In Vitro Maturation, Fertilization and Embryo Culture of Oocytes Obtained from Vitrified Auto-Transplanted Mouse Ovary

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro survival and developmentalpotential of oocytes obtained from vitrified mouse ovaries transplanted to a heterotopic site.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, two-week-old mice were unilaterallyovariectomized after anesthesia. The ovaries were vitrified by cryotop. After two weeks, the ovarieswere thawed and autotransplanted to the gluteus muscle tissue. Three weeks later the mice werekilled, after which we removed and dissected the transplanted and opposite right ovaries. Cumulusoocyte complexes (COCs) and denuded oocytes were evaluated for in vitro maturation (IVM), invitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro development (IVD). The control group consisted of sevenweek-old age-matched mice ovaries.Results: All vitrified-transplanted (Vit-trans) ovaries contained some oocytes that survived.Following IVM, IVF and IVD, there were 41.7% out of 12 cultured zygotes that reached the 8-cellstage.Conclusion: Our experiment supports the progressive role of long-term graft survival after wholeovariancryopreservation by vitrification and subsequent heterotopic transplantation. It is possible torecover viable follicles and oocytes that have the ability to develop in vitro.