Cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue and the evaluation methods / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:How to preserve the fertility and ovarian function in patients with procreation needs has important significance and broad application prospects. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the recent studies about ovarian tissue cryopreservation, preservation and evaluation methods, and to explore the best solution for ovarian tissue freezing. METHODS:An online computer-based retrieval of PubMed database and Wanfang database between January 1994 and January 2014 was performed by the first author. The key words were ovarian tissue, ovarian tissue cryopreservation, freezing factors in English and Chinese. Final y 59 literatures on the ovarian tissue cryopreservation technique, influencing factor of cryopreservation, resuscitation, and human ovarian tissue transplantation were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Currently, laboratory methods of ovarian tissue cryopreservation are divided into slow-rate freezing, ultra-rapid cooling and vitrification technology. The freezing effect may vary in different patients, tissue sections, cryoprotectants species, penetration time and frozen carrier. After the recovery, the histological morphology of granulosa cells and fol icles was observed. The fol icles were counted to evaluate ovarian tissue. Freeze-thaw effects were evaluated by observing the changes of subcellular structures. The apoptotic signals were also detected. Immunohistochemical analysis was applied to detect the proliferation after recovery and apoptosis-related information. Variation in the in vitro culture reflected endocrine levels. Genetic level detection was also performed. In recent years, frozen ovarian tissue is clinical y applied for the transplantation, to restore reproductive endocrine function of the patients, or get mature germ cells, thereby preserving female fertility. However, there are stil some questions about cryopreservation of ovarian tissue, which need further study.