published_or_final_version / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2008. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-204).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 37).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-155) Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-214).

Thesis (M.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

by Wong Siu-Kuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 76-92.

Wang Yajun. / "April 2003." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 212-248). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Cryopreservation of gametes is a valuable tool for the fast-growing aquaculture industry in New Zealand. In the present study, research was aimed to improve the cryopreservation of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) oocytes. For this, two main approaches were used: the modification of an existing published (standard) cryopreservation protocol for oyster oocytes and the modification of the oocytes themselves prior to cryopreservation. The objectives in the chapters of this thesis were: (a) determination of the cryobiological characteristics of oyster oocytes; (b) assessment and reduction of intracellular ice formation (IIF) in oocytes; and (c) modification of the lipid fraction (cholesterol and fatty acids) of oocytes prior to cryopreservation. Knowledge of the membrane permeability parameters in response to concentrations of water and ethylene glycol (EG), the influence of temperature upon these parameters, and the osmotic tolerance limits of oyster oocytes were used to develop computer models that simulated the cellular volume changes that oocytes underwent during EG addition and removal. The models predicted that when one part of EG was added in one step to one part of oocyte suspension and equilibrated for 20 min at 20 �C, similar volume changes in oocytes would be obtained, compared to a more complicated multi-step addition method. This method of addition resulted in similar post-thaw fertilization rates to those obtained by using the multi-step addition method, thus reducing oocyte handling. Cryomicroscopy was used to assess the effect of cooling rates and EG concentration on the temperature at which oocytes underwent IIF. It was found that IIF occurred at higher subzero temperatures when fast cooling rates were used (30 and 5 �C min⁻�) and at EG concentrations ranged between 0 and 15%. At a relatively slower cooling rate of 0.3 �C min⁻� and with 10% EG, which are the conditions employed in the standard cryopreservation protocol, no IIF occurred. The steps of the standard protocol that were more likely to cause oocyte damage were identified by evaluating the fertilization rate of oocytes at each step. Results showed that oocytes were most damaged by cooling them to -35 �C and followed by plunging them in liquid nitrogen. Contrary to what had been observed under the cryomicroscope, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that all oocytes cryopreserved by the standard protocol contained cytoplasmic ice. In addition, it was also observed that oocytes were at two developmental stages when frozen (prophase and metaphase I). These observations prompted the development of alternative cooling programmes aimed to reduce intracellular ice. The effect of cooling rate, plunge temperature and time held at the plunge temperature were thus evaluated, based on post-thaw fertilization rate of oocytes. Overall, neither the cooling rate nor the holding time had an effect on oocyte fertility. However, the plunge temperature had an effect, where oocytes plunged at -60 �C had lower post-thaw fertilization rates than oocytes plunged at -35 �C. Through the slowing of the cooling rate, lengthening of the holding time and lowering of the plunge temperature, it was possible to reduce the amount of ice in the cytoplasm. However, the reduction of intracellular ice did not improve the post-thaw fertilization rate of the oocytes; on the contrary, post-thaw fertilization decreased notoriously. From these results, it can be suggested that oyster oocytes are more likely to be damaged by exposure to high intra and extracellular solute concentration than IIF during cryopreservation. In an effort to modify the lipid content of oyster oocytes prior to cryopreservation and thus, making them more resistant during cryopreservation, oocytes were incubated in solutions that would add or remove cholesterol or in solutions rich in long chain fatty acids (EPA or DHA). Oocytes incubated in cholesterol-rich solutions showed a positive uptake of fluorescently labelled cholesterol and this effect was dose dependent. Nevertheless, this uptake did not improve the post-thaw fertilization rate nor did it increase the total cholesterol content of the oocytes. When oocytes were incubated in non-conjugated or conjugated EPA or DHA, no increase in the proportion of these fatty acids was identified in the fatty acid profiles of whole oocytes and no improvement of the post-thaw fertilization rate was recorded. Given that there was no uptake of fatty acids from the incubation media by the oocytes, a different approach was taken. This involved the supplementation of lipid-rich diets to the oyster broodstock during gametogenesis (cold-conditioning) and vitellogenesis (warm-conditioning). Despite results showing that lipid content and, indeed, fatty acid profile was altered through the diet, the results also showed that fresh oocytes from broodstock fed during cold-conditioning did not show any improvement in their fertilization rates, nor did they benefit from a lipid-rich diet during warm-conditioning. On the other hand, cryopreserved oocytes did have higher post-thaw fertilisation rates when broodstock were fed during cold-conditioning and, although no effect was found from feeding broodstock with either of the lipid-rich diets during warm-conditioning, trends indicated that a diet consisting of fresh microalgae or the commercial supplement Algamac would yield the highest post-thaw fertilization rates. This thesis has furthered the understanding of some of the factors that determine cryosurvival in oyster oocytes and has demonstrated that both physical and biological issues must be taken into consideration for cryopreservation. Specifically, the results in this thesis helped to modify an empirically developed cryopreservation protocol for Pacific oyster oocytes. In addition, the results also showed strong evidence of the survival of oyster oocytes to intracellular ice and highlighted the importance of supplying the broodstock with lipid-rich food during the periods of gamete formation and maturation in order to obtain oocytes that are more amenable to cryopreservation. These benefits could be of significant practical importance and may be extended for the development or refinement of cryopreservation protocols for other shellfish species of commercial importance to the aquaculture industry of New Zealand.