Abstract
The ability to store human embryos in a viable state at very low temperatures has been critical to the evolution of responsible practice in clinical Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). It has encouraged a reduction in the frequency of simultaneous multiple embryo transfer and thereby reduced the risks associated with multiple pregnancy while maintaining high cumulative pregnancy rates from single oocyte collection cycles. In this chapter, we describe a simple slow freezing procedure for human early cleavage stage embryos that results in a high proportion of post-thaw embryos surviving and retaining their implantation potential.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Trounson A, Mohr L (1983) Human pregnancy following cryopreservation, thawing and transfer of an eight-cell embryo. Nature 305:707–709
Zeilmaker GH, Alberda AT, van Gent I, Rijkmans CM, Drogendijk AC (1984) Two pregnancies following transfer of intact frozen-thawed embryos. Fertil Steril 42:293–296
Whittingham DG, Leibo SP, Mazur P (1972) Survival of mouse embryos frozen to -196 degrees and -269 degrees C. Science 178:411–414
Lassalle B, Testart J, Renard JP (1985) Human embryo features that influence the success of cryopreservation with the use of 1,2 propanediol. Fertil Steril 44:645–651
Testart J, Lassalle B, Belaisch-Allart J, Hazout A, Forman R, Rainhorn JD et al (1986) High pregnancy rate after early human embryo freezing. Fertil Steril 46:268–272
Edgar DH, Bourne H, Speirs AL, McBain JC (2000) A quantitative analysis of the impact of cryopreservation on the implantation potential of human early cleavage stage embryos. Hum Reprod 15:175–179
Balaban B, Urman B, Ata B, Isiklar A, Larman MG, Hamilton R et al (2008) A randomized controlled study of human Day 3 embryo cryopreservation by slow freezing or vitrification: vitrification is associated with higher survival, metabolism and blastocyst formation. Hum Reprod 23:1976–1982
Fabbri R, Porcu E, Marsella T, Rocchetta G, Venturoli S, Flamigni C (2001) Human oocyte cryopreservation: new perspectives regarding oocyte survival. Hum Reprod 16:411–416
Bianchi V, Coticchio G, Distratis V, Di Giusto N, Flamigni C, Borini A (2007) Differential sucrose concentration during dehydration (0.2 mol/L) and rehydration (0.3 mol/L) increases the implantation rate of frozen human oocytes. Reprod BioMed Online 14:64–71
Borini A, Sciajno R, Bianchi V, Sereni E, Flamigni C, Coticchio G (2006) Cinical outcome of oocyte cryopreservation after slow cooling with a protocol utilizing a high sucrose concentration. Hum Reprod 21:512–517
De Santis L, Cino I, Rabellotti E, Papaleo E, Calzi F, Fusi FM et al (2007) Oocyte cryopreservation: clinical outcome of slow-cooling protocols differing in sucrose concentration. Reprod Biomed Online 14:57–63
Jericho H, Wilton L, Gook DA, Edgar DH (2003) A modified cryopreservation method increases the survival of human biopsied cleavage stage embryos. Hum Reprod 18:568–571
Edgar DH, Karani J, Gook DA (2009) Increasing dehydration of human cleavage-stage embryos prior to slow cooling significantly increases cryosurvival. Reprod Biomed Online 19:521–525
Van den Abbeel E, Camus M, Van Waesberghe L, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC (1997) Viability of partially damaged human embryos after cryopreservation. Hum Reprod 12:2006–2010
Guerif F, Bidault R, Cadoret V, Couet ML, Lansac J, Royere D (2002) Parameters guiding selection of best embryos for transfer after cryopreservation: a reappraisal. Hum Reprod 17:1321–1326
Edgar DH, Archer J, McBain J, Bourne H (2007) Embryonic factors affecting outcome from single cryopreserved embryo transfer. Reprod Biomed Online 14:718–723
Van der Elst J, Van den Abbeel E, Vitrier S, Camus M, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC (1997) Selective transfer of cryopreserved human embryos with further cleavage after thawing increases delivery and implantation rates. Hum Reprod 12:1513–1521
Ziebe S, Bech B, Petersen K, Mikkelsen AL, Gabrielsen A, Andersen AN (1998) Resumption of mitosis during post-thaw culture: a key parameter in selecting the right embryos for transfer. Hum Reprod 13:178–181
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media LLC
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Edgar, D.H., Archer, J., Gook, D.A. (2017). Chapter 9 Slow Freezing and Thawing of Human Cleavage Stage Embryos. In: Nagy, Z., Varghese, A., Agarwal, A. (eds) Cryopreservation of Mammalian Gametes and Embryos. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1568. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6828-2_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6828-2_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6826-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6828-2
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols