Systems for Production of Calves from Hanwoo(Korean Cattle) IVM/IVF/IVC Blastocyst II. Simple, Efficient and Successful Vitrification of Hanwoo Blastocyst

체외생산된 한우 배반포기배로부터 송아지 생산을 위한 체계 II. 한우 배반포기배를 간편하면서 효율적이고 성공적으로 유리화 동결하는 방법

The objective of this study was to optimize the freezing/thawing method of in vitro produced Hanwoo blastocysts. Day 7 blastocysts after IVF were vitrified using EFS40 (40% ethylene glycol, 18% ficoll, 0.3 M sucrose and 10% FBS added m-DPBS) as a freezing solution and electron microscope (EM) grid (V-G) or straw (V-S) as an embryo container. In both method, freezing/thawing were treated by 2-step, treatment time was required in V-G method and V-S method, for 2 min / 3 min and 3.5 min / 10 min, respectively. Embryo survival was assessed as re-expanded and hatched rates at 24 h and 48 h after warming, respectively. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: when the effect of exposure in vitrification solution and chilling injury from freezing procedure on in vitro produced expanded blastocysts were examined, at 24 h after warming, embryo survival in exposure group (100.0%) was not different compared to that in control group (100.0%), although those results were significantly different with two vitrified groups (V-G: 87.8, V-S: 77.8%) (P＜0.001). However, at 48 h after warming, hatched rates of V-G group (67.8%) were significantly higher than those of V-S group (53.3%) (P＜0.05). In addition, this hatched rate in V-G group was not different with that in exposure group (73.3%). When the effects of embryo developmental stage (early, expanded and early hatching blastocysts) and embryo container (EM grid and straw) to the in vitro survival of vitrified-warmed day 7 Hanwoo blastocysts were simultaneously examined, fast developed embryos were indicated the better resistance to freezing than delayed developed one, irrespective of embryo containers (early; 57.1 ＆ 24.4%, expanded; 84.7 ＆ 60.6%, early hatching; 91.7 ＆ 80.0%) (P＜0.001). Especially, in expanded and early hatching blastocysts, embryo survival of V-G group (67.8, 95.0%) was significantly higher than those of V-S group (53.0, 65.0%) at 48 h post warming, respectively (P＜0.05, P＜0.001). Therefore, this study indicates that Hanwoo blastocysts can be cryopreserved more simple, efficient and successful by vitrification method using EM grid.

본 실험은 체외 생산된 한우 배반포기배에 적합한 동결 / 융해 방법을 찾고자 실시하였다. 체외배양 7일째에 생산된 배반포기배는 동해제 EFS40(40% ethylene glycol, 18% ficoll, 0.3 M sucrose 그리고 10% FBS가 첨가된 m-DPBS)과 embryo container인 EM grid (V-G) 또는 straw(V-S)를 이용해서 초자화 동결하였다. 동결과 융해는 두 방법 모두 2 단계로 실시하였으며, 처리시간은 V-G 방법이 2 분과 3분, V-S 방법이 3.5분과 10분 각각 소요되었다. 체외 생존능 평가는 융해 후 24시간째의 재팽창율과 48 시간째의 부화율로 조사하였다. 본 실험에서 얻어진 결과는 다음과 같다. 팽창 배반포기배를 이용하여 동결액 노출과 동결과정의 냉해가 배의 생존에 미치는 영향을 조사하였던 바, 융해 후 24시간째, 동결액 노출군 (100.0%)의 결과는 대조군 (100.0%)과 차이가 없었으며, 두 동결군 (V-G: 87.8%, V-S: 77.8%)의 생존율과 비교해 볼 때 유의하게 높았다 (P＜0.00l). 그러나, 융해 후 48시간째 각 처리군의 부화율을 조사하였던 바, V-G 군 (67.8%)은 V-S 군 (53.3%)보다 유의하게 높게 나타났으며 (P＜0.05), 동결액 노출군 (73.3%)과도 유의한 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 또한, 배발달단계 (초기, 팽창, 부화초기 배반포)와 동결에 사용된 embryo container(EM grid, straw)가 체외 생존율에 미치는 영향을 동시에 비교하였던 바, embryo container 에 상관없이 빠르게 발달된 배반포기배가 느리게 발달하는 난자군보다 유의하게 높은 생존율을 나타내었다 (초기 : 57.1, 24.4%; 팽창 : 84.7, 60.6%; 부화초기 : 91.7, 80.0%)(P＜0.001). 특히, 팽창 배반포기배와 부화초기 배반포기배에서, 융해 후 48시간째, V-G군(67.8, 95.0%)의 부화율이 V-S군(53.0, 65.0%)보다 유의하게 높게 나타나 동결시 EM grid 의 유용성을 확인할 수 있었다 (P＜0.05, P＜0.001). 따라서, 한우 배반포기배는 EM grid를 사용하는 초자화 동결방법으로 간편하면서도 효율적이고 성공적으로 동결보존 할 수 있다는 것을 알았다.