published_or_final_version / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Firstly, exposure of compacted morulae (CM) and early blastocysts (EB) to methanol (M) or glycerol (G) for 1 h at room temperature followed by culture in standard culture medium showed that the embryos tolerated up to 12 to 24% methanol or 24 to 48% glycerol. Next, the effects of stage of embryo (CM vs EB), preservation temperature and concentration of 1:1 M:G on embryo survival were tested. EB survived longer than CM under all conditions. Increased concentrations of cryoprotectants (M and G) increased the survival of supercooled embryos, but survival was decreased with the storage temperature. Replacing G with propanediol (P) significantly increased blastocyst survival at lower temperatures. / Exposure for 1 h to $>$ 0.6 M of sucrose or trehalose at room temperature suppressed growth in culture, but dehydration in up to 0.4M sucrose before supercooling (in M:P) increased survival at $-$5 or $-$10$ sp circ$C, survival increasing with dehydration. / Finally, demi-embryos and intact embryos were cultured to the blastocyst stage, stored at $-$5$ sp circ$ for 48 h, then cultured for 24 h and transferred into pseudopregnant recipients.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Northeastern University, 2008. / Title from title page (viewed March 27, 2009). Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Biology. Includes bibliographical references (p. 140-156).

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published_or_final_version / Zoology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Zoology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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published_or_final_version / abstract / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy