본 연구는 체외생산된 배반포기배의 vitrification 을 위한 용기로서 glass micropipette(GMP)을 이용할 수 있는지, GMP 와 OPS 로 동결융해 후 생존율의 비교 및 GMP vitrification 후 hatching 율의 향상을 위하여 실시하였다. GMP vessel은 열전도율과 수정란을 포함하는 적은 질량 때문에 OPS 보다 동결 및 융해속도를 높일 수 있다. 3개의 체외수정란을 vitrification 용액에 노출시키고 OPS 또는 GMP vessel에 loading 시킨 후 액체질소에 침적하는데까지 20~25초 이내에 실시하였다. 동결ㆍ융해한 배반포기배는 0.25와 15 M sucrose solution 및 TCM 1999에 각각 5분씩 차례로 희석한 후 10% FCS가 첨가된 TCM 199에 24시간동안 배양하였다. OPS(75.9%)와 GMP(80.0%) 방법간의 re-expanding 율은 유의적 (P＜0.05)인 차이가 없었다. OPS(34.1%)와 GMP(37.5%) 방법에서 hatching 율은 intact group(54.3%) 보다도 유의적 (P＜0.05)으로 낮았다. 비록 GMP straw 당 3개 이하의 blastocysts 를 loading 하였더라도 narrow portion(83.3%) 보다도 wide portion(S6.7%)에서 vitrified 되었다면 re-expanding 율이 유의적 (P＜0.05)으로 낮았다. 비록 30초 처리군과 무처리군 간에는 유의적인 차이가 없었지만 0.05% pronase 용액에 30, 60 및 90초간 처리군 (45.9, 54.7 및 57.5%)의 hatching 율은 무처리구 (35.0%) 보다 유의적 (P＜0.05)으로 높았다. 이러한 결과들은 OPS와 GMP vitrification vessel은 체외생산된 배반포기배의 높은 생존율을 얻을 수 있다. 그러나 GMP vessel은 L$N_2$침적 후 vessel의 floating을 방지하기 위한 또 다른 cap 이 필요하지 않다는 유리한 점을 가지고 있다. 수정란의 loading 위치, 즉 narrow 또는 wide portion에 따라 소 체외 생산된 배반포기배의 생존력에 제한적인 요인으로 고려된다. 0.5% pronase 용액에 60 또는 90초간의 노출은 융해후 hatching 율을 향상시킬 수 있었다.
The purpose of these study was to investigate the use of a glass micropipette (GMP) as a vessel for vitrification of bovine IVP blastocysts, to compare the post-thaw survival rates of bovine blastocysts frozen in GMP with those frozen in OPS that have been previously investigated, and to improve the hatching rate following vitrification with GMP method. The GMP vessel permits higher freezing and warming rate than the OPS due to the higher heat conductivity of the glass and lower mass of the solution that contains the embryos. Groups of three bovine IVP blastocysts were sequentially placed into vitrification solution before being loaded into either the OPS or GMP vessels and immersed into L$N_2$within 20 to 25 sec. Post-thaw blastocysts were serially washed in 0.25 and 0.15 M sucrose in HM and TCM-199 for each 5 min, respectively, and then cultured in TCM 199 supplemented with 10% FCS for 24 h. The rate of blastocyst re-expanding did not significantly different for OPS (75.9%) and GMP (80.0%) methods (P＞0.05). The hatching rates in OPS (34.1%) and GMP (37.5%) methods were significantly lower than that in control group (54.3%) (P＞0.05). In addition, the rate of blastocyst re-expanding was significantly lower if blastocysts were vitrified in the wide portion of the micropipette rather than the narrow portion of the micropipette (83.3 vs 56.7%) (P＞0.05), even though three blastocysts were loaded per vessel. The hatching rate in 0.05% pronase solution treatment for 30, 60 and 90 see (45.9, 54.7 and 57.5%) were significantly higher than that in control (35.0%), even though there was not significantly different between 30 see and control. These results indicate that both vitrification vessels can provide high survival rates of bovine IVP blastocysts. However, the GMP vessel has the advantage over the OPS, in that the former does not need a cap to protect the vessel from floating after immersion in L$N_2$. The location of the embryos (narrow or wide portion of immersion) were considered to be limiting factors to the viability of bovine IVP embryos. The exposing in 0.05% pronase solution for 60 or 90 see can increase hatching rates of post-thaw bovine IVP blastocysts.
