• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.1989-1996
• /
• 2015

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) can inhibit ice recrystallization (IR), a major cause of cell death during cryopreservation. IBPs are hypothesized to improve cell viability after cryopreservation by alleviating the cryoinjury caused by IR. In our previous studies, we showed that supplementation of the freezing medium with the recombinant IBP of the Arctic yeast Glaciozyma sp. (designated as LeIBP) could reduce post-thaw hemolysis of human red blood cells and increase the survival of cryopreserved diatoms. Here, we showed that LeIBP could improve the viability of cryopreserved mammalian cells. Human cervical cancer cells (HeLa), mouse fibroblasts (NIH/3T3), human preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1), and human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were evaluated. These mammalian cells were frozen in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/fetal bovine serum (FBS) solution with or without 0.1 mg/ml LeIBP at a cooling rate of -1℃/min in a -80℃ freezer overnight. The minimum effective concentration (0.1 mg/ml) of LeIBP was determined, based on the viability of HeLa cells after treatment with LeIBP during cryopreservation and the IR inhibition assay results. The post-thaw viability of mammalian cells was examined. In all cases, cell viability was significantly enhanced by more than 10% by LeIBP supplementation in 5% DMSO/5% FBS: viability increased by 20% for HeLa cells, 28% for NIH/3T3 cells, 21% for MC3T3-E1, 10% for CHO-K1, and 20% for HaCaT. Furthermore, addition of LeIBP reduced the concentrations of toxic DMSO and FBS down to 5%. Therefore, we demonstrated that LeIBP can increase the viability of cryopreserved mammalian cells by inhibiting IR.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.46-50
• /
• 2004

In the present study, attempts were made to cryopreserve sea urchin, Anthocidaris crassispina sperm in liquid nitrogen, to evaluate the effects of various cryoprotectants and freezing rates on motility, survival rate and fertilization rate of the post-thawing sperm, and the ultrastructural changes of sperm after cryopreservation were observed. The highest values of sperm motility (motility index: 3.3$\pm$0.37) and survival rate (72$\pm$3.5%) were obtained with 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and these values were significantly higher than those of sperm preserved with glycerol. Comparisons of motilities and survival rates between treatments of difference freezing rates showed that there was no difference between procedures (a) 5$0^{\circ}C$/min to -8$0^{\circ}C$ (motility index: 3.3$\pm$0.31 ; survival late 70$\pm$2.7%) and (b) 3$0^{\circ}C$/min to -8$0^{\circ}C$ (motility index: 3.1$\pm$0.29; survival rate 69$\pm$3.7%), while the results of (c) 1$0^{\circ}C$/min to -8$0^{\circ}C$ were significantly lower than the others (motility index: 2.2$\pm$0.33 ; survival rate 42$\pm$4.6%). There was no significant difference in fertilization rate between fresh sperm and sperm preserved with 15% DMSO as cryoprotectant and freezing rate (3$0^{\circ}C$/min to -8$0^{\circ}C$). Some ultrastructural changes of sperm, such as the detachment of plasma membrane, the destruction of mitochondria, and the flagellum rolling up head, were observed after cryopreservation. Morphological normality of the sperm in 15% DMSO frozen at the ratio of 5$0^{\circ}C$/min to -8$0^{\circ}C$ was better than the others.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.173-177
• /
• 2007

An experiment was performed to obtain cryopreservation techniques of starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) sperm. Milt obtained from 24 males were cryopreserved using two diluents, artificial seminal plasma (ASP) and Stein's solution (SS) with three cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), methanol, and glycerol concentrated from 5% to 20%. Post-thaw sperm activity (motility and/or speed) revealed the highest in 10% DMSO and 15% methanol in ASP and SS as diluent. Motility and speed of cryopreserved sperm were decreased according to increase of glycerol concentration. To conclude, DMSO was a better cryoprotectant than methanol or glycerol for cryopreservation of starry flounder sperm. Glycerol was incongruent cryoprotectant because of toxic to starry flounder sperm. Most cryopreserved spermatozoa without cryoprotectant showed the enlarged head with granulated chromatin and ruptured plasma membrane by freezing and thawing injuries compared with unfrozen normal spermatozoa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.149-157
• /
• 2002

Objectives: To assess the scavenging effect of carnitine derivatives on oxidative damage to sperm during sperm processing, cryopreservation and thawing. Materials and Methods: Fresh semen samples from 20 normal healthy volunteers were collected by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence. After liquefaction of semen samples at room temperature, the specimens were diluted with sperm wash media (Ham's F-10, Life technologics) to a uniform density of $20{\times}10^6/ml$. L-carnitine or acetylcarnitine were added with various concentration of $0{\mu}M$, $10{\mu}M$, $30{\mu}M$ in semen sample or cryoprotectant. All specimens were cryopreservated at $-196^{circ}C$ $LN_2$ for 3 days. Sperm motility, vitality, fertilizing capacity, reactive oxygen species formation and the level of lipid peroxidation were analyzed by computer assisted semen analyzer, eosin-nigrosin stain, hypoosmotic swelling test, chemiluminescence and thiobarbituric acid method, respectively, during sperm processing, cryopreservation and thawing. Results: The sperm motility was only increased in proportion to the concentration of acetylcarnitine with no statistical significance (p>0.05). The sperm vitality was also significantly improved in proportion to the concentration of acetylcarnitine with statistical significance (p<0.05). The sperm fertilizing capacity was significantly increased in proportion to the concentration of L-carnitine and acetylcarnitine and reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased with same fashion (p<0.05). On comparison of effects between L-carnitine and acetylcarnitine, acetylcarnitine was superior to L-carnitine on the improvement of sperm motility and vitality as well as the suppression of reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation. Conclusions: These results suggest that carnitine derivatives have a scavenging effect against oxidative damages during sperm processing, cryopreservation and thawing. Therefore, carnitine derivatives may be useful as an oral antioxidant in patients with male infertility due to increased ROS generation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2002

Objective : Heat shock protein family is related to protective mechanism of cells by environmental changes. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of cryopreservation on the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) expression in mouse ovarian tissue. Methods : Cryopreservation of mouse ovarian tissue was carried out by slow freezing method. The mRNA level of Hsp90 expression in both fresh and cryopreserved mouse ovarian tissue was analyzed by RT-PCR. The protein expression of Hsp90 was evaluated by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Results: The mRNA and protein of Hsp90 were expressed in both fresh and cryopreserved mouse ovarian tissue. The amount of Hsp90 mRNA was increased in cryopreserved ovarian tissue after 60 and 90 minutes after thawing and incubation. The amount of Hsp90 protein was increased in the cryopreserved ovarian tissue after 6 hours of the incubation in Western blot analysis. In immunohistochemical study, Hsp90 protein was localized in cytoplasm of oocytes and granulosa cells. Significant level of immunoreactive Hsp90 protein was detected in theca cells contrast to the weak expression in ovarian epithelial cells. Conclusion: This results showed the increase of Hsp90 expression in both mRNA and protein level in the cryopreserved mouse ovarian tissue. It can be suggested that Hsp90 may play a role in the protective or recovery mechanism against the cell damage during cryopreservaion.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.279-285
• /
• 2006

Vitrification has been suggested to be an effective method for the cryopreservation of human ES cells. However, the efficiency of vitrification with different vehicles remains a matter of ongoing controversy. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of cryopreservation in human ES cells by vitrification using different vehicles. A human ES cell line and a variety of vehicles, including micro-droplet (MD), open-pulled straw (OPS) and electron microscopic grid (EM-grid), were employed in an attempt to assess vitrification efficiency. In order to evaluate the survivability and the undifferentiated state of the post-vitrified human ES cells, we conducted alkaline phosphatase staining and characterization via both RT-PCR and immunofluorescence assays. The survival rates of the post-vitrified human ES cells using MD, OPS and EM-grid were determined to be 61.5%, 66.6% and 53.8%, respectively. There also exist significant differences between slow-freezing and vitrification (p<0.01). However, no significant differences were detected between the vehicle types. Finally, the pluripotency of human ES cells after thawing was verified by teratoma formation. Cryopreservation using vitrification is more effective than slow-freezing, and the efficiency of vehicles proved effective with regard to the preservation of human ES cells.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.149-152
• /
• 2000

