ABSTRACT
Vitrification is now a widely applied and highly successful approach for cryopreservation
in reproductive biology. Rapidly increasing data prove that it is also a highly efficient
technique for low-temperature storage of human oocytes. The latest approaches with
appropriately selected cryoprotectants, tools and techniques, and properly adjusted
parameters allow close to 100% morphological survival rates, and in vitro embryo development,
as well pregnancy and implantation rates, comparable with those achieved with fresh
oocytes. With standardization of the technique and elimination of biosafety problems
by preserving all the positive features, vitrification may become a common part of
the everyday routine in a human embryo laboratory, and it may offer a solution for
various medical and social situations as well as for simple logistic problems commonly
occurring in assisted reproduction.
KEYWORDS
Cryopreservation - sterile - DMSO - oocyte - vitrification
REFERENCES
- 1
Bunge R G, Keettel W C, Sherman J K.
Clinical use of frozen semen: report of four cases.
Fertil Steril.
1954;
5(6)
520-529
- 2
Trounson A, Mohr L.
Human pregnancy following cryopreservation, thawing and transfer of an eight-cell
embryo.
Nature.
1983;
305(5936)
707-709
- 3
Chen C.
Pregnancy after human oocyte cryopreservation.
Lancet.
1986;
1
884-886
- 4
Porcu E, Fabbri R, Seracchioli R, Ciotti P M, Magrini O, Flamigni C.
Birth of a healthy female after intracytoplasmic sperm injection of cryopreserved
human oocytes.
Fertil Steril.
1997;
68(4)
724-726
- 5
Vajta G, Nagy Z P.
Are programmable freezers still needed in the embryo laboratory? Review on vitrification.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2006;
12(6)
779-796
- 6
Rall W F, Fahy G M.
Ice-free cryopreservation of mouse embryos at -196 degrees C by vitrification.
Nature.
1985;
313(6003)
573-575
- 7
Hanslick J L, Lau K, Noguchi K K et al..
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) produces widespread apoptosis in the developing central
nervous system.
Neurobiol Dis.
2009;
34(1)
1-10
- 8
Kartberg A J, Hambiliki F, Arvidsson T, Stavreus-Evers A, Svalander P.
Vitrification with DMSO protects embryo membrane integrity better than solutions without
DMSO.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2008;
17(3)
378-384
- 9
Larman M G, Katz-Jaffe M G, Sheehan C B, Gardner D K.
1,2-propanediol and the type of cryopreservation procedure adversely affect mouse
oocyte physiology.
Hum Reprod.
2007;
22(1)
250-259
- 10
Tucker M J, Wright G, Morton P C, Massey J B.
Birth after cryopreservation of immature oocytes with subsequent in vitro maturation.
Fertil Steril.
1998;
70(3)
578-579
- 11
Kuleshova L, Gianaroli L, Magli C, Ferraretti A, Trounson A.
Birth following vitrification of a small number of human oocytes: case report.
Hum Reprod.
1999;
14(12)
3077-3079
- 12
Fabbri R, Porcu E, Marsella T, Rocchetta G, Venturoli S, Flamigni C.
Human oocyte cryopreservation: new perspectives regarding oocyte survival.
Hum Reprod.
2001;
16(3)
411-416
- 13
Borini A, Lagalla C, Bonu M A, Bianchi V, Flamigni C, Coticchio G.
Cumulative pregnancy rates resulting from the use of fresh and frozen oocytes: 7 years'
experience.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2006;
12(4)
481-486
- 14
Meirow D.
Reproduction post-chemotherapy in young cancer patients.
Mol Cell Endocrinol.
2000;
169(1-2)
123-131
- 15
Porcu E, Bazzocchi A, Notarangelo L, Paradisi R, Landolfo C, Venturoli S.
Human oocyte cryopreservation in infertility and oncology.
Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes.
2008;
15(6)
529-535
- 16
Elizur S E, Chian R C, Pineau C A et al..
Fertility preservation treatment for young women with autoimmune diseases facing treatment
with gonadotoxic agents.
Rheumatology (Oxford).
2008;
47(10)
1506-1509
- 17
Deepinder F, Agarwal A.
Technical and ethical challenges of fertility preservation in young cancer patients.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2008;
16(6)
784-791
- 18 American Cancer Society .Cancer Facts and Figures—2001. Atlanta, GA; American Cancer
Society 2001
- 19
Rao G D, Chian R C, Son W S, Gilbert L, Tan S L.
Fertility preservation in women undergoing cancer treatment.
Lancet.
2004;
363(9423)
1829-1830
- 20
Lucena E, Bernal D P, Lucena C, Rojas A, Moran A, Lucena A.
Successful ongoing pregnancies after vitrification of oocytes.
Fertil Steril.
