Cryopreservation

BACKGROUND: Awareness of the age-related decline in fertility potential has increased the popularity of planned oocyte cryopreservation (POC). However, data regarding outcomes of POC, including rates of women returning to thaw oocytes, as well as pregnancy and live birth rates, are scarce and based mostly on small case series. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE: POC was defined as cryopreservation exclusively for prevention of future age-related fertility loss. The primary outcome was live birth rate per patient...

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma is a malignant and aggressive type of central nevous system malignancy characterized by many distinct biological features including extensive hypoxia. Hypoxia in glioblatoma associates with complex signaling patterns including activation of several pathways such as MAPK, PI3K-AKT/mTOR and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 with the master regulator HIF-1, which in turn drive particular tumor behaviors determining, in the end, treatment outcomes and patients fate. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the expression of selected hypoxia related factors including STAT3 in a small set of long-term surviving glioma patients...

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) comprises nine human-adapted lineages that differ in their geographical distribution. Local adaptation of specific MTBC genotypes to the respective human host population has been invoked in this context. We aimed to assess if bacterial genetics governs MTBC pathogenesis or if local co-adaptation translates into differential susceptibility of human macrophages to infection by different MTBC genotypes. We generated macrophages from cryopreserved blood mononuclear cells of Tanzanian tuberculosis patients, from which the infecting MTBC strains had previously been phylogenetically characterized...

This study aimed to examine the viability of human blastocysts after warming with fatty acids (FAs) using an in vitro outgrowth model and to assess pregnancy outcomes after a single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer (SVBT). For the experimental study, we used 446 discarded vitrified human blastocysts donated for research purposes by consenting couples. The blastocysts were warmed using FA-supplemented (FA group) or non-FA-supplemented (control group) solutions. The outgrowth area was significantly larger in the FA group (P = 0...

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause premature ovarian failure and loss of fertility in female cancer patients. Ovarian cortex cryopreservation is a good choice to preserve female fertility before cancer treatment. Following the remission of the disease, the thawed ovarian tissue can be transplanted back and restore fertility of the patient. However, there is a risk to reintroduce cancer cells in the body and leads to the recurrence of cancer. Given the low success rate of current in vitro culture techniques for obtaining mature oocytes from primordial follicles, an artificial ovary with primordial follicles may be a good way to solve this problem...

PURPOSE: Before blastocyst development, embryos undergo morphological and metabolic changes crucial for their subsequent growth. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between morula compaction and blastocyst formation and the subsequent chromosomal status of the embryos. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated embryo development (n = 371) using time-lapse imaging; 94 blastocysts underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A)...

The importance of ovarian cortical cryopreservation in fertility preservation is receiving increasing attention from reproductive specialists, and mitochondrial dysfunction is an important cause of reduced ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Elamipretide (SS-31) is a novel mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. However, whether it has a protective effect on mouse ovarian tissue cryopreservation remains to be studied. In this study, we examined follicular morphology and viability, mitochondrial function and oxidative stress levels, apoptosis, and culture in vitro after vitrification cryoresuscitation operation by treating ovarian tissues with SS-31 in cryoprotectant resuscitation solution...

Organoid cell culture systems can recapitulate the complexity observed in tissues, making them useful in studying host-pathogen interactions, evaluating drug efficacy and toxicity, and tissue bioengineering. However, applying these models for the described reasons may be limited because of the three-dimensional (3D) nature of these models. For example, using 3D enteroid culture systems to study digestive diseases is challenging due to the inaccessibility of the intestinal lumen and its secreted substances. Indeed, stimulation of 3D organoids with pathogens requires either luminal microinjection, mechanical disruption of the 3D structure, or generation of apical-out enteroids...

Sperm cryopreservation is one of the main methods for preserving rooster sperm for artificial insemination (AI) in commercial flocks. Yet, rooster sperm is extremely susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during the freezing process. Oxidative stress could be prevented by using nanoparticles containing antioxidants. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) in rooster semen freezing extender on quality parameters and fertility potential. For this aim, semen samples were collected and diluted in Lake extenders as follows: control: Lake without ZnONP, ZnO100: Lake with 100-μg zinc oxide (ZnO), ZnONP50: Lake with 50-μg ZnONP, ZnONP100: Lake with 100-μg ZnONP and ZnONP200: Lake with 200-μg ZnONP...

Baicalein (B) has potential antioxidant properties, but it has not been tested as a ram semen extender. This study aimed to assess the impact of B on various sperm parameters and determine its potential influence on semen quality after the freeze-thawing process. During the breeding season, ejaculates were obtained from four rams with the aid of an artificial vagina. The collected mixed semen samples were divided into four groups: control (C; 0), B0.5 (0.5 mM), B1 (1 mM), and B2 (2 mM)...