Cryopreservation of infective juveniles of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser, was conducted at $-190^{\circ}C$ liquid nitrogen and its, efficacy was analysed on nematode survival and pathogenicity with glycerol pretreatments and storage periods. Infective juveniles were pre-treated before being frozen by incubating the nematodes in 22% glycerol for each of 6, 12, and 24 h, followed by 70% methanol at $0^{\circ}C$ for 10 minutes. Just after glycerol and methanol incubations, subsamp1es of the nematodes were resuspended in 0.85% saline and maintained during 24h for viability determination. Different glycerol incubation periods significantly affected the nematode susceptibility to methanol infiltration. Six hour incubation in glycerol resulted in much less nematode survival than did 12 h or 24 h incubation. About 70% of the infective juveniles frozen at $-190^{\circ}C$ for 5 months, preincubat-ed in glycerol at least for 12h, were able to survive after being resuspended in 30°C saline. They did not also show any change in their pathogenicity during cryopreservation. These results suggest an improved technique for long-term storage of the entomopathogenic nematodes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.267-291
• /
• 2010

Life can be kept in suspended animation either before fertilization at oocyte stage or after fertilization at different stages of embryonic development for a variety of reasons. It not only has potential applications in fertility preservation and management in human but also has important roles in the preservation and management of animal genetic resources, low-cost international movement of selected genetics, and rapid dissemination of germplasm through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and genetic engineering. Currently, slow-freezing and vitrification are the two approaches by which oocytes and embryos can be cryopreserved for long-term storage. Both of these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages but allow the cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos with comparable efficiency. Vitrification of oocyte and embryos, although proven successful just 13 years after slow-freezing, is generally considered an emerging technology and appears to slow gain acceptance in both animal and human ART despite having controversial storage and contamination issues. In this manuscript, we discuss the basic techniques of oocyt/embryo cryopreservation and review the current status and recent developments in vitrification.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.17-26
• /
• 2004

In present study, attempts were made to preserve abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) sperm in liquid form at low temperature, to evaluate the effect of various diluents in short-term storage on sperm, and cryopreservation procedures were optimized for the cryoprotectants and freezing rates, as well as the motility, survival rate, and the ultrastructural changes of sperm after short-term storage and cryopreservation were observed. The abalone sperm reached maximum motility until about 4 min after activation. The motility was constant for about 16 min, after which it dropped gradually, and about 50 min later all motility ceased. In Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS, 300 and 400 mOsmol/kg) and 150, 250 and 350 mOsmol/k artificial seawater (ASW), the sperm was immotile. After 100% ASW was added, motility of those sperm, which are in 300, 400 mOsmol/kg HBSS, 250, 350 mOsmol/kg ASW, could be again restored incompletely. Sperm motility can be maintained for 20 days of cold storage only in ASW of 850 and 1200 mOsmol/kg. A high motility index of 3.5-4.5 was observed for the first 8 days in 850 and 950 mOsmol/kg ASW. In other diluents sperm motility was constant less than 10 days, and the motility index was obviously lower than that of sperm in 850 and 1200 mOsmol/kg ASW. After 20 days of cold storage, survival rates of 10.2%-20.7% were obtained in ASW and 300 mOsmol/kg HBSS, and that in 400 HBSS (65.3%) was significantly higher than others. The constant period of sperm motility stored in 850 mOsmol/kg ASW was obviously longer than that in 1200 mOsmol/kg ASW after 6 days of storage. The sperm plunged into liquid nitrogen all died except that sperm using 15% glycerol as cryoprotectant restored 10.4% of motility. The highest motility index (3.4) was obtained with 5% glycerol and freezing procedure: $-50^{\circ}C$/min from $20^{\circ}C$ to $-80^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2019

An experiment was performed to obtain cryopreservation techniques of Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus sperm. Milt were cryopreservation using five cryoprotectant demethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG), glycerol, methanol and propylene glycol (PG) with marine fish ringer's solution (MFRS) as diluent. Milt were cryopreserved each experimental methods like cryoprotectants (10% and 20%), equilibration time (3, 5 and 10 min) and freezing protocols (liquid nitrogen vapor above 3, 8 and 12 cm). Post-thaw sperm survival rate revealed the highest in 10% PG with optimum methods of equilibration time (3 min) and freezing protocol (liquid nitrogen vapor above 8 cm) about 21.3±1.8%. Hatching rate of fertilization eggs using fresh and cryopreserved sperm were no significantly different.