2006;
85(1)
108-111
- 21
Cha K Y, Han S Y, Chung H M et al..
Pregnancies and deliveries after in vitro maturation culture followed by in vitro
fertilization and embryo transfer without stimulation in women with polycystic ovary
syndrome.
Fertil Steril.
2000;
73(5)
978-983
- 22
Chung H M, Hong S W, Lim J M et al..
In vitro blastocyst formation of human oocytes obtained from unstimulated and stimulated
cycles after vitrification at various maturational stages.
Fertil Steril.
2000;
73(3)
545-551
- 23
Elizur S E, Chian R C, Holzer H E et al..
Cryopreservation of oocytes in a young woman with severe and symptomatic endometriosis:
a new indication for fertility preservation.
Fertil Steril.
2009;
91(1)
e1-3
- 24
Gidoni Y S, Takefman J, Holzer H E et al..
Cryopreservation of a mother's oocytes for possible future use by her daughter with
Turner syndrome: case report.
Fertil Steril.
2008;
90(5)
e9-12
- 25
Stachecki J J, Cohen J.
An overview of oocyte cryopreservation.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2004;
9(2)
152-163
- 26
Kuwayama M, Vajta G, Kato O, Leibo S P.
Highly efficient vitrification method for cryopreservation of human oocytes.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2005;
11(3)
300-308
- 27
Jain J K, Francis M M, Marsh E M et al..
Oocyte cryopreservation: a promising strategy for circumventing the age-related decline
in human fertility.
Fertil Steril.
2006;
85
S7
- 28
Chang C C, Shapiro D B, Bernal D P, Wright G, Kort H I, Nagy Z P.
Human oocyte vitrification: in-vivo and in-vitro maturation outcomes.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2008;
17(5)
684-688
- 29
Chian R C, Gilbert L, Huang J Y et al..
Live birth after vitrification of in vitro matured human oocytes.
Fertil Steril.
2009;
91(2)
372-376
- 30
Nagy Z P, Chang C C, Shapiro D B et al..
Clinical evaluation of the efficiency of an oocyte donation program using egg cryo-banking.
Fertil Steril.
2009;
92(2)
520-526
- 31
Piasecka-Serafin M.
The effect of the sediment accumulated in containers under experimental conditions
on the infection of semen stored directly in liquid nitrogen (−196 degree C).
Bull Acad Pol Sci Biol.
1972;
20(4)
263-267
- 32
Tedder R S, Zuckerman M A, Goldstone A H et al..
Hepatitis B transmission from contaminated cryopreservation tank.
Lancet.
1995;
346(8968)
137-140
- 33
Bielanski A, Nadin-Davis S, Sapp T, Lutze-Wallace C.
Viral contamination of embryos cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen.
Cryobiology.
2000;
40(2)
110-116
- 34
Kuwayama M, Vajta G, Ieda S, Kato O.
Comparison of open and closed methods for vitrification of human embryos and the elimination
of potential contamination.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2005;
11(5)
608-614
- 35
Stachecki J J, Garrisi J, Sabino S, Caetano J P, Wiemer K E, Cohen J.
A new safe, simple and successful vitrification method for bovine and human blastocysts.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2008;
17(3)
360-367
- 36
Isachenko V, Montag M, Isachenko E et al..
Aseptic technology of vitrification of human pronuclear oocytes using open-pulled
straws.
Hum Reprod.
2005;
20(2)
492-496
- 37
Kuleshova L L, Shaw J M.
A strategy for rapid cooling of mouse embryos within a double straw to eliminate the
risk of contamination during storage in liquid nitrogen.
Hum Reprod.
2000;
15(12)
2604-2609
- 38
Vajta G, Lewis I M, Kuwayama M, Greve T, Callesen H.
Sterile application of the open pulled straw (OPS) vitrification method.
Cryo-Letters.
1998;
19
389-392
- 39
Bielanski A, Hanniman A.
Non-cross-contamination of bovine embryos with microbes using the OPS vitrification
system.
Reprod Fertil Dev.
2007;
19
232-233
- 40
McBurnie L D, Bardo B.
Validation of sterile filtration of liquid nitrogen.
Pharm Technol North America.
2002;
26
74-82
- 41
Larman M G, Sheehan C B, Gardner D K.
Vitrification of mouse pronuclear oocytes with no direct liquid nitrogen contact.
Reprod Biomed Online.
2006;
12(1)
66-69
- 42
Fountain D, Ralston M, Higgins N et al..
Liquid nitrogen freezers: a potential source of microbial contamination of hematopoietic
stem cell components.
Transfusion.
1997;
37(6)
585-591
Zsolt Peter NagyM.D. Ph.D.
Scientific and Laboratory Director, Reproductive Biology Associates
1150 Lake Hearn Dr.; Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30342
eMail: peter.nagy@rba-online.com
