Abstract
Two-cell embryos were vitrified after 30-sec exposure to DP solution (2.75M DMSO and 2.75M propylene glycol in PB1) supplemented with 1.0M sucrose (DPS). They exhibited significantly higher in vitro survival rate (82%) than those vitrified with DP (44%). Similar high survival rate (81%) was obtained when they were vitrified with DP plus 0.16M raffinose (DPR). In vivo survival of 2-cell embryos vitrified after 30-sec exposure to DPS or DPR was both 49%, and there was no significant difference as compared with the unvitrified control group (60%). High in vitro survival rates (80-96%) were also obtained with embryos at 1-cell and morula stages vitrified after 30-sec exposure to DPS. In vivo survival rates of embryos at the 1-cell, morula and blastocyst stages were 56, 53 and 40%, respectively, when vitrified after 15-sec exposure to DPS. The results indicate that the vitrification procedure can be used for the cryopreservation of mouse preimplantation embryos at 1-cell, 2-cell and morula stages.
