Hollow fiber vitrification: a novel method for vitrifying multiple embryos in a single device

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Cryobiology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Current embryo vitrification relies on minimum volume cooling (MVC), limiting the number of embryos processed simultaneously.
• Existing MVC methods, while effective for individual embryos, are not scalable for large-scale cryopreservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel hollow fiber vitrification (HFV) method for simultaneous cryopreservation of multiple embryos.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the HFV method for vitrifying mouse and porcine embryos at various developmental stages.

Main Methods:

• Development of a hollow fiber device capable of holding numerous embryos (up to 40 mouse or 20 porcine) in minimal solution volume (<0.1 μl).
• Vitrification of mouse embryos (1-cell to blastocyst) and porcine embryos (in vitro and in vivo derived) using the HFV device.
• Assessment of embryo survival, developmental rates (blastocyst formation), and live birth rates post-transfer.

Main Results:

• Achieved up to 100% survival rates for mouse embryos vitrified using the HFV method, irrespective of developmental stage.
• Demonstrated HFV effectiveness for cryosensitive porcine embryos, with significant blastocyst formation rates (73.8%) for IVM-derived embryos.
• Successful live births (40.3% survival) from transferred vitrified porcine embryos, validating the HFV method's in vivo efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The HFV method enables simultaneous vitrification of multiple embryos, adhering to MVC principles.
• This novel technique significantly improves the efficiency and effectiveness of embryo cryopreservation for both mice and pigs.
• HFV offers a promising advancement for large-scale embryo banking and assisted reproductive technologies.