Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-g8tfn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T03:14:40.094Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Long-term storage of mouse embryos at —196 °C: the effect of background radiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

D. G. Whittingham ,
Mary F. Lyon  and
P. H. Glenister
D. G. Whittingham
Affiliation:
MRC Mammalian Development Unit, University College London
Mary F. Lyon
Affiliation:
MRC Radiobiology Unit, Harwell, Oxon
P. H. Glenister
Affiliation:
MRC Radiobiology Unit, Harwell, Oxon
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In order to test the feasibility of preservation, of genetic stocks of mice by storage in liquid nitrogen, mouse embryos at the 8-cell stage, were frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at – 196 °C under increased radiation exposures of 1·8×, 9× and 84× background levels for periods of 6–8 months, 10–12 and 27–29 months, the 1·8 × level being regarded as a control. Their survival rates to the blastocyst stage, and after transfer to recipient females, to foetal or liveborn stages were then compared with those of unfrozen or short term frozen control embryos. The freezing process per se caused a marked loss of viability, in comparison with the unfrozen controls, but at the 1·8× radiation level there was then no further loss in viability even at the longest storage time (27–29 months). Similarly, at the 9× radiation level there was no loss of viability during storage up to 29 months, but at the 84× level the proportions of implanted embryos and live foetuses were slightly reduced. It was not clear if this was a true effect of radiation, since it was not related to time of storage. Considering all groups, about 20–30% of the embryos originally frozen were recovered as foetuses or liveborn young. It is concluded that the preservation of genetic stocks by storage in liquid nitrogen is a feasible proposition.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Genetics Research , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , April 1977 , pp. 171 - 181
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

References

REFERENCES

Ashwood-Smith, M. J. (1967). Radioprotective and cryoprotective properties of dimethylsulphoxide in cellular systems. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 141, 45–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Biggers, J. D., Whitten, W. K. & Whittingham, D. G. (1971). The culture of mouse embryos in vitro. In Methods in Mammalian Embryology (ed. Daniel, J. C. Jr.), pp. 86–116. San Fransisco: W. H. Freeman.Google Scholar
Dufrain, R. J. (1975). The effects of ionizing radiation on preimplantation embryos developing in vitro. In Basic Aspects of Freeze Preservation of Mouse Strains (ed. Muhlbock, O.), pp. 73–84. Stuttgart: Gustav-Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Goldstein, L. S., Spindle, A. I. & Pedersen, R. A. (1975). X-ray sensitivity of the preimplantation mouse embryo in vitro. Radiation Research 62, 207–286.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leibo, S. P., Mazur, P. & Jackowski, S. C. (1974). Factors affecting survival of mouse embryos during freezing and thawing. Experimental Cell Research 89, 79–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lyon, M. F. (1975). Implication of freezing for the preservation of genetic stocks. In Basic Aspects of Freeze Preservation of Mouse Strains (ed. Mühlbock, O.), pp. 57–65. Stuttgart: Gustav-Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Mazur, P. (1975). Freezing and low temperature storage of living cells. In Basic Aspects of Freeze Preservation of Mouse Strains (ed. Mühlbock, O.). Stuttgart: Gustav-Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Meryman, H. T. (1966). Review of biological freezing. In Cryobiology. (ed. Meryman, H. T.), pp. 1–114. London and New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Nias, A. H. W. & Ebert, M. (1969). Effects of single and continuous irradiation of HeLa cells at – 196 °C. International Journal of Radiation Biology 16, 31–41.Google Scholar
Whittingham, D. G. (1971). Culture of mouse ova. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility (Supplement) 14, 7–21.Google ScholarPubMed
Whittingham, D. G. (1974). Embryo banks in the future of developmental genetics. Genetics 78, 395–402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whittingham, D. G. (1975). Low temperature storage of mammalian embryos. In Basic Aspects of Freeze Preservation of Mouse Strains (ed. Mühlbock, O.), pp. 45–55. Stuttgart: Gustav-Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Whittingham, D. G. (1976). General aspects of egg culture and preservation. In Egg Transfer in Cattle (ed. Rowson, L. E. A.), pp. 101–116. E.E.C. Commission, Luxembourg.Google Scholar
Whittingham, D. G., Leibo, S. P. & Mazur, P. (1972). Survival of mouse embryos frozen to – 196 °C and –269 °C. Science, New York 178, 411–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whittingham, D. G. & Whitten, W. K. (1974). Long-term storage and aerial transport of frozen mouse embryos. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 36, 433–435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilmut, I. (1972). The effect of cooling rate, warming rate, cryoprotective agent and stage of development on survival of mouse embryos during freezing and thawing. Life Sciences 11, 1071–1079.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed