Cryopreservation of Mammalian Gametes and Embryos

Kiri Beilby, Patrick Quinn, Beilby, Kiri, Quinn, Patrick

Despite a large focus on the use of vitrification to cryopreserve embryos in recent years, there are still arguments for the use of slow freezing for the cleavage-stage embryo. Having said this, there are lessons to be learned from the process of vitrification that could be applied to slow freezing to improve post-thaw survival and ultimately clinical pregnancy rates. Specifically, increasing the concentration of sucrose in the freezing solution from 0.1 to 0.2 M and subsequently increasing the sucrose concentrations in thawing solutions could prove beneficial. The use of vitrification warming solutions in the thawing of slow-frozen embryos may also be an option that not only improves survival but also streamlines product purchasing and protocols within the laboratory.