.9 versus 42.9%; MR: 9.5 versus 5.9%).

CONCLUSIONS The developmental competence of embryos obtained from vitrified oocytes is not affected by the vitrification procedure, since they preserve the potential to be fertilized and to develop into high-quality blastocysts, similar to embryos from fresh oocytes. The successful clinical outcome indicates the use of this procedure for oocyte donation programs and for oocyte storage in general.

© The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com This ArticleHum. Reprod. (2011) 26 (4): 782-790. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der008 First published online: February 7, 2011

Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.

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