Cryopreservation of in vitro-produced bovine embryos: effects of protein type and concentration during freezing or of liposomes during culture on post-thaw survival

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of membrane stabilization through the modification of in vitro culture medium or freezing medium on post-thaw survival of in vitro-produced bovine embryos. In Experiment 1, Day 7 (Day 0 = day of IVF) late morulae and blastocysts that developed following culture in SOF/aa/BSA (IVC medium) were frozen slowly to -35 degrees C in the presence of 1.5 M ethylene glycol prepared in ovum culture medium (OCM) or in OCM supplemented with 10, 25 or 50% fetal calf serum (FCS) or 5, 10 or 25 mg/mL BSA. Post-thaw survival was assessed by re-expansion and/or hatching following 48 h of culture in IVC medium + 10% FCS. Overall, survival was significantly (P<0.01) affected by embryo stage, with more hatched blastocysts surviving (71%) than blastocysts (59%) or late morulae (51%). Addition of FCS significantly (P<0.01) reduced survival compared with control embryos or those frozen in BSA-supplemented medium (50.48 vs 68.01 vs 63.53%, respectively). There was also a significant interaction between embryo stage and protein type (P<0.05). The survival of late morulae/early blastocysts following freezing was improved in the presence of additional BSA but not FCS. In Experiment 2, the IVC medium was supplemented with liposomes containing lecithin, sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Sphingomyelin and cholesterol at ratios of 1:1, 1:4 and 4:1 were added to 50, 100 or 150 micrograms/mL lecithin to yield a final lipid concentration of 200 micrograms/mL. A further group contained 200 micrograms/mL lecithin only. Blastocysts were frozen in 1.5 M ethylene glycol in OCM, then thawed and assessed as in Experiment 1. The presence of liposomes during IVC did not affect the proportion of cleaved embryos that developed to blastocysts or survival following freezing. However, the survival of blastocysts that developed in the presence of 200 micrograms/mL lecithin only was significantly lower than in any other treatment (6%; P<0.03). These studies demonstrate that the protein composition of the freezing medium can significantly affect survival after thawing and that the survival of late morulae can be improved with additional BSA. The presence of lecithin only in the liposome preparation did not affect embryo development, but significantly reduced survival after freezing, suggesting it can affect post-thaw embryo survival, perhaps by altering embryonic membrane composition.