Mouse Sperm Cryopreservation and Effective Embryo Production Using Cryopreserved C57BL/6 Mouse Sperm

Abstract

Mouse sperm cryopreservation has greatly developed and spread throughout the world since it was the first successfully performed in 1990. The technology of sperm cryopreservation is widely used for storage of genetically engineered mice produced by global large-scale knockout mice or mouse mutagenesis projects in mouse banks. There are several benefits to using sperm cryopreservation. These include the ability to archive a great number of genetically engineered mice at a low cost in a small space; the ease with which freezing and thawing procedures can be carried out; and the convenience of performing mouse reproduction via in vitro fertilization. Sperm cryopreservation provides the research community with permanent access to genetically engineered mice and as such is an essential part of research activities. Many researchers have actively been investigating the techniques surrounding mouse sperm cryopreservation and embryo production using cryopreserved sperm. In particular, the topic of improving the low fertility rate of cryopreserved sperm in the C57BL/6 strain of mouse, the most common inbred strain used as a base for genetically engineered mice, has been garnering much attention. This review focuses on recent work regarding various attractive technologies in the fields of sperm cryopreservation and efficient embryo production using cryopreserved C57BL/6 mouse sperm.