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A closed system supports the developmental competence of human embryos after vitrification

Closed vitrification of human embryos

  • Technological Innovations
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Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Closed-system vitrification may enable the risk of contamination to be minimised. We performed three studies to compare the developmental competence of human embryos vitrified using either a closed vitrification system (CVS; Rapid-i®) or an open vitrification system (OVS; Cryo-top®).

Methods

The first study was performed in vitro using 66 zygotes previously vitrified at pronuclear stage. These were warmed and randomised 1:1 to revitrification using either the OVS or the CVS. After re-warming, embryo development and blastocyst cell number were assessed. For the second study, also performed in vitro, 60 vitrified–warmed blastocysts were randomised 1:1:1 into three groups (OVS or CVS revitrification, or no revitrification). The proportion of dead cells was assessed by staining. The third study was performed in vivo, using 263 high-grade blastocysts randomly assigned to vitrification using either the CVS (n = 100) or the OVS (n = 163). After warming, single blastocyst transfer was performed.

Results

There were no differences between the CVS and the OVS in survival rate (100 % vs. 97 %), blastulation rate (96 h: 50 % vs. 50 %; 120 h: 68 % vs. 56 %), proportion of good blastocysts (96 h: 32 % vs. 22 %, 120 h: 47 % vs. 41 %), or mean number of cells (137 vs. 138). The proportion of dead cells in blastocysts re-vitrified by CVS (31 %) was similar to that for OVS (38 %) and non-revitrification (32 %). In vivo, the implantation rate for blastocysts vitrified using the CVS (54 %) was similar to that with the OVS (53 %).

Conclusion

Our studies consistently indicate that human embryos may be vitrified using a CVS without impairment of developmental competence.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Drs. Keijiro Ito, Tomoko Inoue, Kazuhiro Saeki, and Nobuhiro Kato, and Ms. Yoshie Akamatsu for their technical support and valuable suggestions.

Funding

Part of this work was supported by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JPS-RFTF 23580397 to S.H.).

Conflict of interest

None declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka, 550-0015, Japan

    Shu Hashimoto, Ami Amo, Satoko Hama, Kanako Ohsumi, Yoshiharu Nakaoka & Yoshiharu Morimoto

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  1. Shu Hashimoto
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  2. Ami Amo
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  3. Satoko Hama
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  4. Kanako Ohsumi
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  5. Yoshiharu Nakaoka
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  6. Yoshiharu Morimoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shu Hashimoto.

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Capsule

The closed vitrification system overcame the majority of problems associated with direct liquid nitrogen contact that occurs in the open vitrification system without impairing developmental competence of human embryos.

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Hashimoto, S., Amo, A., Hama, S. et al. A closed system supports the developmental competence of human embryos after vitrification. J Assist Reprod Genet 30, 371–376 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9928-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9928-2

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