While there are various aspects of platelet biology that can be studied in the lab (i.e. adhesion, degranulation, integrin activation), the master test for platelet function is that which gives a measure of the platelet aggregation capacity upon stimulation with an agonist. Platelet function testing is necessary for the diagnosis of platelet disorders and the monitoring of patients receiving anti-platelet treatments. Furthermore, it becomes relevant in the quality control of platelet concentrates for transfusion purposes, especially considering the global concern about long term storage, other forms of storage (i...

Over half of the world's buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) inhabit India, and buffaloes frequently encounter health challenges that resist conventional treatments, prompting the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. One promising approach is stem cell therapy, particularly multipotent mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs). These cells have shown significant efficacy in addressing various diseases in livestock that exhibit resistance to conventional therapies. Adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADSCs) have garnered attention due to their accessibility and robust expansion potential...

OBJECTIVE: To explore and compare the current mainstream testicular tissue freezing methods, namely vitrification and controlled slow freezing, and optimize the best testicular tissue freezing methods. METHODS: Testicular tissues of 3-week-old mice and <2-year old prepubertal cynomophage monkeys were collected and cut to 6-26 mm3, and divided into three groups: Fresh group, vitrification group and controlled slow freezing group were resuscitated after 5-7 days of freezing...

Recently, there has been increasing emphasis on the gonadotoxic effects of cancer therapy in prepubertal boys. As advances in oncology treatments continue to enhance survival rates for prepubertal boys, the need for preserving their functional testicular tissue for future reproduction becomes increasingly vital. Therefore, we explore cutting-edge strategies in fertility preservation, focusing on the cryopreservation and transplantation of immature testicular tissue as a promising avenue. The evolution of cryopreservation techniques, from controlled slow freezing to more recent advancements in vitrification, with an assessment of their strengths and limitations was exhibited...

Semen freezing and storing has been widely used in reproductive biotechnology, being applied to certain males of livestock breeds or animal species with economic value such as the Angora goat. The development of a semen extender with the cryoprotective agents can prevent the deterioration of sperm parameters after thawing. This study aimed to investigate lipid mixtures (from a liposome kit, Lps) and melatonin (Mel) at different doses to prevent the deterioration of sperm parameters and to provide the cryoprotective effects on sperm DNA...

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is a widely employed technique in proteomics research for studying the proteome biology of various clinical samples. Hard tissues, such as bone and teeth, are routinely preserved using synthetic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) embedding resins that enable histological, immunohistochemical, and morphological examination. However, the suitability of PMMA-embedded hard tissues for large-scale proteomic analysis remained unexplored. This study is the first to report on the feasibility of PMMA-embedded bone samples for LC-MS/MS analysis...

Cryopreservation of avian semen is a useful reproductive technique in the poultry industry. However, during cooling, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels have destructive effects on both quality and function of thawed sperm. The aim of the current study is to investigate the antioxidant effects of N -acetylcysteine (NAC) during rooster semen cryopreservation. Semen samples were collected from ten Ross 308 broiler breeder roosters (32 weeks) and mixed. The mixed samples were divided into five equal parts and cryopreserved in Lake Buffer extender that contained different concentrations (0, 0...

As more premenopausal patients undergo fertility preserving cancer treatments, there is an increased need for fertility counseling and ovarian sparing strategies. Many patients receive gonadotoxic chemotherapeutic agents which can put them at risk of primary ovarian insufficiency or profoundly diminished ovarian reserve. Traditionally, estradiol and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) values have been used to evaluate ovarian function but more recently, reproductive endocrinologists have been proponents of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) as a validated measure of ovarian potential...

Due to high proliferative capacity, multipotent differentiation, immunomodulatory abilities, and lack of ethical concerns, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are promising candidates for clinical application. Currently, clinical research on DPSCs is in its early stages. The reason for the failure to obtain clinically effective results may be problems with the production process of DPSCs. Due to the different preparation methods and reagent formulations of DPSCs, cell characteristics may be affected and lead to inconsistent experimental results...

BACKGROUND: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is essential for lung cancer treatment. It is important to collect sufficient tissue specimens, but sometimes we cannot obtain large enough samples for NGS analysis. We investigated the yield of NGS analysis by frozen cytology pellets using an Oncomine Comprehensive Assay or Oncomine Precision Assay. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients with lung cancer who underwent bronchoscopy at Kobe University Hospital and were enrolled in the Lung Cancer Genomic Screening Project for Individualized Medicine...