Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate whether a total ovary can successfully be cryopreserved and thawed under maintenance of high proportions of structurally normal primordial follicles.
Methods: Porcine ovaries were explanted immediately after slaughtery. Ten ovaries were cooled to −196°C using cryoprotective solution and a computer-controlled freezing technique. Five contralateral ovaries were fixed with formalin for histological examination, the five remaining ovaries were directly plunged in liquid nitrogen. After three weeks of storage, frozen ovaries were thawed and examined by light and electron microscopy. Viability was assessed by evaluation of intact primordial follicles with respect to cellular and intracellular structures.
Results: Histological viability of primordial follicles in computer-frozen ovaries was 84.4% (76.1–90.6%), as compared to non-frozen control samples (92–100%; mean 97.6%) and to ovaries plunged in liquid nitrogen without cryoprotection 21.1% (4.5–35.0%).
Conclusions: Cryopreservation of whole ovaries may present a feasible way to maintain high numbers of viable primordial follicles in ovarian tissue retransplantation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Marcello FM, Nuciforo G, Romeo R, Di Dino G, Russo I, Russo A, Palumbo G, Schilirò, G: Structural and ultrastructural study of the ovary in childhood leukemia after successful treatment. Cancer 1990;66:2099–2104
Wallace, WHB, Shalet SM, Hendry JH, Morris-Jones PH, Gattamaneni HR: Ovarian failure following abdominal irradiation in childhood: The radiosensitivity of the human oocyte. Br J Radiol 1989;62:995–998
Marina F, Marina S: Comments on oocyte cryopreservation. Reprod Biomed Online 2003;6:401–402
Johnson MH, Pickering SJ: The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on the microtubular system of the mouse oocyte. Development 1987;100:313–324
Carroll J, Depypere H, Matthews CD: Freeze-thaw-induced changes of the zona pellucida explains decreased rates of fertilisation in frozen-thawed mouse oocytes. J Reprod Fertil 1990;90:547–553
Gook DA, Osborn SM, Johnston WIH: Parthenogenetic activation of human oocytes following cryopreservation using 1,2-propanediol. Hum Reprod 1995;10:654–658
Harp R, Leibach J, Black J, Keldahl C, Karow A: Cryopreservation of murine ovarian tissue. Cryobiology 1994;31:336–343
Candy CJ, Wood MJ, Whittingham DG: Follicular development in cryopreserved marmoset ovarian tissue after transplantation. Hum Reprod 1995;9:2334–2338
Parrott DM: The fertility of mice with orthotopic grafts derived from frozen tissue. J Reprod Fertil 1960;1:230–241
Guanasena KT, Villines PM, Critser ES, Critser JK: Live births after autologous transplant of cryopreserved mouse ovaries. Hum Reprod 1997;12:101–106
Gosden RG, Baird DT, Wade JC, Webb R: Restoration of fertility to oophorectomized sheep by ovarian autografts stored at -196°C. Hum Reprod 1994;9:597–603
Salle B, Demirci B, Franck M, Rudigoz RC, Guerin JF, Lornage J: Normal pregnancies and live births after autograft of frozen-thawed hemi-ovaries into sheep. Fertil Steril 2002;(77):403–408
Salle B, Demirci B, Franck M, Berthollet C, Lornage J: Long-term follow-up of cryopreserved hemi-ovary autografts in ewes: Pregnancies, births, and histologic assessment. Fertil Steril 2003;80:172–177
Baird DT, Webb R, Campell B, Harkness L, Gosden RG: Autotransplantation of frozen ovarian strips in sheep result in normal oestrus cycles for at least 22 months. Hum Reprod 1996;11(Abstract book 1):58
Bahadur G, Steele SJ: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation for patients. Hum Reprod 1996;11:2215–2216
Meirow D, Yehuda DB, Prus D, Pollack A, Schenker JG, Rachmilewitz EA, Lewin A: Ovarian tissue banking in patients with Hodgkin’s disease, is it safe? Fertil Steril1998;69:996–998
Newton, H: The cryopreservation of ovarian tissue as a strategy for preserving the fertility of cancer patients. Hum Reprod 1994;4(Update):237–247
Hovatta O: Cryobiology of ovarian and testicular tissue. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2003;17:331–342
Candy CJ, Wood MJ, Whittingham DG: Effect of cryoprotectants on the survival of follicles in frozen mouse ovaries. J Reprod Fertil 1997;110:11–19
Newton H, Aubard Y, Rutherford A: Low temperature storage and grafting of human ovarian tissue. Hum Reprod 1996;11M:1487–1491
Guanasena KT, Lakey JRT, Villines PM, Critser ES, Critser JK: Allogeneic and xenogeneic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue to athymic mice. Biol Reprod 1997;57:226–231
Newton H, Fisher J, Arnold JRP, Pegg DE, Faddy MJ, Gosden RG: Permeation of human tissue with cryoprotective agents in preparation for cryopreservation. Hum Reprod 1998;3:376–380
Oktay K, Newton H, Aubard Y, Salha O, Gosden RG: Cryopreservation of immature human oocytes and ovarian tissue: An emerging technology? Fertil Steril 1998;69:1–7
Oktay K, Nugent D, Newton H, Salha O, Chatterjee P, Gosden RG: Isolation and characterization of primordial follicles from fresh and cryopreserved ovarian tissue. Fertil Steril 1997;67:481–486
Carroll J, Gosden RG: Transplantation of frozen-thawed mouse primordial follicles. Hum Reprod 1993;8:1163–1167
Eppig JJ, O’Brien MJ: Development in vitro of mouse oocytes from primordial follicles. Biol Reprod 1996;54:197–207
Fortune JE: The early stages of follicular development: Activation of primordial follicles and growth of preantral follicles. Anim Reprod Sci 2003;78:135–163
Nugent D, Newton H, Gosden RG, Rutherford AJ: Investigation of follicle survival after human heterotopic grafting. Hum Reprod 1998;13 (Abstract book 1):23–24
Leporrier M, Theobold P, Roffe JL, Muller G: A new technique to protect the ovarian function before pelvic radiation. Cancer 1987;60:2201–2204
Shaw JM, Bowles J, Koopman P, Wood EC, Trounson AO: Fresh and cryopreserved ovarian tissue samples from donors with lymphoma transmit the cancer to recipients. Hum Reprod1996;11:1668–1673
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Imhof, M., Hofstetter, G., Bergmeister, H. et al. Cryopreservation of a Whole Ovary As a Strategy for Restoring Ovarian Function. J Assist Reprod Genet 21, 459–465 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-004-8763-5
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-004-8763-5